Fifth European Economic Congress in full swing in Poland

The 5th European Economic Congress (EEC) is in full swing in Katowice, an industrial city in southern Poland on Tuesday. The three-day congress, the largest economic event in Central Europe, kicked off on Monday and is expected to be attended by 6000 guests for over 100 sessions and side events, reported local media. Several hundred speakers will contribute to nearly 100 panel discussions. The topics reflect the challenges the European economy faces in the recent years, ranging from economic growth, the future of the euro area, the future of the common EU energy and climate policy, the role of Central European countries in the EU, a new opening of Europe to the global competition, cooperation and expansion, to the key issues for the future of economy and public life. Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Janusz Piechocinski stressed at the opening session of the congress that countries need to work together to make better use of their potential. At the same time, he called for conduct of deregulation within the EU. His view was echoed by other officials participating in the discussion. "We have a lot of meaningless power adjustment, planned after market liberalization and deregulation of prices and please tell me what could be carried out?" asked Slovakia's Economy Minister Tomas Malatinsky. "The current policy of the Union is anti-industries.Power has been deprived of market conditions for the development," said Martin Kuba, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. Participants also agreed that European countries should seek new business contacts, new markets, as Romanian Economy Minister Varujan Vosganian argued. Congress events such as Monday's session of the "Go Global" Economic Cooperation Forum and the Africa-Central Europe Cooperation Forum were devoted to this issue. It is the first time African representatives are invited for the forum. Chinese participants were invited for the second time to attend the China-Europe Economic Cooperation Forum held on Tuesday. Since its first edition in 2009, the organizer of the EEC has been PTWP Group SA.