Conference on EU Competitiveness: The Urgency to Close the Innovation Gap

Ljubljana – Slovenia, along with the EU, faces a critical challenge posed by the innovation gap, a situation aggravated by the swift pace of technological advancement. This issue was discussed at a recent conference in Ljubljana, hosted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) group in collaboration with the European Commission’s representation in Slovenia.

Addressing this gap is imperative, and effective strategies must be developed promptly, especially following insights from former European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi. Mary Veronica Tovšak Pleterski, the Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Small and Medium Enterprises at the European Commission, emphasized the need for increased private investment. “We require more private capital alongside robust public investment support,” she stated.

According to her, the new European Commission should align investments to focus on green, digital, and social transitions. She underscored the importance of financing rapidly growing enterprises and expressed her appreciation for the Slovenian government’s backing of Brussels’ proposed initiatives.

Rene Šrumpf, a product development and European programs expert at SID Bank, cautioned that Slovenia is continuously striving to catch up with other countries but has not yet managed to surpass them. “Slovenia has an advantageous starting point in many sectors, yet it struggles to leverage this potential effectively,” he remarked. He also pointed out that startups in Slovenia, similar to those in other EU nations, encounter significant hurdles due to a lack of understanding of their operational models, resulting in inadequate funding. Urgent changes are necessary in this arena, particularly as global competition intensifies, they warned. (November 27)