Invitation

8th Friends of Industry Ministerial Meeting Monday, 3rd November 2025, 10:30 – 14:00 Radialsystem Holzmarktstr. 33, 10243 Berlin 09:30 Check-In Welcome coffee & bilateral exchange 10:00 Press Statement 10:30 Opening Session Katherina Reiche, Minister BMWE Stephan Séjourné, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission (tbc) 11:00 Policy Discussion Strengthening Competitiveness of the European Industry – Measures needed Pitch by Prof. Dr. Justus Haucap (tbc) Director of the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economies (DICE) Discussion Policy Questions: What economic barriers most significantly impact the competitiveness of European industries? Please name the three most urgent measures which need to be taken by the European Commission? What is needed to support the digital transition of industry within a global challenging competitive framework? How can we exploit the potential value added of digitalisation in the industry in Europe? How can we reduce bureaucratic burden – beyond the Omnibus proposals? 1 12:30 Adoption of Declaration and Family Photo 13:00 Working Lunch on Minister-level Securing the resilience of our industry and EU’s defence capabilities Policy Questions: Do we need EU preference to secure resilience? How can it be realized in an unbureaucratic, effective and targeted way? How can we exploit the full potential of spillover effects from defence investment for our industry with the aim of boosting innovation? Please note that the delegation size will be 1 + 2 (Minister and two delegates) for each delegation. The Conference will be held in English. The Delegations may be accompanied by an interpreter. In this case, they are invited to report it to the following contact [email protected]. Any questions about the programme and organisation of the Conference can be addressed to the same address. 2 19. September 2025 Dear Minister, I am delighted to personally invite you to the Friends of Industry ministerial conference on 3 November 2025 in Berlin. The Friends of Industry should act as a key driver in the ongoing dialogue on the future direction of European industrial policy. In a time of geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainty, and critical decisions about our future direction, we must once again give our industry a strong and unified voice in Europe. At the same time, we should support the European Commission in establishing the framework conditions needed for a resilient and forward-looking industrial base across the continent. We must set the right course for growth in the European economy. I would therefore like to come together with you at the Friends of Industry conference to discuss measures and approaches to strengthen the competitiveness of our industry and the need to enhance resilience — including how we can shape industrial policy to bolster Europe’s defence capabilities in order to advance our position in key technological fields and unlock new drivers of growth. We intend to adopt a joint declaration, which we will agree with you ahead of the conference. Please find attached the provisional agenda. I would be grateful if you could confirm your attendance via email to [email protected]. I look forward to welcoming you in Berlin. 1 Saatja: [email protected] Saaja: "info - MKM" <[email protected]> Teema: Invitation to the Friends of Industry Conference on November 3, 2025, in Berlin Kuupäev: 2025-09-23 08:42 Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada. Dear Sir or Madam, we would like to inform you that the official invitations to the Friends of Industry conference have been sent to you by post. Please find enclosed the official invitation from the Federal Minister Katherina Reiche to the conference on November 3 in Berlin and the agenda for the conference. We hope your minister will be able to attend the Friends of Industry conference in Berlin. Please do not hesitate to contact us, if you have any questions. Kind regards Dr. Martina Gikadi _________________________________________ Head of Division IVA4 - European Industrial Policy Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Street Address: Chausseestraße 23, 10115 Berlin Postal Address: 11019 Berlin Phone: +49 (30) 18615-6858 E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.bmwe.de Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie Katherina Reiche Mr. Bundesministerin Erkki Keldo haüsanschrift Scharnhorststraße 34 - 37,10115 Berlin Minister of Economy and Industry Postanschrift 10100 Berlin ESTONIA tel +49 (0)3018 615-76 00 fax +49(0)3018 615-70 30 Übermittlung über Deutsche Botschaft Tallinn e-mail [email protected],de datum Berlin,.^£7. September 2025 Sehr geehrter Herr Minister, ich freue mich, Sie persönlich zur Ministerkonferenz „Friends of Industry“ am 3. November 2025 in Berlin einzuladen. Die „Friends of Industry“ sollte ein wichtiger Impulsgeber in den Diskussionen zur Ausgestaltung der europäischen Industriepolitik sein. In einer Zeit geopolitischer Veränderungen, wirtschaftlicher Unsicherheit und notwendiger Richtungsentscheidungen sollten wir unserer Industrie wieder eine starke Stimme in Europa geben und die Europäische Kommission darin unterstützen, Rahmenbedingungen für eine zukunftsfähige und robuste Industrie in Europa zu schaffen. Wir müssen die richtigen Weichen für Wachstum der europäischen Wirtschaft stellen. Daher möchte ich mit Ihnen zusammen im Rahmen der „Friends of Industry“-Konferenz über Maßnahmen und Wege diskutieren für die Stärkung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Industrie und die Notwendigkeit der Resilienz inklusive der Frage, wie die Stärkung der Verteidigungsfähigkeit industriepolitisch gestaltet werden kann, um Europa auf zentralen Technologiefeldem voranzubringen und Wachstumseffekte auszulösen. Geplant ist, eine gemeinsame Erklärung zu verabschieden, die wir im Vorfeld der Konferenz mit Urnen abstimmen werden.  -2 - Anbei finden Sie die vorläufige Agenda. Ich bitte um eine Bestätigung Ihrer Teilnahme per E-Mail an [email protected]. Ich freue mich darauf, Sie in Berlin begrüßen zu können. Mit freundlichen Grüßen