The EU Competitiveness Compass - Navigating growth and innovation in a changing market

Nowadays, it's almost impossible to open a newspaper without encountering an article on 'sustainability'. Whether it's in the context of the financial services industry, the broader economy, or society as a whole, sustainability has become a critical issue. In recent years, it has gained significant traction and is now recognised as a necessity rather than just a trend.

Over the past decade, the focus on environmental issues has grown exponentially, resulting in various global commitments and initiatives aimed at transforming current institutional, economic, and financial models.

The EU Competitiveness Compass, launched in 2024, sets the strategic direction for enhancing Europe's global economic strength, resilience, and sustainability. It outlines priorities for innovation, decarbonisation, supply chain security, and regulatory efficiency, ensuring that businesses operating in the EU remain competitive in the evolving geopolitical and economic landscape.

With increasing regulatory complexity, businesses must proactively align with emerging frameworks, including the Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, Net-Zero Industry Act, AI Act, and Digital Product Passports. This training will equip companies with the knowledge to navigate these evolving policies, seize opportunities, and mitigate risks.

By the end of this training, participants will:

• understand the core objectives of the EU Competitiveness Compass and its four strategic pillars:
  • Innovation and technology leadership
  • Green and digital transitions
  • Open and resilient markets
  • Skills and workforce adaptation
• identify how regulatory changes and sustainability policies impact different industries;
• explore opportunities for innovation, decarbonisation, and digital transformation;
• gain insights into EU funding mechanisms, incentives, and support for businesses;
• learn how to future-proof business strategies in response to evolving EU competitiveness policies.

• Introduction to the EU Competitiveness Compass
  • What is the EU Competitiveness Compass, and why does it matter?
  • The four strategic pillars shaping the future of EU industries:
    • Innovation & technology leadership
    • Green & digital transitions
    • Open & resilient markets
    • Skills & workforce adaptation
  • How it fits with broader EU strategies (Green Deal, Fit for 55, Digital Agenda)
• Key regulatory & policy developments affecting competitiveness
  • Green transition & industrial strategy
  • Technology & digital innovation
  • Supply chain security & open markets
  • Workforce & skills adaptation
• Impact on businesses & industry implications
  • How regulatory changes affect different industries (manufacturing, energy, finance, tech, supply chains)
  • Challenges & compliance risks businesses must prepare for
  • Financial risks & investment implications
• Opportunities for growth & innovation
  • Leveraging EU funding & incentives (Horizon Europe, Innovation Fund, InvestEU)
  • Business case for sustainability & circular economy
  • Strategies for digital transformation & AI adoption
• Next Steps for Businesses
  • Assessing regulatory exposure & future-proofing strategies
  • Developing a competitive resilience plan
  • Engaging with EU funding programs & innovation networks

This training is coordinated by Michael Horvath, Daniela Cedola and Julien Jacqué, Partners at PwC Luxembourg.

Michael has acquired a strong financial and regulatory audit as well as advisory background and significant experience leading projects in the asset management sphere.

In the recent past, Michael has been particularly involved in various regulatory projects related to the implementation of the EU regulatory framework for sustainable finance (i.e. SFDR, taxonomy regulation, CSRD) at entity and product level. Michael is involved in various other regulatory projects for clients, from DORA, AML/CFT regulation over CSSF circular 18/698 to MICA.

Daniela is a Partner within PwC Consulting Public Sector. She has more than 20 years of professional experience with project management, including managing teams of 30+ people, overseeing project delivery, quality and risk control, client orientation and conflict resolution.

Daniela has worked for different industries and sectors, including Public Sector, Education, Energy and Technology. Working for the PwC’s Accelerator, she specialised in acceleration and internationalisation of SMEs and diverse business challenges such as strategy, market access and investment readiness.

Julien is the EMEA Sustainability in Finance Transformation Leader at PwC and is actively engaged in PwC EMEA’s CSRD Centre of Excellence. With over 12 years of consulting experience, he currently oversees PwC LU’s Sustainability Reporting and Transformation services.
Julien holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Corporate Finance and has provided extensive support to clients in the implementation of data and technology solutions. Over the past few years, he has assisted both financial and corporate clients in their sustainability journey, spanning strategy, transformation, and reporting. Julien possesses both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in ESG regulations such as CSRD, EU Taxonomy, EU ETS, and CBAM.This training is coordinated by Michael Horvath, Partner at PwC Luxembourg.