On April 8, 2025, we kicked off the European Leaders Talk series with a high-level session on EU competitiveness and the role of international business. The event marked a strong start to the new initiative, and Filip Tendal Kanold, Trainee at Swedish Chambers International and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, shares a summary from the session:
Dear SCI members,
A big thanks to everyone who joined us for the first session of the European Leaders Talk series – and a special shout-out to Chambre de Commerce Suédoise en France for making it happen, and to Daniella Waldfogel and Stockholm Chamber of Commerce for moderating and organising.
We were honoured to kick things off with Fredrik Persson, President of BusinessEurope, who gave a sharp and honest take on the state of EU competitiveness. He highlighted the gap between the EU and the US in growth and investment, and outlined clear priorities: smarter regulation, faster permitting, lower energy costs, and more strategic partnerships—especially in an increasingly tense global trade environment.
Fredrik also underscored the vital role international chambers play in supporting European business abroad, and encouraged more Swedes to get involved in EU institutions to help shape the policies that affect us all.
We had a great turnout, and the questions and conversation that followed brought real energy and depth to the session.
This was the kickoff of our new European Leaders Talk series, inspired by the successful CEO Talks in APAC. The aim is to bring in high-level voices shaping Europe’s economic, political, and industrial landscape—and we’re already looking forward to the next one.
It was also a perfect example of what makes SCI strong—cross-border collaboration and shared learning that benefits the whole network. We look forward to continuing this exciting new initiative together.
