The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Victor Negrescu MEP, participated in a series of European events in February on key topics for the digital future, international relations and education at European level, including meetings with key players in the technology field, debates on post-Brexit relations between the UK and the European Union, and the launch of an intergroup on education and skills.

These meetings have highlighted the need for more coherent and inclusive European policies to support digital transformation, strengthening relations between the EU and its partners and investing in education and skills.

CEE Digital Coalition: Accelerating digital transformation in Central and Eastern Europe

One of the most important events attended by Victor Negrescu was the CEE Digital Coalition meeting, where he emphasized the enormous potential of Eastern Europe in the digital field and the persistent challenges of the fragmentation of the European common market.

”Even if we have successful examples, it is still difficult for Romanian digital companies to have access to a direct contract with an authority in another EU member state or with the European institutions,” said Victor Negrescu.

At the event, which was also attended by the European Commission Director-General responsible, Negrescu proposed four key measures to facilitate digitalization in the region:

Removing unjustified barriers between member states for companies participating in public tenders;

Easier access to intellectual property rights and tackling monopolies on certifications;

Reforming the European capital and financial system to allow access to more affordable financing;

Real involvement of companies in the implementation of trade agreements.

On this occasion, Vice President Victor Negrescu announced that he would organise a new edition of the Romanian Digital Day at the European Parliament in March: ”I keep on fighting for the Romanian innovation economy, which has a high added value, representing 6% of GDP, in order to become influential at European level”.

The event also marked the opening of the CEE Digital Coalition’s permanent representation in Brussels, strengthening the platform for collaboration between CEE digital companies and European decision makers.

Among the prominent participants were Michał Kanownik, President of the Digital Poland Association, and Witold Strzelecki, CEO of Business & Science Poland.

IciLEurope Debate: Post-Brexit relations between the UK and the European Union

Victor Negrescu was invited to participate in the IciLEurope debate, organized by France 24, where he discussed the impact of Brexit on the European economy and security. He drew attention to the negative effects of Brexit on the UK, but also to the need to rebuild trust and cooperation between the UK and the EU.

”It is essential to find common ground, agreed by both sides, in order to rebuild the trust and collaboration that we all need,” the MEP stressed.

Negrescu emphasized the role of the new British Labour government in this process, underlining the importance of protecting the rights of European and Romanian citizens in the UK.

”They deserve to have their rights respected and to live free from fear or uncertainty. I have emphasized this in numerous meetings with the relevant British and European authorities. Romania and the European Union as a whole must remain united in defending the interests of all our citizens, regardless of where they choose to build their future”, the European official recalled.

The event included presentations by experts in the fields of international relations and European economics.

Launch of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Education and Skills

Another highlight of February was the official launch of the first European Parliament Intergroup on Education and Skills, an initiative coordinated by Victor Negrescu. This Intergroup brings together over 100 MEPs interested in promoting education as a strategic priority of the European Union.

On this occasion, the members of the intergroup called for the creation of a European plan dedicated to education and skills, with an allocation of 20% of the future post-2027 European budget. Mr. Negrescu recalled that, thanks to his previous efforts, 10% of the funds of the national recovery and resilience plans had been directed to education.

The priorities of this intergroup include:

• Creating a European investment framework for education;
• Increasing funding for the Erasmus+ programme;
• Simplifying access to funding for education programmes;
• Developing a single framework for skills, similar to the Single European Market;
• Investment in education infrastructure and lifelong learning.

Participants in the event included Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Brigitte van den Berg and Eleonora Meleti, co-chairs of the intergroup, as well as representatives of The Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP) and The European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE).