After three years away, the Brussels community finally had the chance to reconnect in person, and in style, at AmCham EU’s Gala 2022. With a special focus on ‘Invested in youth’, the evening brought together more than 250 guests to celebrate the contributions of the young generation. It showcased an inspiring cello performance from the two Queen Elisabeth Competition finalists and was capped off with the presentation of the Youth Entrepreneurship Award to a female entrepreneur.
After three years away, the Brussels community finally had the chance to reconnect in person, and in style, at AmCham EU’s Gala 2022. With a special focus on ‘Invested in youth’, the evening brought together more than 250 guests to celebrate the contributions of the young generation. It showcased an inspiring cello performance from the two Queen Elisabeth Competition finalists and was capped off with the presentation of the Youth Entrepreneurship Award to a female entrepreneur.
The festivities began with remarks from Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU who shared a hopeful perspective for the future of European innovation and the transatlantic relationship. The audience then had the opportunity to enjoy a cello concert from Queen Elisabeth Competition finalists Hayoung Choi and Yibai Chen.
The highlight of the evening, however, was the presentation of this year’s Youth Entrepreneurship Award, in collaboration with JA Europe. For the last decade, AmCham EU has been proud to support entrepreneurship in Europe, and this year, as part of the European Year of Youth and in line with the mission of the EMPOWER HER initiative, the Executive Council doubled down on their commitment. All three finalists will receive mentorship from the business minds of European CEOs. There could only be one winner and the top prize went to Sweden’s Ida Norström, CEO, Energy Effective Solutions. Norström works to provide energy-efficient electrical installations for companies and private individuals, and her company is the fastest growing in her country’s sector.
AmCham EU also made a contribution to the Queen Elisabeth Competition, and has been glad to support the young musicians, even when we could only hear their performances virtually the last two years. Learn more about how AmCham EU gives back here.
A big thank you is in order for sponsor ExxonMobil. Be sure to mark your calendars for next year’s 60th anniversary gala, set for Wednesday, 28 June 2023.
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Senior business leaders gathered in Antwerp, Belgium to convey a clear message on the state of Europe’s industrial base and the urgent need to restore the continent’s competitiveness. The discussions underscored that the drivers of declining competitiveness are well understood and that decisive action is now required, notably through a systemic reduction of administrative burden, completion of the Single Market and measures to ensure lower energy prices.
Taking place on Thursday, 11 February, the forum brought together political leaders including Bart De Wever, Prime Minister, Belgium; Emmanuel Macron, President, France; Friedrich Merz, Chancellor, Germany and Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission.
Malte Lohan, CEO and Job Boonstra, Senior Policy Adviser, AmCham EU joined the exchange alongside senior executives from across sectors, reinforcing industry’s call for coordinated policy action to enhance Europe’s competitiveness and investment environment.
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The revision of the Public Procurement Directive (PPD) is a critical opportunity to unlock the full value of public procurement for European competitiveness and resilience. A simpler, more consistent and quality-driven framework would strengthen market access, attract a wider range of bidders and enable public buyers to select best-in-class solutions.
The revision should prioritise practical ‘how to buy’ reforms, including digitalisation, standardised templates and reusable documentation, to reduce administrative burdens and increase participation. In parallel, ‘what to buy’ reforms should focus on transparent and verifiable criteria that reward performance, security and life-cycle value while avoiding unnecessary complexity that risks reducing competition.
Learn how, if designed effectively, the PPD can support innovation, resilience and better outcomes for public buyers across the EU.
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