Competitiveness is like a country's secret sauce for doing well in the great economic game. It's not just about profit and wealth but also about maintaining a good ranking while preparing for future challenges. It is the linchpin for sustainable growth, innovation and resilience in an increasingly interconnected global landscape. Imagine it as the superpower in a country’s DNA, which helps it be more innovative, work smarter, be resilient to crises and ready to adapt and evolve. As technology accelerates, trade boundaries shift, and sustainability becomes paramount, a nation's competitive edge has become synonymous with its capacity to navigate these changes adeptly.

In essence, competitiveness is the compass that guides nations towards a future where adaptability, creativity, and efficiency are not just desirable attributes but essential prerequisites for enduring success on the world stage. 

For countries aiming for a successful and vital future, maintaining – or better, boosting – their competitiveness is crucial.

This leads us to the question: “Is Luxembourg still competitive and in the race?” Can we still confidently assert that the Grand Duchy has remained the economic "competitor” it has been for some time? Are we seizing the opportunities of global change?

These questions and others will form the basis of our discussion together during the 2024 Journée de l’Économie, held on 26 March at the Chamber of Commerce.

Join us in a lively discussion as experts dissect Luxembourg’s current competitiveness. We will identify critical success factors from recent years and contemplate their role in shaping the Grand Duchy’s trajectory for the future.

We will also delve into the realm of innovation and emerging technologies in Luxembourg, exploring the nation’s positioning in tomorrow’s technological landscape and addressing the dual challenge of environmental and digital transformation.

To register or discover more information, click here. 

Programme and speakers

As with every year, this unique event will bring together economists, members of the Luxembourg Government – including the Minister of the Economy Lex Delles – as well as representatives of the private sector to discuss the current economic climate, the measures to be considered and potential (drastic) changes to be made, in order to remain competitive.

We will be delighted to welcome well-known speakers who are specialised in the field of competitiveness, productivity and attractiveness, and can share with us best practices on how the Grand Duchy can become the best in class.

Among other speakers, we will have the privilege of listening to:

Lionel Fontagné, an advisor to the Economic and International Cooperation Directorate of the Bank of France and Professor of Economics at the University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and at the Paris School of Economics, has carried out several studies and written several reports on competitiveness, international trade and investment, trade policies and long-term issues, addressing current challenges in the global economy. Professor Fontagné participated in the Journée de l’Économie several years ago to address Luxembourg’s competitiveness. He is the author of the landmark report “Compétitivité du Luxembourg : Une paille dans l’acier” published in 2005. It will therefore be interesting to have his point of view almost 20 years later and to assess with him the current situation in the country.

We will also welcome Michele Cincera, Professor of Economics at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management-ULB, specialising in the economics of science and technology, industrial organisation, and applied econometrics. Since 2012, he has directed the International Center for Innovation, Technology, and Education Studies (iCite). His research delves into evaluating innovative activities, national innovation systems, and policies supporting science and research. With expertise in policy analysis and supervision of Ph.D. students, he will bring significant contributions to understanding competition dynamics and the impact of innovation policies.

We will also be joined by Serge Allegrezza, appointed Director of Luxembourg’s statistics bureau Statec in April 2003 and previously responsible for internal market policy and general economic policy at the Luxembourgish Ministry of the Economy and Foreign Trade. He will provide his insights on the competitiveness of Luxembourg. We will also host several CEOs of the Luxembourg economy and financial centre.

To find out more about the event or to share your point of view, visit our website: www.jecolux.lu.

Please note: This year the conference will start at noon with a Walking Lunch until 14:00, the conference will follow with guest speakers and panel discussions throughout the afternoon from 14:00 until 18:00, and close with a Networking Cocktail from 18:00 until 19:00. The conference will be held in English. The detailed agenda and complete list of speakers will be circulated in a few days.

Supporting a deserving organisation

Please note, as always, the proceeds from the registration will be entirely donated to a deserving organisation. Registration fees for the conference amount to 70 euros. More info about the association will be communicated soon. 

About the conference

Since 2007, the Journée de l'Économie has been organised every year, assembling a community of entrepreneurs, leaders, institutional administrators, politicians and decision-makers from Luxembourg and the Greater Region.

This conference presents an opportunity to explore the possibilities, challenges, and strategies that will define Luxembourg's competitiveness in the face of global change.

Over the years, this conference has come to constitute one of the key events of Luxembourg's corporate agenda.

The collaborators

The success of the Journée de l'Économie is to a large degree due to the dedicated involvement of its four main organisers: the Ministry of Economy via the Luxembourg Competitiveness Observatory, the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, FEDIL - The Voice of Luxembourg's Industry and the foundation IDEA. The contribution of private collaborators such as PwC Luxembourg has also considerably contributed to the conference's distinction and renown.