Event title: "Independent retail: A cornerstone of vibrant local communities in Europe"
Date: Wednesday 5 February 2025
Time: 18:00 – 21:00 (mandatory group entrance at 17:15)
Location: European Parliament, Members' Salon, Brussels
Organiser: Independent Retail Europe in partnership with SME Connect
Hosting MEP (Member of the European Parliament): Jörgen WARBORN (EPP, Sweden)
Despite the fact that SMEs represent 99% of EU businesses, and are the backbone of the EU economy, EU policy makers rarely have an opportunity to engage directly with small business owners; at the same time, policy making at EU level is often far removed from small business owners’ daily business. To make this event stand out for MEPs, we invite the representatives of our groups of independent retailers and retail associations to bring together their SME retailers from across Europe with their local Members of the European Parliament, to together present and discuss the importance and advantages of the business model of groups of independent retailers and of independent SME retail. In a panel discussion, four of the retailers will talk about the benefits of our business model and of their retail businesses as well as their key challenges and how EU policymakers can support them in this new EU mandate. After the panel discussion, retailers and group representatives will have a rare opportunity to meet and discuss directly with their local MEPs over a drink and a bite.
Key topics:
- Competitiveness: What makes the unique business model of groups of independent retailers essential for the competitiveness of SME retail.
- Local impact: How do independent retailers support local communities and regional economies across Europe.
- EU policy support: How can MEPs support independent retailers and their groups in EU policy development.
Event agenda: see detailed programme here. The programme in a nutshell:
- Hosted by MEP Jörgen Warborn (EPP, Sweden) and with the participation of Dr. Horst Heitz (Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect)
- Fireside chat with Thomas Nonn, President of Independent Retail Europe
- Panel discussion with MEP Kristian Vigenin (S&D, Bulgaria) and four retailers:
- Britta Goertz – Retailer, member of ANWR (Germany, non-food (shoes))
- Clara Medina Perdomo – Retailer, member of SPAR (Spain, Gran Canaria, food)
- Thierry Cotillard – Retailer, member & President of Groupement Mousquetaires (France, food and non-food)
- Thomas Widlund – Retailer, member of ICA (Sweden, food)
- Q&A with the audience
- Followed by a networking session with drinks and food (as of 19.40)
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Practical information:
- Hotel room for the participants: Independent Retail Europe books the rooms for the participants at the Martin's Brussels EU Hotel (Boulevard Charlemagne 80, 1000 Brussels). The price of the rooms amounts to 199€ per room and per night for a single occupancy, VAT, city tax and breakfast included. Participants are kindly requested to pay directly the hotel for their rooms when they leave the hotel at the end of their stay.
- Registration/accreditation at the European Parliament: An accreditation is required to enter the European Parliament. Persons who have an accreditation badge can still register. Persons who are not accredited may also still register, and we will do our very best to have you accredited. However since the deadline for registration has passed, we cannot fully guarantee that you will be. Please wait for our confirmation before booking any rooms/flights.
- Should you require any further information from our secretariat, please contact us by e-mail (Laurence.Dessouroux@IndependentRetailEurope.eu).