iconannual 2015 - The European Business and Investment Magazine

Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs
Foreword
Business Location
Central Europe in a
Changing Environment
Sebastian Kurz
Federal Minister for Europe,
Integration and Foreign Affairs
Foto: Felicitas Matern/feelimage.at
Europe needs structural reforms
in a wide number of areas.
We need to regain competitiveness
at a global scale. We
need to upgrade existing infrastructure
and improve its management.
We want to redefine security and integration
patterns to address hatred
and terrorism. We should reorganise
our labour markets and social welfare
systems.
Central Europe in particular
needs to address structural deficits.
This means looking at new business
models. To improve the cross-border
link-up of our infrastructure. To
apply interdisciplinary and interactive
education and research models.
This needs to be done primarily at
national level. But, given the interconnectedness,
we need to improve
our coordination. Only then will the
business location Central Europe be
able to flourish. This would seem
best fitted to ensure a prosperous
future for the Central European Region
with its 150 million people.
iconvienna 2015 is taking the
right approach to address these
issues. iconvienna proactively involves
companies in formulating
the strategies for the future. Smart
cities and regions, innovation and
cooperation networks, energy and
transport infrastructure, and many
more challenges are the topics to be
discussed.
The European Business and Investment Magazine iconannual 17