On Tuesday, November 23, 2021 "Conference on the Future of Europe" took place at the Faculty of Economics, University of Split.  As part of the conference, there was a panel discussion on two key topics, stronger economy and social equality.

Concerning waste management and green economy, the emphasis was on insufficient coordination between the EU and member states, as well as the lacking infrastructure for the implementation of prescribed practices. Turning to renewable energy sources, responsible resource management and intelligent choice of technology can be answers to EU energy policy’s key problems - insufficiently diversified energy sources and reducing EU's dependence on foreign suppliers.

In order to level the playing field, education in the EU needs to be in synched with labor market needs. One of burning problems of some EU countries are education systems that are too focused on theoretical knowledge and at the same time lack practical part of teaching. Because of that, there are differences in competence and quality of the workforce depending on the country they come from.

At the same time, the opinion was expressed that citizens (even those with entrepreneurial ambitions) are insufficiently informed about EU funds or the benefits they provide. Citizens need to be better informed about possibilities of using EU funds for entrepreneurial ventures. Better informing on those possibilities and starting new ventures will create favorable entrepreneurial climate in Europe and encourage innovation.

Retraining middle-aged and elderly populations is also a big problem. While young people in the EU face a 'buffet' of career choices and further development, nobody really thinks about middle-aged and older people who are having a hard time changing occupations. Retraining the workforce for jobs that are of the EU’s strategic interest would build a more competitive and resilient economy.

One of the conference’s conclusions is the attitude that EU's advantage over the rest of the world, also one of the most important factors for achieving European economy’s sustainability, is culture emphasizing not solely profit but also social responsibility.