Telefónica’s executive chairman, Marc Murtra, has become a member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), the cross-sectoral, high-level forum for European business leaders. Murtra has been unanimously elected by the organization’s members.
Murtra has attended, together with more than 50 presidents and CEOs, the annual Spring ERT Plenary Session celebrated yesterday and today in Rome.
“It is a great honor to join an organization with the relevance, capacity, and influence of the ERT. I would like to extend my gratitude to President Jean-François van Boxmeer, Secretary General Anthony Gooch, and all ERT members for their support. I am deeply committed to our shared goal of boosting Europe’s competitiveness. It is necessary to make a firm commitment to ensure we have sufficient technological capacity to strengthen our strategic autonomy, increase productivity, and improve the lives of our citizens”, stressed Murtra.
ERT has once again issued a call to action, at a decisive moment for Europe in which the organization considers that it is necessary to advance the competitiveness agenda and the deepening of the Single Market. Other topics under discussion included industrial growth through technological innovation and defense as a new imperative for the EU with a firm commitment to Europe’s strategic sovereignty.
The new relationship between Europe and the United States, with the major geopolitical movements in the background, and the challenge represented by the recent tariff announcements have also been present at the working tables.
The meeting was honored by interventions from Guido Crosetto, Minister for Defence of Italy and former Italian Prime Minister and former President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, author of the renowned report requested by the European Commission that analyzes the challenges facing Europe and offers recommendations to regain competitiveness.
The meeting also determined the new working structure of the ERT, to reflect the shift in priorities at the EU institutions. This new working structure is comprised of committees and working groups focused on trade and economic security; technology, AI and data; energy transition and clean industry; industrial and competition policy; simplification of the single market; R+D, innovation and skills; investment and taxation; and defense.
ERT, in figures
The ERT was created in 1983 and works to create a strong, open and competitive Europe, which acts as an engine of sustainable growth and prosperity for all its citizens. It brings together the top executives of the more than 60 most important industrial and technology companies in Europe.
These large companies have a combined income of 2 trillion euros, generate 5 million jobs and invest 60,000 million euros a year in Innovation and Development.
As important employers, drivers of innovation and the bulk of investment in European regions, these biannual meetings are the opportunity for ERT members to address some of the most pressing issues on the socio-economic agenda in Europe, which is especially relevant this year in the face of the major global changes that the world is experiencing and with the new political cycle in Europe.
Full list of ERT members: https://ert.eu/members/
