A conference in the framework of the Free Market Road Show, to be organised by the Ludwig von Mises Institute – Europe and Open Europe.

Panel 1: Jobs, Start-ups and Business Angels Keynote :

Speakers : Paul Rübig, MEP for the EPP Luigi Amati, Vice President Business Angels Europe, CEO Meta Group Dr. Bernhard Meyer, President and CEO of COFIMORE, International Senior Partner at Greycoat Partners, London

Moderator: Steven Beekman, Manager of Start-up Bus

The first panel will focus upon the role of young entrepreneurs and start-ups.

• How can young people be stimulated to start a company and subsequently create jobs?
• What are some of the obstacles they currently face?
• What measures can the EU take to remove barriers between countries, specifically to boost e-commerce and/or trade in services in general and to cut EU red tape?
• Will exponents of the ‘new economy’ such as Uber or Airbnb boost entrepreneurship?
• What is the impact of the ECB’s low interest rate policy, specifically on the risk of bubbles and on business valuation?

Panel 2: Entrepreneurship Katrin Sturm

Speakers: Secretary General of AECM Jean Demarteau, Managing Director, WOW Technology s.a. Iain Murray, Vice President of CEI, Competitive Enterprise Institute

Moderator: Dr Auke Leen, Law Faculty, Institute Taxation and Economics, University of Leyden, The Netherlands

The role of the entrepreneur is very important according to the Austrian School of Economics; Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek and Israel Kirzner have all discussed this topic extensively. Von Mises defines an entrepreneur as an ‘acting man in regard to the changes occurring in the data of the market’. In other words, entrepreneurs are drivers of social learning, which contributes to the discovery processes of the market. We cannot understand spontaneous order without entrepreneurship and monetary calculation. Financial regulation(s) and solutions for financing the start-ups and entrepreneurs will be discussed.

Panel 3: The European Demos Syed Kamall MEP

Speakers: Chairman of the ECR Group Pieter Cleppe, Head of Brussels Office, Open Europe Dr Tobias Thomas, Head Research International of Media Tenor

Moderator: Stephen Fidler, Editor at the Wall Street Journal

Is there a European demos and does this justify the centralisation of power ?
How are Europe’s protest parties changing the debate? British Prime Minister David Cameron has attempted to make other member states seriously consider what the potential impacts of a Brexit would be on the EU project, reminding them that the UK is the second biggest economy in the EU, the second largest contributor to its budget, as well as its foremost military power.
Will the recent agreement between the UK and other EU member states succeed in changing the minds of the so-called British Eurosceptics? What are the possible implications of a Brexit? If such an event were to occur, what would be the legal, financial, and economic consequences? Conversely, what would happen if the UK voted to stay in the EU this June?