Green Transition Forum 6.0

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome from the Organisers

Welcome Address by Monika Stanisheva, Founder of GTF and President of BD, Dir.bg and Savvas Karafillidis, President, BHCCI

Keynote: H.E. Iliana Iotova, President of the Republic of Bulgaria

High-Level Panel: Europe’s Strategic Autonomy and Competitiveness in a Turbulent World

Stop Parking Savings. Start Funding Growth – The Role of CEE Stock Exchanges in Scaling Europe’s Investment Ecosystem

Keynote Connectivity as Power: How Transport and Technology Shape Europe’s Competitiveness and Strategic Autonomy

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism

High-Level Panel: Building Southeast Europe’s Connectivity at Speed

Ministerial Panel: Energy Autonomy, Carbon Pricing and Competitiveness

Flagship Fireside The Race for Energy Dominance

Panel Discussion: Energy Connectivity – Aligning Regulation, Investment and Implementation; The EU Grids Package: From Policy to Projects

(Commission-Industry Dialogue)

Panel Discussion: Renewables – Build Faster or Fall Behind

Interlinked Conversations

Solar at Scale – From Rooftops to Industrial Power

Strategic Exchange with Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt: Addressing the Structural Challenges of Europe’s Energy Sector

The session will provide a platform for an open and policy-oriented dialogue, with a strong emphasis on industry feedback. (Invitation Only)

Panel Discussion: Nuclear Energy and Innovation – Europe’s Low-Carbon Power Test

Spotlight Session: Rethinking Gas – Strengthening Energy Autonomy, Connectivity and Trading Networks

Roundtable Discussion The Energy Focus on South Eastern Europe

Co-organised in partnership with: Institute of Energy for South East Europe (IENE)

Interlinked Discussions

Roundtable: Hydrogen Strategy – Driving South Eastern Europe’s Energy Security, Competitiveness, and Industrial Leadership Co-organised in partnership with: BGH2A

Panel Discussion: Ports as Strategic Gateways for Connectivity and Sustainable Development

Panel Discussion: Accelerating Rail Corridors, Pan-European Transport Corridors and Multimodal Integration

Interactive Discussion: The Low-Altitude Economy Europe’s Next Growth Frontier?

Panel Discussion: Electrifying Mobility – Where We Are and Where We’re Going

– Exclusive VIP Dinner (Invitation Only)

To request attendance, please contact the organizer Venue: Hilton Hotel, MUSALA Hall, 1 Bulgaria Blvd, Sofia Keynote Speakers: HE Andrey Gyurov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (tbc) HE Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Honorary Guests: HE Traicho Traykov, Minister of Energy, Bulgaria (tbc) HE Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Energy, Greece HE Korman Ismailov, Minister of Transport and Communications, Bulgaria (tbc) HE Christos Dimas, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Greece Hosts: Monika Stanisheva, Founder of the Green Transition Forum and President of BD, Dir.bg Savvas Karafillidis, President of the Hellenic-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

Opening Keynote: Andrzej Duda,

High-Level Panel Discussion : Global Risks and Barriers to Europe’s Competitiveness

High-Level Panel Discussion: Sustainable Production, Competitiveness and Industrial Acceleration

Unlocking Economic Potential: Smart Simplification and Market Integration

High-Level Panel Discussion: Building a European Defence and Security Union

Panel Discussion: Dual-Use Industry – Bridging Civilian and Defense Technologies to Boost Resilience and Competitiveness

Spotlight Discussion: Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure in an Era of Constant Turbulence – Insights from Institutions and Industry leaders

Panel Discussion: Competitiveness in a Changing Economy – The SME Perspective

Responsible Business Conduct in Action: Advancing Bulgaria’s OECD Accession through SME Sustainable Growth

Co-organised in partnership with: BSMEPA

Roundtable Discussion: Forging Competitiveness, Simplifying Regulation, Unlocking Innovation and Investment for SME

Co-organised in partnership with: Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BHCCI), Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce Opening: Savvas Karafyllidis, President of the Bulgarian–Hellenic Chamber (BHCCI); Victor Gugushev, Chairman of the Bulgarian - Romanian Commercial Chamber; Dr. Rosen Tkachenko, President of the EU Chambers of Commerce in Bulgaria; Emmanouil Vlachoyiannis, Honorary President of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry Keynote: Konstantinos Gioulekas, Deputy Minister of Interior, Greece

Interlinked Panel Discussions: EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans

Co-organised in partnership with: Balkan Economic Forum (BEF) Opening Keynote: Mathieu Bousquet, Director, Enlargement Coordination, Strategy &Investments, EC

Sub-panel 1: From Accession Perspective to Economic Convergence: Unlocking Growth through Enlargement

Sub-panel 2: Connecting Before Acceding: Infrastructure as the Backbone of Enlargement

Sub-panel 3: Green by Accession: Aligning Enlargement with Europe’s Climate Agenda

Sustainable and Economic Diplomacy between SEE, Caspian Region and Central Asia in a Fragmented World: Rethinking Cooperation in Times of Division

High-Level Discussion: Labour Market, Social Transition and Europe’s Talent Agenda – Skills, Mobility and Competitiveness

Roundtable Discussion: Jobs of the Future – The New Social Contract

Co-organised by a Partner

Innovation Norway: Unlocking New Funding for Innovation and Green Growth – The Next Programme Period

Co-organised by a Partner

Drinks Reception

Hosted by a PartnerAll registered delegates are warmly invited to attend.

Business Breakfast with Professor Philippe Aghion: The Competitiveness Playbook

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

FLAGSHIP SESSION: From Stagnation to Dynamism – Rethinking Growth in an Era of Global Challenges

Keynote: Prof. Philippe Aghion, Nobel Prize Laureate for 2025 in Economic Sciences (Followed by Panel Discussion)

High-Level Discussion: Europe’s Industrial Strategy, Carbon Policy and Competitiveness: Challenges and Opportunities

High-Level Panel Discussion: Europe’s €2 Trillion Question: What Is the EU Budget Actually For?

Panel Discussion: Banks at the Frontline: Climate Risks, Industrial Resilience, and Sustainable Finance

Panel Discussion: Redesigning Europe’s Financial System

Panel Discussion: From Savings to Scale – Mobilizing Pension and Institutional Capital for Venture and Competitiveness

Panel Discussion: Circular Economy at Scale – From Waste Streams to Strategic Resources

Panel Discussion: Cleantech Economy – The New Production Paradigm for Competitiveness and Long-Term Value

FLAGSHIP SESSION 5 Skills You Need to Survive the AI Revolution

Public Lecture by Mo Gawdat, Futurist and Former Google X Executive(Followed by Q&A Session – additional registration required!)

Workshop: CBAM in Action – Ensuring Fair Competition While Decarbonising Global Trade

Interactive Discussion: Low-Carbon Industrial Transformation: Greening Supply Chains to Secure Europe’s Competitiveness

Co-organised in partnership with: Center for the Study of Democracy

Interactive Discussion: RESourcEU – Securing Industrial Autonomy, Critical Raw Materials, Reducing Dependencies, and Strengthening Competitiveness

Interactive Discussion: Resilience as a Driver of Competitiveness – From Risk to Readiness and Economic Security

Spotlight Session: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage – How ESG Transparency Drives Regional Growth

Co-organised in partnership with: European Sustainability Week and EUPD

A FLAGSHIP WORKSHOP: A People-Powered Climate Transition for Europe – Turning Climate Ambition into Everyday Action

Co-organised in partnership with: EU Climate Pact

Interactive Discussion: From EU Budgets to Real Growth – Accelerating MFF Funding into National Economies to Boost Competitiveness

Mobilising Capital for Europe’s Coal Regions: From Strategy to Investment Pipeline Co-organised in partnership with: Regional Economic Development Agency - Stara Zagora

Registration and Networking Coffeе

High-Level Discussion Circular Industry, Climate Action and Water Resilience – Driving Europe’s Competitive Transition

Panel Discussion: Building the Cities of Tomorrow – Best Practices in Sustainability and Resilience

High-Level Panel Cohesion Policy as Strategic Catalyst – Bridging Growth, Innovation and Resilience

Ministerial Panel How Can We Scale Sustainable Growth Through Environmental Policy and the Blue Economy

Panel Discussion The EU Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Chapter – Energy Efficiency, Investment and Innovation

Panel Discussion: Producing More with Less – The Future of Sustainable Agriculture

Closed Ministerial Meeting of Ministers of Environment and Water within the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP): A Shared Vision for Sustainable Growth and Regional Cooperation

Co-organised in partnership with: Ministry of Environment and Water of the Republic of Bulgaria

High-Level Political Working Group Sessions Green Deal Going Local Initiative

Hosted by the European Committee of the Regions

Cities and Regions Leading the Green Transition – From Local Action to European Impact

Meeting of EU Local Councillors (Closed-door session)

Roundtable Discussion: Next-Gen Buildings – Energy Efficiency Standards and Smart Readiness

Meeting of the Green Deal Going Local Working Group (Closed-door session)

Fireside Chat Cities Are the New Civilization Platforms

Hosted by Gustav Magnuson, leading urbanist and author of Keynote Conversations

Panel Discussion Water – When Scarcity Becomes Systemic

Panel Discussion: Innovative Water Technologies: Securing Urban Supply, Transforming Agriculture, and Modernizing Infrastructure

Interactive Discussion: Innovation and Digitalisation in Agriculture – From Data to Impact

Hosted by Agriventures (followed by The Inaugural Agriventures Awards 2026)

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

Keynotes: Enrico Letta, President of Jacques Delors Institute, Author of The EU Single Market and Competitiveness Report; Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation

High-Level Discussion: Beyond Fragmentation – Unlocking Europe’s Competitiveness through the 28th Regime and the Fifth Freedom

High-Level Discussion Funding the Future – How CEE Can Win Big with EU Innovation Programs

Panel Discussion Education of the Future – Teaching for a World That Doesn’t Yet Exist

Fireside Chat Technology-Driven Innovation and Corporate Sustainability

Panel Discussion Health Innovations – Can Systems Keep Up with Science?

Fireside Chat Digital Sovereignty vs. Global Platforms – Who Controls the Future?

Keynote AI a Source of Deep Societal Transformation?

Interlinked Conversations

Parasocial World – AI and Humans-in-the-Loop

One Europe. One Market: Strategic Exchange between Enrico Letta, Leading Industry CEOs & Chambers of Commerce on Europe’s Economic Future

Followed by Signing Ceremony:THE SOFIA INITIATIVE: From Fragmentation to Scale – Accelerating EU Competitiveness; A Call to Action by 100 Leading CEE Industry Stakeholders (Invitation only)

Interactive Discussion: Innovation Bridges – Building a Connected Tech and Startup Ecosystem in South East Europe

Spotlighted Fireside Chats

Can Europe Innovate Fast Enough?

Access vs Assurance: How Ecosystems Shape Entrepreneurial Behavior – Understanding the Mindset Differences Between US and European Founders

Interactive Discussion Bridging Research and Innovation: Making Science-to-Impact Faster

Panel Discussion The State of AI in CEE - Co-organised by The Recursive

Roundtable Discussion Ecosystem Design for Female Entrepreneurship & Scaling Women-Led Deep Tech Startups

Keynote: From Startup to Scaleup: What Women Entrepreneurs Need to Break Through in Deep Tech Panel Discussion: Building Supportive Ecosystems for Women Founders: What Works and What Still Fails Interactive Workshop: From Startup to Scaleup: What Women Entrepreneurs Need to Break Through in Deep Tech (Audience Q&A and exploration of key ecosystem gaps) Action Takeaways & Closing: Key insights and concrete actions to strengthen ecosystems for women founders.