Europe continues to attract a lot of foreign direct investment. Over the last year, Chinese investment in Europe alone jumped 77 per cent. Investments are, however, increasingly made into strategic sectors, with high-tech and advanced manufacturing companies being acquired. This might have a significant geostrategic impact. The recent cases of Aixtron or the industrial robotics supplier Kuka, are a case in point. In the former, the United States – through its Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) – blocked the acquisition since the technology could be used for China’s nuclear program. In the latter, actors such as European Commissioner Oettinger warned against losing Kuka, as the company is of strategic importance for Europe’s digital future. In this context, does the European Union have enough tools at its disposal to manage foreign investments into strategically sensitive areas? What can we learn from the US CFIUS system in this regard? And how do we ensure open and free markets without letting foreign investment affect us geostrategically?
We are very pleased to welcome Professor Theodore H. Moran, a Senior Fellow from the Peterson Institute for International Economics and an expert on CFIUS and the US investment regime, to highlight the US system.
Agenda
- 13h00 Welcome, Reinhard Bütikofer, MEP (Greens/EFA)
- 13h05 Introduction and moderation, Bernd Lange, MEP (S&D)
- 13h10 Input from Prof. Theodore H. Moran, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
- 13h25 Comment, Khalil Rouhana, Deputy Director-General, DG CONNECT
- 13h35 Comment, Dr Frank Brinken, Chairman of the CECIMO Economic Committee, Member of the Board of Directors, Starrag Group
- 13h45 Comment, Dirk Bergrath, IG Metall, Head of EU Liaison Office
- 13h55 Discussion
- 15h00 Concluding remarks, MEP
When & Where
Thursday 9 March 2017, 13h00-15h00 / ASP 5 E 1, European Parliament, Brussels
Registration
Please register by writing a mail to reinhard.buetikofer@europarl.europa.eu – if you require a badge to access the European Parliament please indicate your full name, date of birth, residence, nationality, passport/ID number (specifying which one)
