1. Press conference 26/04 Presentation Study Accenture Rudi Thomaes CEO Federation of Enterprises in Belgium

2. The scene In the previous decennium we’ve turned an important page in the history: we migrated to a multipolar world In this decennium, Europe needs to get organised in this new environment. In this new configuration, large countries in Europe are big enough to destabilise but too small for any form of world leadership Let’s accelerate the inevitable: a stronger Europe with ambition, discipline and sustainable solidarity

3. The business community should contribute and push the European agenda more than ever Forward looking beyond the crisis is part of the way out of the crisis The skill-issue is a core driver for the return to growth A shared responsibility. What can Europe do? What can business do?

4. A real problem for the real economy Ordinary business can hardly influence the financial stability issue But we can work on the skill issue which is equally mission-critical and increasing even in the midst of a recession

5. Vacancies persist alongside high unemployment EU27 Beveridge curve 2008–2011 NB: Trend line in second order polynomial added. Source: Eurostat, Accenture analysis. Vacancy rate (%) Unemployment rate (%) 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 6.57.07.58.08.59.09.510.010.5 Q2 2008 Q1 2008 Q3 2008 Q4 2008 Q1 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2009 Q3 2010 Q2 2011 Q4 2011 Q3 2011 Q4 2011 Q1 2011 Q2 2010 Q1 2010 Expected shape of the Beveridge curve: Vacancy rate falls as unemployment rate increases Breakdown of the Beveridge curve? Vacancy rate grows in tandem with rising unemployment

6. Accenture gave us the opportunity to give striking messages: 1) We cut back on education spending but less than the public sector 2) the single market may be a success for goods... It failed for talent

7. European organisations largely fail to make effective use of the skills available outside their home country To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? “We are utilising the full range of skills and expertise available within … ” Number of respondents = 500. Source: Accenture European Business Summit Survey 2012. % of Respondents

8. 3. Not only STEM’s are desperately needed also and foremost international business skills Europe lacks the skill to transform technical leadership in market leadership. We failed in ICT. Will we succeed in cleantech? Here in Brussels, we start an ambitious 23 session international business training in Q4

9. 4. Europe needs far more solid bridges between education and business -> Business should be more involved in the education governance 5. We need to invent a win-win model to tap the talent of the older workers

11. 6. Apprenticeships are a key avenue towards youth employment (provided unions don’t cripple our goodwill