The Eurecat technology centre has taken part in the second edition of the ‘Leaders Meeting Fit for the Future’ summit, which brings together leading European regions in the fields of industry and innovation, where it highlighted the opportunities offered by innovation in the strategic field of clean technologies (cleantech) for European technological sovereignty and its impact on the energy transition, circularity and adaptation to climate change.
According to the Director of Eurecat’s Sustainability Area, Miquel Rovira, “we have been able to confirm that, for Europe’s leading regions, clean technologies (cleantech) play and will continue to play a highly significant role in the strategic sovereignty of our continent, alongside biotechnology and digitalisation, and as a technology centre, it is our responsibility to continue exploring the interaction between these fields in order to advance real solutions for the productive fabric and for society as a whole.”
Clean technologies are solutions that allow the prevention, the reduction or even elimination of pollution and the inefficient use of resources, while fostering climate resilience and the circular economy. In this regard, Miquel Rovira notes that “renewable energy, energy efficiency, CO₂ capture and valorisation, and electric mobility — all strategic areas for Eurecat — are outstanding examples.”
The second edition of the ‘Leaders Meeting Fit for the Future’ summit took place this February in Bilbao, with the aim of strengthening interregional cooperation and contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy. It was first held in 2024 in Amberes at the initiative of the Flemish Government, and this year it was organised by the Basque Government. In addition to Catalonia, the Basque Country and Flanders, representatives from Navarre, Lombardy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Wallonia, Saxony, Hauts-de-France, Grand Est, Upper Austria and Western Pomerania also took part.
As a result of the discussions, a joint declaration was adopted calling on European leaders to give greater weight to regions in EU industrial, digital and innovation policies, which has also incorporated the perspective of the private sector through contributions from clusters and various technology centres, with Eurecat being the only Catalan technology centre to take part in the event.
They also participated in the summit the Basque Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, who closed the event; the Minister-President of Flanders, Matthias Diependaele; and the Secretary for European Affairs, Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation, Agustí Fernández de Losada, among others. From Catalonia also took part in the summit, in addition to Eurecat, the Waste Cluster of Catalonia, the Catalonia Energy Efficiency Cluster, the Bioenergy Cluster of Catalonia, Catalonia Health, the WeMind Cluster and the Digital Cluster of Catalonia.
