30 September – 1 October, Brussels

"OPC Summit: Standing alone, moving together:
self-employment as the backbone of Europe"

Agenda

  • TUESDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2025

  • 12:15 CET
    Welcome at SME Connect HQ

    (Rue d’Arlon 46, Brussels)

    Horst Heitz Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
  • 13:00
    Workshops with Lunch at Google HQ

    (Chau. d'Etterbeek 180, Brussels)

    The Future of AI
    Digital Personalized Advertisement under pressure
    Cybersecurity for all
  • 15:00
    Meeting with European Economic and Social Committee:

    (Committee of the Regions, Batiment Jacques Delors, Rue Belliard 99/101)
    Room JDE70

    Fighting Bureaucracy

    Milena Angelova Member of EESC (Bulgaria)
    Markus Pieper Advisor of EESC, Former MEP (Germany)
  • 16:00
    SMEs talk to Europe – Exchange with:

    PETER DOHR Senior Expert for Single Market at Austrian Chamber of Commerce
  • 17:00
    Tour EU Parliament Quarter

    Starting from the Committee of Regions with Walk to Hotel or Break at Beer Factory at Place Luxembourg

  • 18:00
    Break

  • 19:40 European Parliament Accreditation

  • 20:00 – 21:30
    Working Dinner with Marion Walsmann MEP (EPP)

    Members' Salon, European Parliament
    Hosted by SME Europe

    "Independent Voices: Empowering Self-Employment and One-Person Companies in Today’s Europe"

    WELCOME AND MODERATION:
    HORST HEITZ     Secretary General of SME Europe
    OPENING: MARION WALSMANN MEP (EPP, Germany)
    Chair, SME Circle, Board Member, SME Europe; Chair, Parlamentarischer Arbeitskreis Mittelstand

    JASMIN LEHETA
    Styling & Interior Coach, SME Connect Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs
    TABLE SPEECHES BY: KERSTIN KELLIS
    OPC Alternative Practitioner for Psychotherapy

    PHILIP FALKENSAMMER
    Herbalife Distributor

    DIETER GROHMANN
    Freelancer & Artist

    MARIO BARTENHAUSER
    Digital Marketing Entrepreneur
    Discussion and Q&A with representatives of the SME Connect Delegation OPCs & self-employed
  • 22:00
    Networking at Beer Factory

    (Place du Luxembourg 6, Brussels)

  • WEDNESDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2025

  • 07:30 European Parliament Accreditation

  • 08:00 – 09:30
    Working Breakfast with Angelika Winzig MEP

    Members' Salon, European Parliament

    “Shaping the Future of OPCs and Self-Employment”

    WELCOME AND MODERATION:
    HORST HEITZ     Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
    OPENING: ANGELIKA WINZIG MEP (EPP, Austria)
    Vice-President of SME Europe; Board Member of SME Connect; Chair of the SME Connect Initiative for Self-Employment and One-Person-Companies
    Member, SME Intergroup, European Parliament

    TOMÁŠ ZDECHOVSKÝ MEP (EPP, Czechia), Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)

    JASMIN LEHETA
    Styling & Interior Coach, SME Connect Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs
    KEYNOTES: LUDGER ODENTHAL
    Policy Officer (DG GROW), European Commission

    IMELDA VITAL
    Executive Director, Seldia - The European Direct Selling Association

    GLEN HODGSON
    Secretary General of Freelance Movement; SME Connect Special Advisor for Platform Economy and Future of Work

    MICHAEL LAUB
    District Chairman, Bund der Selbständigen - Gewerbeverband Bayern
    IMPULSE STATEMENTS: VLADIMIR PREBILIČ MEP (Greens/EFA, Slovenia)
    Vice Chair, Intergroup on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, European Parliament; Committee on Regional Development (REGI)

    NIELS FLEMMING HANSEN MEP (EPP, Denmark)
    Co-Chair, Intergroup on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, European Parliament
    Vice-President of SME Europe
    Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
    STATEMENTS AND DISCUSSION WITH OPCS & SELF-EMPLOYED REPRESENTATIVES

    DEBATE
  • 09:35 – 10:45

    (ZWEIG Building, Room 11, European Parliament)

    Presentation "What is the European Parliament" & Tour European Parliament by:

    Andy Weber Head of Staff for MEP Angelika Winzig & Coordinator of the Austrian EPP-Delegation
  • 10:45
    SMEs talk to Politicians – Exchange with:

    Lukas Sieper MEP (Non-attached, Germany) Board Member of SME Connect; Committee on International Trade (INTA)
  • 11:15
    SMEs talk International – Exchange with:

    Lilia Heitz Secretary General of SME Global of IDU
  • 12:00 – 14:00
    Working Lunch

    (Restaurant Maison du Luxembourg,
    Rue du Luxembourg 37)

    Hosted by SME Europe

    “Political Debate: How can the EU better address its political messages to OPCs and the self-employed?”

    Welcome HORST HEITZ
    Secretary General of SME Europe

    Guests FREDERIEK VERMEULEN
    Secretary-General and Political Director, CD&V

    MARÍA MOLINA HURTADO
    Director of Political Affairs & Stakeholder Outreach, EPP

    PETER HEFELE
    Policy Director for Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies

    THOMAS THALER
    Thought Leader and Expert in EU Public Affairs and Government Relations; SME Connect Special Advisor for Trade




    In Debate with OPCS & SELF-EMPLOYED REPRESENTATIVES
  • 14:00
    End of Programme