30 June – 1 July 2026

One-Person Companies and the
Self-Employed in Europe:
Working Together, Calling for Recognition

For the fourth time, the SME Connect Working Group on Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment & One-Person Companies will bring together one-person companies, self-employed professionals, representative organisations, policymakers and EU stakeholders in Brussels for the OPC Summit, taking place on 30 June and 1 July 2026.

With around 60% of all SMEs consisting of one-person companies and more than 32 million Europeans — around 14–15% of the workforce — working as self-employed, these entrepreneurs form a substantial part of Europe’s economic and social fabric. Yet, despite their importance, they often remain underrepresented in Brussels and are too often left out of legislative debates that directly affect their work, businesses and livelihoods.

The Summit will serve as a dedicated networking, training and policy platform for SME Connect members and partners. It will inform participants about EU policymaking, representation in Brussels and the concrete challenges faced by Europe’s smallest entrepreneurial actors, while strengthening the visibility and political recognition of one-person companies and the self-employed.

A central objective of the 2026 edition will be the preparation of a common manifesto representing the positions and opinions of the Working Group members.

Agenda

  • 14:30 – 15:30 | Office of FoodDrinkEurope

    Orientation Workshop – EU policymaking and stakeholder engagement for Associations, OPCs and the Self-Employed

    Welcome • Jasmin Leheta, Styling & Interior Coach, SME Connect Co-Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs
    • Imelda Vital, Executive Director of Seldia - The European Direct Selling Association, SME Connect Co-Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs

  • Chapter 1: The EU Legislative Process in Practice Thomas Thaler
    Thought Leader and Expert in EU Public Affairs, Communication and Government Relations; Special Advisor for Trade at SME Connect

  • Chapter 2: The EU Political System in Practice: Institutions, Political Groups and Members of Parliament Markus Pieper (TBC)
    Advisor of EESC, Former MEP (Germany)

  • Chapter 3: Understanding how SMEs can have a Voice: How Representation Really Works in Brussels Dr. Horst Heitz
    Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
  • 15:30 | Break and Transition to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

  • 16:00 – 18:00 | European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
    (Jacques Delors Building, Rue Belliard 99/101, 1040 Bruxelles)

    Working Group Workshop – Policy & Legal Priorities for OPC-s and the Self-Employed

    Welcome and Introduction • Prof. Milena Angelova, Member of EESC
    Experts • Prof. Milena Angelova, Member of EESC (Bulgaria)
    • Cornelius Knaack, Policy Advisor for Digitalisation, Eurochambres
    • Peter Dohr, Senior Expert for Single Market at Austrian Chamber of Commerce
    • Fredrik Erixon, Founding Director, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) (TBC)
    • Betsy Annen, Global Head of Ads Ecosystems & Safety, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google
    • Imelda Vital, Executive Director of Seldia - The European Direct Selling Association
    Topics include: • Improving cross-border mobility for self-employed professionals and OPCs within the Single Market
    • Regime 28 and simplified EU frameworks for small and mobile business structures
    • Protecting Trust at the Border: Origin Claims, Compliance and the Customs Reform
    • The European e-Wallet and its relevance for self-employed professionals and small entrepreneurial structures
    • Browser consent and its practical impact on self-employed professionals and one-person companies
    • The impact of Platform Work regulation and possible spill-over effects on genuine self-employment beyond platform work
    • Others
  • 18:30– 20:30 | AT60 - Haus der Österreichischen Wirtschaft
    / AT60 - House of the Austrian Economy
    (Avenue de Cortenbergh 60, 1000 Bruxelles)

    Get-Together & Reception with Buffet
    “Connecting Local Entrepreneurs with Europe: Visibility and Voice for OPCs and the Self-Employed”

    Welcome • Marie-Therese Ettmayer, Head of EU Brussels Office, Austrian Chamber of Commerce (TBC)
    • Paul Rübig, President of SME Connect, Member of EESC
    Opening Maria Grapini MEP, Political Co-Chair of the SME Connect Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs Working Group
    Keynote • Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, European Commission (TBC)

  • 21:00 Evening

    Going Dutch to the Beer Factory

  • WEDNESDAY 1 JULY

  • 08:00 – 09:30 | MEP Salon, European Parliament (Rue Wiertz 60, B-1040, Brussels)

    Working Breakfast “More Visibility, Better Legislation: A European Call for One-Person Companies and the Self-Employed”
    Hosted by Reinhold Lopatka MEP (EPP)

    Overview and discussion of the role, realities, challenges and contribution of one-person companies and self-employed professionals in Europe

  • Part I – The Reality of One-Person Companies and Self-Employment in Europe • Jasmin Leheta, Styling & Interior Coach, SME Connect Co-Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs
    • Imelda Vital, Executive Director of Seldia - The European Direct Selling Association; SME Connect Co-Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs
    • Gabriele Sehorz, President of BDS Bavaria (TBC)
    • Jenna van Hauten, Coaching & Consulting, Self-Employed

  • Part II – Political Dialogue: Why Are OPC-s and the Self-Employed Still Not Sufficiently Reflected in EU Legislation? Open Dialogue Round with:
    Subject to confirmation.
    • MEP Vladimir Prebilič (Greens) (TBC)
    • MEP Lukas Sieper (Renew) (TBC)

  • 09:45 – 11:15 | European Parliament

    Parliament Tour and Exchange with Members of the European Parliament

    Subject to confirmation.
    • MEP Sean Kelly (EPP) (TBC)
    • MEP Moritz Körner (Renew) (TBC)
    • MEP Kristian Vigenin (S&D) (TBC)
  • 11:30 – 14:00 | Zweig building, European Parliament with Buffet

    Working Group Session – Consolidation, Manifesto Drafting and Next Steps

    Opening Angelika Winzig MEP
    Co-Chair, Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and
    One-Person Companies, SME Connect
    Part I – Speech Contributions to the Manifesto Patrick Wind, Co-Founder and CEO, Burnout-Network

    & others
    Part II – Internal session of the SME Connect Working Group dedicated to the review of the Summit discussions, the preparation of a first common manifesto for one-person companies and the self-employed, and the decision on when and how this manifesto should be officially presented. Focus of the session:
    • Consolidation of key findings and political messages
    • Drafting of the first manifesto outline
    • Agreement on common priorities and wording
    • Decision on the official presentation of the manifesto

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