30 June – 1 July 2026

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

Please note: Registration for the full Summit is available only to members and by personal invitation. For individual sessions, please use the corresponding registration links. Participants will receive confirmation upon acceptance of their registration.

For the fourth time, the SME Connect Working Group on Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment & One-Person Companies (ESO) 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.

Patronage

Angelika Winzig MEP Co-Chair, Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and One-Person Companies, SME Connect
Maria Grapini MEP Co-Chair, Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and One-Person Companies, SME Connect

Co-Chairs of the Working Group

Jasmin Leheta
Imelda Vital

Meet our speakers

Thomas Thaler Expert in EU Public Affairs, Communication and Government Relations; Special Advisor for Trade at SME Connect
Prof. Milena Angelova Member of EESC (Bulgaria); Bulgarian SME Envoy
Peter Dohr Senior Expert for Single Market at Austrian Chamber of Commerce
Jan-Frederik Kremer Director General of IVSH Industrieverband
Betsy Annen Global Head of Ads Ecosystems & Safety, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google
Marie-Therese Ettmayer Head of EU Brussels Office, Austrian Chamber of Commerce
Reinhold Lopatka MEP
Jenna van Hauten Coaching & Consulting, Self-Employed
Patrick Wind Co-Founder and CEO, Burnout-Network
Elisa Vitella Founder & Consultant, EValue Consulting
Christoph Skutella Managing Director, BDS Upper Palatinate District; European Affairs Director BDS
Philip Falkensammer Herbalife Independent Distributor in Austria
Vincent Schoch Head of Trade and One-Person & Microenterprise Initiatives, IHK Reutlingen
Horst Heitz Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
Maria Sanchez Rodriguez Public Affairs Manager, Seldia
Christian Mitter Vice President of Bavarian Self-Employment Association (BDS)
Niels Flemming Hansen MEP Co-Chair, Intergroup on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, European Parliament; Vice-President of SME Europe
Leena Whittaker Director of Competitiveness, Eurocommerce.
Marta Wcisło MEP

Agenda

  • 14:00 – 15:30 | Office of SME Connect (Rue d’Arlon 46, 1000, Brussels)

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

    Welcome • Jasmin Leheta, Styling & Interior Coach, SME Connect (SMEC) Co-Chair of the Working Group Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and OPCs (ESO)
    • Imelda Vital, Executive Director of Seldia - The European Direct Selling Association, SMEC Co-Chair of ESO
    The EU Legislative Process in Practice • Thomas Thaler, Expert in EU Public Affairs, Communication and Government Relations; Special Advisor for Trade at SME Connect
    ONLY FOR MEMBERS
  • 15:30 | Break and Transition to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

  • 16:00 – 18:00 | European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) - Room JDE3252
    (Jacques Delors Building, Rue Belliard 99/101, 1040 Bruxelles)

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

    In Partnership with EESC
    Welcome and Introduction • Prof. Milena Angelova, Member of EESC; SME Envoy of Bulgaria
    Experts
    From Platform Work to the Definition of Self-Employment • EU policy link: Platform Work Directive implementation; employment-status classification; possible spill-over effects on genuine self-employment.
    • Expert input: Maria Sanchez Rodriguez, Public Affairs Manager, Seldia
    • Focus: The distinction between platform work, false self-employment and genuine entrepreneurial independence, and the risk that platform-work regulation influences broader definitions of self-employment.
    Making the Single Market Work for Solo Entrepreneurs and Mobile Business Structures • EU policy link: Single Market Strategy 2025; services barriers; professional qualifications; temporary cross-border service provision; legal certainty; administrative simplification; EU Inc.; 28th Regime as one practical example.
    • Expert input: Peter Dohr, Senior Expert for Single Market, Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
    • Focus: Practical barriers faced by self-employed professionals, one-person companies and mobile entrepreneurs when operating across borders. This includes recognition of qualifications, administrative procedures, temporary cross-border service provision, legal certainty, fragmented compliance requirements and the question of whether simplified EU-level instruments such as EU Inc. or a 28th Regime could help reduce friction for mobile business structures.
    OPCs importance for boosting internationalisation of SMEs and their contribution for the economic security • EU policy link: SME competitiveness; simplification agenda; better regulation; SME Test; economic resilience.
    • Expert input: Prof. Milena Angelova, Member of the EESC, SME Envoy of Bulgaria.
    • Focus: The institutional SME perspective on how EU rules can become simpler, more workable and more predictable for small businesses. Administrative burden reduction, better regulation, SME competitiveness and the practical implementation of EU policy from the perspective of entrepreneurs and SME representatives.
    Product Regulation, Market Access and Compliance • EU policy link: New Legislative Framework revision; Market Surveillance Regulation revision; Omnibus VI simplification package.
    • Expert input: Jan-Frederik Kremer, Director General, IVSH Industrieverband.
    • Focus: The impact of EU product regulation, conformity requirements, labelling, CE marking, safety obligations and compliance costs on small entrepreneurial structures
    Digital Identity, Wallets and Browser Consent in Practice • EU policy link: European Digital Identity Wallet; eIDAS 2.0 implementation; Digital Omnibus consent reform.
    • Expert input: Betsy Annen, Global Head of Ads Ecosystems & Safety, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google.
    • Expert input: Leena Whittaker, Director of Competitiveness, Eurocommerce.
    • Focus: The practical relevance of digital identity, wallet-based services and browser consent rules for self-employed professionals, small businesses and one-person companies.
    REGISTER ONLY FOR THE WORKSHOP:
    ONLY FOR MEMBERS & BY PERSONAL INVITATION     https://www.smeconnect.eu/events/working-group-workshop-policy-opcs/
  • 18:30– 21:00 | 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
    • Dr. Horst Heitz, Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
    Opening • Niels Flemming Hansen MEP, Co-Chair, Intergroup on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, European Parliament; Vice-President of SME Europe
    • Christian Mitter, Vice President of Bavarian Self-Employment Association (BDS)
    REGISTER ONLY FOR THE GET-TOGETHER:
    ONLY FOR MEMBERS & BY PERSONAL INVITATION     https://www.smeconnect.eu/events/connecting-local-entrepreneurs-with-europe/
  • 21:30 Evening Networking

    Kitty O'Shea's (Bd Charlemagne 42, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium)

  • 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”

    Overview and discussion of the role, realities, challenges and contribution of one-person companies and self-employed professionals in Europe
    Welcome & Moderation • Dr. Horst Heitz, Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
    Opening • Reinhold Lopatka MEP
    Part I – The Reality of One-Person Companies and Self-Employment in Europe
    Facts, Data and Conclusions • Maria Sanchez Rodriguez, Public Affairs Manager, Seldia
    • Peter Dohr, Senior Expert for Single Market at Austrian Chamber of Commerce
    • Vincent Schoch, Head of Trade and One-Person & Microenterprise Initiatives, IHK Reutlingen
    “Real Life” Reports • Jasmin Leheta, Styling & Interior Coach, SMEC Co-Chair of ESO
    • Christoph Skutella, Managing Director, BDS Upper Palatinate District; European Affairs Director BDS (Bavarian Self-Employment Association)
    • Jenna van Hauten, Coaching & Consulting, Self-Employed

    Part II – Political & Administrative Dialogue:
    Why Are OPC-s and the Self-Employed Still Not Sufficiently Reflected in EU Legislation?     Open Dialogue Round
    • Marta Wcisło MEP, Committee on Regional Development (REGI)
    REGISTER ONLY FOR THE WORKING BREAKFAST: https://www.smeconnect.eu/events/more-visibility-better-legislation-a-european-call-for-one-person-companies-and-the-self-employed/
  • 09:45 – 11:00 | European Parliament

    Parliament Tour and Exchange with Members of the European Parliament

    ONLY FOR MEMBERS
  • 11:00 – 11:45 | Room 08, Zweig building, European Parliament

    Special Working Session: Helping European Organizations Build AI Maturity: Benchmarking, Prioritization and Continuous Improvement

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a key factor for competitiveness across European businesses. Yet many organizations struggle to assess where they stand, which technologies are most relevant to their business, and how to prioritize the next steps. This session explores practical approaches to measuring organizational AI maturity, benchmarking capabilities across organizations, and identifying the highest-impact opportunities for improvement. Participants will gain insights into how structured assessment and continuous benchmarking can help organizations make more informed decisions and accelerate meaningful AI adoption.
    • Nicolas Quell, Co-Founder & CEO of CORPIN
    • Julianus Kath, Co-Founder & CTO of CORPIN
  • 11:45 – 13:35 | Room 08, Zweig building, European Parliament with Buffet

    Working Group Session – Consolidation, Manifesto Drafting and Next Steps

    Opening Angelika Winzig MEP
    SMEC Political Co-Chair of ESO
    Part I: A Call for a Manifesto Patrick Wind, Co-Founder and CEO, Burnout-Network
    Elisa Vitella, Founder & Consultant, EValue Consulting
    Philip Falkensammer, Herbalife Independent Distributor in Austria
    Part II: Manifesto Workshop – Defining Priorities, Structure and Roadmap 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
    REGISTER ONLY FOR THE WORKING GROUP SESSION (ONLY FOR MEMBERS): https://www.smeconnect.eu/events/working-group-session-consolidation-manifest-drafting-and-next-steps/
  • 13:35 – 14:35 | Room 08, Zweig building, European Parliament with Buffet

    Buffet

Members of the SMEC Working Group EOS & Partners of the Summit