Second day of the 15th European Congress of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Today, the International Congress Center in Katowice hosted the second day of Europe's largest event dedicated to SMEs and their cooperation with international business entities.
Continuation of International Talks
Participants on the second day of the congress continued their discussions as part of the “International Talks” track. During the panel entitled “How to Build Global Services Around Relations,” speakers shared their experiences and good advice on building trust in international business relations. They also emphasized the role of partnersin the process of undertaking investment activities abroad, such as local universities.
Urszula Wöltjen, Foreign Investment Manager at Invest Region Leipzig GmbH, drew attention to the significant support provided by chambers of commerce in these activities:
- Institutions such as RIG and Invest Region Leipzig play an important role in building international relations. Access to a network of entities in a given market and assistance in the investment process are invaluable.
During his speech, Grzegorz Sinacki, advisor to the Ministry of Development and Technology (MRIT), spoke about the support provided to Polish companies in their business activities abroad:
- There are currently over a thousand barriers to Polish entrepreneurs' access to the markets of 90 countries, which are monitored on an ongoing basis by the ministry.
He also emphasized that the MRIT undertakes initiatives for Polish entrepreneurs both in bilateral relations and at the European Union (EU) forum in Brussels and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. He suggested that the “Access2Markets” portal is a helpful tool for Polish companies to expand into foreign markets.
As part of the “International Talks” track, panels were also held today on topics such as doing business in Ukraine and scaling and internationalizing companies.
Discussions on demographics and the labor market
Demographic changes, aging societies, and the impact of these phenomena on the availability of labor were discussed by participants in the panel “Demographic trends and the future of the labor market.” Directors of district labor offices in the Silesian Province also took part in these discussions.
Piotr Grzybowski, President of the Management Board of Regionalny Fundusz Gospodarczy S.A., spoke about the relationship between demographic trends and technological development:
- I believe that a good manager will be able to cope with demographic changes, especially in the age of artificial intelligence. Technology will cope without any problems. However, there are industries for which demographics are a determining factor, because artificial intelligence cannot replace nurses. It can replace doctors, but not nurses.
After the panel discussion, a gala ceremony was held, during which the “Leader of the Silesian Labor Market” awards were presented. This distinction is awarded to employers who cooperate particularly reliably with employment offices in the field of employment and job retention from public funds.
Green cities and clean Energy
Important issues raised during the congress included renewable energy and the concept of green cities, which were discussed during the panels: “Green city, clean business – ecological challenges and opportunities,” “Towards energy transition – financing green investments in SMEs,” and “Energy for development: How EU energy policy and sustainable energy management shape the strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises and local governments.
As emphasized by Jarosław Makowski, Deputy Mayor of Katowice:
- Katowice is in a comfortable situation – 43% of the city's area is covered by forests, mostly old-growth trees. The entire Katowice Forest District has been included in the so-called social function forests. This means that we have given up clear-cutting to protect our forests – we treat them as the green lungs not only of the city, but of the entire agglomeration.
Ewa Lipka, Vice President of KSSE S.A., spoke about the support for pro-environmental activities of SMEs by the Katowice Special Economic Zone:
- KSSE, the best economic zone in Europe, supports micro and small entrepreneurs. Last year alone, 70% of the decisions issued by the zone concerned SMEs. These are often family businesses that have decided to innovate. We introduce special tax exemptions for them and provide support, for example through free training.
Current initiatives at the metropolitan level were presented by Blanka Jędrzejewska, Director of the Infrastructure and Environment Department at GZM:
- This year, we conducted a large air quality study – at 700 measuring points in 14 cities of the Metropolis, we measured the level of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), the main source of which is transport, especially inefficient combustion in diesel engines. The results showed that we still have a lot of work to do, but now we know exactly where and what actions are needed.
One of the important points of the program was the ceremonial presentation of awards and prizes for this year's edition of “Leader of the Silesian Labor Market,” awarded by the District Labor Offices of the Silesian Province. Employers who make a special contribution to the development of the Silesian labor market and actively cooperate with the offices in the field of employment and job retention from public funds were honored.
Winners of the “Leader of the Silesian Labor Market” award”
For this year's award, the Silesian District Employment Offices submitted 24 nominations in two categories. After a substantive debate, the members of the Chapter selected the winners and awarded distinctions and special prizes.
Main Award 2025: OPTYK KAROLINA S.C. Karolina Kryut, Rafał Kryut
1st distinction: Municipal Housing Management Company Social Housing Association Sp. z o.o.
2nd distinction: “GOLDMAK” Pasta Factory”
3rd distinction: Przedsiębiorstwo Wielobranżowe “OMEGA” Łukasz Sosnowski, Bogusław Stempień Sp.J.
Special Award 2025 for a Social Economy Entity: Zakład Aktywizacji Zawodowej Zakład Produkcyjno-Usługowy “Wspólna Pasja
1st distinction: Chlebowa Chata Foundation
2nd distinction: Polish Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, Jaworzno Branch
3rd distinction: Social Integration Center in Bytom
During the event, letters of congratulations were also presented to the other nominated companies and letters of intent were handed over regarding a partnership agreement between the District Employment Offices and the Silesian Development Fund, the aim of which is to further support entrepreneurship and professional activation in the region.
Amicable dispute resolution
During the congress, a cooperation agreement was also signed, aimed at promoting mediation and arbitration as effective, faster, and less costly methods of dispute resolution in the business environment. Two discussion panels were dedicated to these methods.
The director of the Silesian Center for Arbitration and Mediation, Dr. Anna Bicz-Kordonets, emphasized that:
- People don't want to go to mediation because they consider it an admission of wrongdoing. But do we want to be right or get our money back?
On the other hand, economic law expert Mariusz Filipek note:
- The biggest problem with mediation is that entrepreneurs—the very people who should be using it—simply don't know about it. Litigation isn't bad, but it takes a long time and is expensive. Mediation should be mandatory, at least at a certain stage of the proceedings.
International economic dialogue: Investing in Ukraine
One of the key panels of this year's Congress was “International Talks: Doing Business with Ukraine,” devoted to investment and economic opportunities for cooperation with Ukraine. The discussion was attended by, among others, Vyacheslav Voynarovsky, Consul General of Ukraine in Kraków, who emphasized that despite the ongoing war, the Ukrainian economy remains active and open to cooperation with foreign investors:
- Ukraine understands perfectly well that one of the pillars of our perseverance in this barbaric war is the economy. Without a strong, functioning economy, it is impossible to survive or effectively confront the aggressor. That is why we are already preparing to rebuild the country today.
The Consul also pointed out that particular prospects for development are visible in the construction, energy, and infrastructure sectors, and that the digital platform “Nazovni,” created by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is an important tool supporting the expansion of companies into international markets.
Tomasz Orlik, member of the management board of PFR TFI, spoke about financing opportunities and support tools for Polish entrepreneurs, encouraging them to use the Team Poland Ukraine platform, as did Dr. Marek Szczepański from Bank Ochrony Środowiska S.A., who presented instruments enabling the development of projects that increase the potential for economic cooperation between Poland and Ukraine.