The webinar, organized under the aegis of the Aspen Dialogues series of dialogues and the Aspen Economic Opportunities & Financing the Economy public policy program, analyzed how Romania can benefit from the new and complex mechanisms of financing the economy across Europe. The workshop aimed to cover the debates at the EU level on the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework and the EU Recovery Package. The discussions focused on the need to direct public and private funds towards investments, looking into post-pandemic challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs, SMEs, and large companies. The new economic instruments come on top an on-going process of developing the Green Deal in Europe, which implies significant costs of transition for newer member states like Romania. All these new mechanisms require a much heavier emphasis than before on the public partnership with the private sector and the financial sector in particular. 

The webinar format was a moderated discussion between panelists (decision-makers, representatives of the business environment, financial institutions and academia), followed by a Q&A session based on questions received from participants.

Speakers:

  • Cristina Buzaşu-Enache – State Counsellor for European Affairs to the Prime Minister, Government of Romania
  • Csaba Bálint – Member of the Board, National Bank of Romania
  • Prof. univ. dr. Cristian Păun – President of the Board, National Credit Guarantee Fund for SMEs
  • Lara Tassan Zanin – Head of the EIB Group Representation in Romania
  • Radu Ciocoiu – Executive Director, Regional Corporate and Public Sector, Raiffeisen Bank Romania

Moderator: Dr. Clara Volintiru –  Director, Aspen Economic Opportunities & Financing the Economy Program/ Associate Professor, Bucharest University of Economic Studies

Webinar Report