On 1 October 2024, the Institute for Economic Democracy (IED) will organise the Third Slovenian Congress of Economic Democracy at the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ljubljana.

The 3rd Economic Democracy Congress will address the pressing challenges facing local communities in Europe in the context of the global economy. This year's debates will focus on how local governments can work with European institutions to develop solutions to the challenges of the global economy, with a focus on the role of employee ownership.

Congress framework

Today, the globalisation of the economy often leads to uncertainty in local communities in Europe. Factors such as the mobility of international capital, foreign direct investment, private equity and the takeover of local businesses by multinational corporations can threaten business continuity, job stability, the potential for sustainable development of local economies, career opportunities for young highly skilled workers and the strategic aura of the European Union. These problems are exacerbated by the lack of alternatives to deal with the issue of corporate succession, leading to the takeover of local companies by international players. 

Locally owned businesses are an important vehicle for the sustainable development of local communities. Developing strategies to ensure the smooth functioning of business and ownership is therefore crucial. Among the possible alternatives, employee ownership stands out strongly as a tried and tested solution, which includes: 

• tackles the growing problem of ownership succession in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which is becoming increasingly acute as Europe's population ages,
• creates career opportunities for highly skilled and young workers,
• anchoring business ownership and added value within local communities, thus contributing to greater regional cohesion,
• contributes to making Europe's economy more competitive by creating innovative, competitive and stable businesses that provide quality and secure jobs.

The Third Slovenian Congress of Economic Democracy will be an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing local communities and the development opportunities that employee ownership brings. The congress will present employee ownership as a credible solution to these challenges and will stimulate dialogue between local businesses and representatives of local, national and Euro institutions.

Admission by invitation only.

Confirmed speakers

• James (Jim) Bohnan, Employee Ownership Foundation 
• Patrick Klein, European Commission
• Miglena Dobreva, European Investment Bank
• Tim Caulfield, European Urban Initiative
• Tadej Beočanin, Mayor of the Municipality of Ajdovščina
• Marko Funkl, Mayor of the Municipality of Hrastnik
• Renata Kosec, Mayor of the Municipality of Domžale
• Matija Kovač, Mayor of the Municipality of Celje
• Primož Kokalj, Director of Etiketa, d.d.

Programme

The Congress is supported by