The European Liberal Forum kicked off 2018 with a Ralf Dahrendorf Roundtable in Paris, France, on the topic of “Europe’s Digital Transformation and the Future of Work”. Supported by the institute Télécom ParisTech, the roundtable saw the presence of relevant speakers from different backgrounds. The first panel offered a governmental perspective on the topic, and featured Mr. Pascal Faure, Director General for Entreprise at the French Ministry of Finance and Economics, Mr. Sylvain Maillard, member of the National Assembly for En Marche, Mr. Kalle Palling, member of the Estonian Parliament, Ms. Anna Felländer, advior of the Digital Council of the Swedish government, and Ms. Anousheh Kavart, Counsellor to the President of the National Assembly. The panel was moderated by Prof. Gérard Pogorel.
The first session on “Digitalisation and the Future of Jobs and the Workplace” was introduced by ELF President, dr. Jürgen Martens MP, and Mr. Yves Polaine, director of Télécom ParisTech. Prof. Maya Bacache provided some interesting insights with an introductory presentation on the impact of digitalisation on jobs. Sylvain Maillard offered the perspective of a politician, who interacts on a daily basis with several stakeholders, and concluded that governments have to protect people, not jobs, by investing education. Anna Felländer and Kalle Palling highlighted some best practices from their countries, and indicated ways ahead. Identity should be a different way to define yourself, Kalle Palling pointed out. Anousheh Karvar wrapped up the session, reminding the importance of developing efficient social systems to go hand in hand with job creation.
The second panel focused instead on “Public and Business Policies for Digital Skills”. A business angle, represented by Mr. Alberto Zilio from AT&T, was confronted with a union perspective (Ms. Isabelle Martin, CFDT France). Ms. Sandra Enlart, from DSides, also joined the session, proving an overview on medium-big entreprises. The moderator was Ms. Sylviane Toporkoff, President of the Global Forum, and was introduced by the research of Prof. Madeleine Besson, from Télécom ParisTech.
