Carinthia in the spotlight: EU politicians discuss innovation and AI!

Carinthia in the spotlight: EU politicians discuss innovation and AI!

The Expert Commission for Economic Policy (FK ECON) of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) met on June 19 and 20, 2025 in Klagenfurt, under the passionate chairmanship of Governor Peter Kaiser. The occasion was the 30th anniversary of Austria's accession to the EU, and Carinthia successfully applied to host this important event. A central focus of the session was Europe's defense capability and the importance of artificial intelligence for the EU's economic future.

Following the meeting, a specialist conference entitled “Sustainable and competitive regions in the EU” took place in the modern Lakeside Spitz event center. The conference brought together a large number of experts and high-level representatives from the European Union. The moderators included Thomas Wobben from CoR and Christina Kokkinakis, EU representative to OECD and UNESCO.

Participants and experts

Over 80 CoR political members from 26 EU countries took part in this important event. High-level representatives included Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region, Italy, Christophe Rouillon, Mayor of Coulaines, France, as well as Guillermo Peláez Álvarez, Finance Minister of Asturias, Spain, and Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga, Portugal. There were also over 30 experts from the EU who contributed their knowledge and expertise.

Innovations and study visits

An essential part of the supporting program were the planned study visits to innovative institutions in the region. Participants had the opportunity to visit the indoor drone hall and the Joanneum Research Robotics Institute in Lakeside Park. A visit to Infineon Technologies AG in Villach was also part of the program. The aim was to present Carinthia as an outstanding innovation location, especially in the areas of digitalization and semiconductor technology.

There were special opportunities for media representatives to take camera pans and take photos at the start of the conference on June 19 at 10 a.m. and at 1:45 p.m. during the CoR discussion. A press conference with LH Peter Kaiser, Gaby Schaunig and Alberto Cirio took place on June 20th at 9:45 a.m. in Lakeside Park. Media accreditations were required until June 18, 2025 to enable coverage of this significant event.

As reported, the meeting not only reflected the challenges of the European economy, but also highlighted Carinthia's innovative strength in a rapidly developing global environment. meine-freizeit.net reports about the event, while also the official website of the state of Carinthia ktn.gv.at provides detailed information about the meeting and upcoming activities.