Europe’s Growth Agenda: Turning Today’s Challenges into Lasting Gains

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Europe’s Growth Agenda: Turning Today’s Challenges into Lasting Gains

Tuesday, Apr 14, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Location: Cedar Hall HQ1-1-660

Turning Today's Challenges into Lasting Gains

OVERVIEW

Europe’s growth model is under strain. Productivity gains have slowed, investment remains uneven, and a more fragile geopolitical environment—intensified by ongoing wars, including in the Middle East—is adding new pressures through energy markets, inflation risks, and heightened uncertainty.

At the same time, Europe faces a broader policy challenge: how to strengthen economic security, reduce vulnerabilities, and finance new priorities—from the green and digital transitions to defense—without undermining fiscal sustainability.

Delivering on Europe’s growth agenda will require more than diagnosis. It will depend on concrete progress in boosting productivity, mobilizing investment, deepening integration, and translating policy ambitions into implementation.

In this fireside chat, Alfred Kammer and Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis will discuss how Europe can turn today’s challenges into lasting gains—by advancing reforms that reinforce productivity, enhance resilience, and support sustainable growth in a more uncertain world.

SPEAKER

Valdis Dombrovskis

European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, Implementation and Simplification

Mr. Dombrovskis has been the European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, as well as Implementation and Simplification, since December 2024. His portfolio includes the coordination and implementation of the EU’s economic policies, as well as overseeing the reduction of administrative burden and ensuring better implementation of EU rules.

From 2019 to 2024, he served as the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for An Economy that Works for People, and was also in charge of Trade. He previously served as Vice-President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019, overseeing the Euro and Social Dialogue, as well as Financial Stability, Financial Services, and the Capital Markets Union.

He is Latvia’s longest-serving head of government with three terms as Prime Minister (2009–2014). He has also been Finance Minister, Member of the Latvian Parliament and European Parliament. Before politics, he was the Chief Economist at the Bank of Latvia, as well as a research assistant at Mainz University, the Institute of Solid-State Physics in Latvia and University of Maryland.

MODERATOR

Alfred Kammer

Director of the European Department, IMF

Mr. Kammer was previously the Chief of Staff of the Office of the Managing Director, advising the Managing Director on strategic and operational issues and overseeing operations for the senior management team; Deputy Director of the Strategy, Policy and Review Department, overseeing the work on Fund strategy and surveillance policy; Deputy Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, overseeing regional economic developments and financial sector issues; Director of the Office of Technical Assistance Management, advising management on technical assistance operations and overseeing fundraising and global partnerships for capacity building; and Advisor to the Deputy Managing Director. Mr. Kammer also served as resident representative of the IMF in Russia. Since joining the IMF, Mr. Kammer worked with countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, and on a wide range of policy and strategic issues.

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