LET'S GO DIGITAL! (KEYNOTE ROOM)

14.00 - 14.30

Alexander De Croo

Alexander De Croo

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Development Cooperation

We are smack-bang in the middle of what is generally called the Fourth Industrial Revolution - an era in which technology and digitalisation take centre stage. Digital is the new normal, in other words.
This digital transformation creates challenges - for people, businesses, schools and governments.


The biggest challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are:
- The interplay and interaction between all those new technologies and trends and the existing legal framework;
- The speed at which our SMEs and public services can adapt;
- And the inclusiveness of the transformation.


After all, getting on the digital train requires more than just a mental switch. Skills play a central part.
There are currently plenty of vacancies that cannot be filled because the skill sets are missing. Investing in digital skills is therefore essential to benefit from this transformation, which will lead to better jobs and more jobs in new sectors.