Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the opening ceremony of HANNOVER MESSE

The EU will be actively participating in HANNOVER MESSE in various formats, thus sending out a strong signal supporting a European industrial policy. The President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will speak at the official opening ceremony on 21 April 2024. The first day of the world's leading trade show for industry (22 April) will see the EU conference "EU as Home of the Decarbonized Industry" held in the Convention Center at the Hannover Exhibition Grounds. The event will give representatives of industry the opportunity to exchange views with high-ranking EU politicians on relevant topics, such as the Green Deal. That evening, the participants are invited to the traditional EU Policy Reception organized by Deutsche Messe and the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).

The European Commission will be present at HANNOVER MESSE with a large pavilion in Energy Hall 12, organized by the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW). As in 2023, there will again be a prominent auditorium for presentations and panels with experts from the European Commission. Being of relevance to industrial policy, the Directorates-General for Energy (DG ENER), Trade (DG TRADE), Climate (DG CLIMA), Research and Innovation (DG RTD) and Digital Affairs (DG CNCT) will also take part. Together with partners from industry and trade associations, the European Investment Bank (EIB) will likewise be involved. The showcased exhibits will be provided by companies and stakeholders from the EU member states, with each of the five days of HANNOVER MESSE featuring a different thematic focus. Under discussion are topics such as Access to Finance, Decarbonized Industry, Supply Chains, Skills, Access to Raw Materials and Clean Energy.