Euskadi holds an industrial summit to strengthen cooperation and strategic autonomy in Europe

• The second edition of the 'Leaders Meeting – Fit for the Future' event will be held in Bilbao on 9 and 10 February
• On Monday 9, the Lehendakari will receive the Minister-President of Flanders in Ajuria-Enea
• "In the Basque Country, we want to contribute to the strategic sovereignty of the EU, strengthen industrial competitiveness, promote innovation and move towards greater technological autonomy", says the Secretary General for External Action and a Global Basque Country, Ander Caballero

On 9 and 10 February, the Basque Country will become the epicentre of European industrial debate thanks to the 'Leaders Meeting – Fit for the Future' event. The summit, co-chaired by the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, and the Minister-President of Flanders, Matthias Diependaele, will be held in Bilbao and will serve to strengthen and articulate a shared vision on innovation, science, industry and strategic technologies.

"The European Union is facing a decisive moment in an increasingly complex geopolitical context, and in this scenario, the Basque Country has much to contribute. We want to contribute to the EU's strategic sovereignty, strengthen industrial competitiveness, promote innovation and move towards greater technological autonomy", explained the Secretary General for External Action and a Global Basque Country, Ander Caballero.

In addition to strengthening collaboration, the meeting will serve to reaffirm the strategic role of regions and stateless nations in the European competitiveness and innovation agenda. It will also promote multi-level governance and identify challenges, needs and opportunities for interregional cooperation.

After a first edition held in Antwerp in 2024, which culminated in the Antwerp Declaration, this second edition is being held in Bilbao thanks to the collaboration between the Basque and Flemish governments. This consolidates a stable alliance between the two executives, the driving force behind European economic and technological development. 

Europe's industrial and technological transformation

The 2026 edition of the Leaders Meeting will be attended by 14 industrial territories with great innovative and economic potential (Euskadi, Flanders, Wallonie, Hauts-de-France, Grand Est, Navarra, Upper Austria, Catalunya, Lombardia, Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, West Pomerania, Emilia-Romagna and Auvergne Rhone Alpes) and will last two days.

During the first day, the agenda will include a visit to the Ikerbasque building in Donostia-San Sebastián, where the IBM Quantum System Two quantum computer is installed and which places the Basque Country as a European benchmark in the field of quantum technologies. The event will be attended by the Regional Minister for Science, Universities and Innovation, Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, and the Secretary General for External Action and a Global Basque Country, Ander Caballero.

In the afternoon, the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, will receive the Minister-President of Flanders, Matthias Diependaele, at the Ajuria-Enea Palace, with whom he will discuss the state of bilateral relations already existing between the two executives, as well as cooperation in other areas. Afterwards, they will travel to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, where the official opening of 'Leaders Meeting – Fit for the Future' will take place.

On Tuesday 10, the Euskalduna Conference Centre will host the central economic and political forum of the Leaders Meeting, which will address global challenges and articulate a shared vision to promote interregional cooperation in industry, innovation and strategic technologies. The Minister of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi, will perform the opening ceremony and the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, will intervene in the closing ceremony, which will culminate with the signing of the Bilbao 2026 Declaration, reinforcing the political scope and territorial representativeness of the initiative.

In parallel to the political meeting, the main novelty is the organisation of a specific Side Event for the private sector with the participation of between 35 and 40 clusters. This space will be used to gather direct input and reflect on three strategic technological areas: Clean Tech, IA & Quantum and Bio Health.