Over 40 employers’ representatives from across Europe and Central Asia gathered in Porto, Portugal, to share regional private sector insights, upcoming challenges and discuss how to navigate ILO’s recent evolutions.
From 18–19 September 2025, IOE together with its Portuguese member CIP – Confederation of Portuguese Business, hosted the 2025 IOE Europe and Central Asia Regional Meeting in Porto, Portugal. The two-day event provided a platform for business leaders, employers’ organisations, and experts to exchange insights on current economic, social, and labour market challenges shaping the region.
The meeting opened with keynote addresses from:
- Blaise Matthey, IOE Vice-President for Europe & Central Asia
- Armindo Monteiro, President of CIP
- Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security of Portugal
- Leonor Sottomayor, Vice-President of the Executive Commission of CIP
Participants then heard updates from the ILO delivered by Matthias Thorns, IOE Vice-President to the ILO, before taking part in a Tour de Table, where members shared perspectives on the national context for enterprises, including the business environment, labour law reforms, social dialogue, and employment trends.
BCCI President Tsvetan Simeonov, who took part in the meeting, gave a short speech and shared that in these challenging times for the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the members of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) have to make efforts to maximally preserve and reinforce the organiсation's positions and to fulfill their commitments to IOE.
On the second day, Roberto Suárez Santos, IOE Secretary-General, outlined evolutions in IOE services to better support members. Discussions then focused on pressing regional and global issues through a series of expert panels, including:
- The EU Omnibus Simplification Package and its implications for employers
- The state of play in the ILO normative debate on the platform economy and the prospects of the European directive
- The challenges of the green transition, particularly sustainable business practices and the demand for green skills
This regional meeting underscored IOE’s role in convening members to shape strategies and share solutions, ensuring that employers’ organisations in Europe and Central Asia are well prepared to address common challenges and contribute to a more sustainable and competitive future.