The European Round Table for Industry (ERT) has a long history of promoting competitiveness and prosperity in Europe. In April 1983, 17 leading European business leaders came together to launch ERT. They were then, as we are now, united by a belief that European co-operation between industry, policymakers and all stakeholders is essential to strengthen Europe’s place in the world.
Today, ERT Members include CEOs and Chairs from around 60 of Europe’s largest companies in the industrial and technological sector. We are committed to creating a strong, open and competitive Europe through which we promote sustainable growth, jobs and prosperity for all.
We publish reports and papers, which we share with the public, decision makers in European and global institutions and national governments. They are the basis for discussion and action. We advocate policies that underpin the values of freedom, tolerance, equality and openness.
Companies led by ERT Members represent
- 5 million direct jobs globally
- €2,000 billion combined annual revenues
- €60 billion investment in R&D each year
How ERT Works
- ERT Members meet twice a year in Plenary Session, the principal ERT decision-making body, where key issues are identified and discussed.
- ERT Members nominate an Associate. An Associates Meeting precedes each Plenary Session.
- Working Groups are chaired by ERT Members and composed by Associates and company experts. They work on key issues, develop recommendations and report back to the Plenary Session.
ERT is working on the following topics:
Dr Jan-Eric Sundgren works since October 2016 as an independent consultant.
Since 1 Feb 2024 he is the Acting Secretary General for European Round Table for Industry.
He works also since October 2016 as an independent consultant and senior adviser to the Swedish Association of Engineering Industries.
Before this he was with the Volvo Group from 2006 to 2013 as executive vice president for public and environmental affairs and part of the Group Executive Management Team and then between April 2013 and October 2016 Senior Adviser to the CEO at Volvo Group.
Prior to joining the Volvo Group, he was President of Chalmers University of Technology between 1998 and 2006 and prior to this Secretary General of the Swedish Research Council for engineering science.
He holds a PhD in Materials Physics and a Professorship in Thin Film Physics from Linköping University.
He has published more than 300 papers in international journals in the field of thin film and materials science.
He is currently chairman of the board for the Work-Leap organization (JobbSprånget), and member of the board of the Hasselblad Foundation and Junior Achievement in Sweden.
He is also Chairman of the National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputers in Sweden.
He is since 1997 a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences IVA and since 2019 an honorary member of the same academy.