EU–African SME Summit 2025

The EU–African SME Summit 2025 will take place from 19–21 June in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme "Scaling Africa’s Sustainable Future". It will focus on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Organised by European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME, PACCI and partners of the EU-African SME Alliance, the summit will bring together over 300 entrepreneurs, policymakers and industry leaders to explore the role of SMEs and Mid-Caps in fostering sustainable development. This will unlock trade opportunities and strengthen business collaboration between Africa and Europe.

Agenda Highlights:

Day 1 (June 19) – Learn, Talk, and Decide: High-level conference, expert panels and discussions on AfCFTA, Global Gateway and SME integration.

Day 2 (June 20) – Market of Opportunities: Pitching sessions and B2B matchmaking in strategic sectors such as agriculture, energy, digital, fashion, health, water, finance and sustainability. Special features include workshops on finance and IP protection and an Express MoU service for real-time business collaboration.

Day 3 (June 21) – Experience South Africa: Exclusive company visits to leading South African enterprises, providing insights into local entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability practices.

The Africa IP SME Helpdesk will be present to promote the main opportunities for SMEs in the context of the AfCFTA and the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. A dedicated training session on Intellectual Property in Africa will be delivered and IP experts will be available throughout the event to answer queries from businesses and stakeholders keen to leverage IP to grow and protect their businesses.