Brainstorming session to set the BRT’s priorities into 2026

The 27th annual meeting of the EU-Japan Business Round Table (BRT) will take place in Brussels in April 2026. On 1 September, by way of preparation, Merck and NEC with the support of the BRT Secretariat at the EU-Japan Centre organised a brainstorming and networking event at the Merck Group Offices in Tokyo.
There were four parts to the event: opening and closing statements, four rounds of silent brainstorming to capture ideas, a feedback session and a networking reception.

Representatives of more than 50 companies and organisations affiliated with both sides of the BRT submitted their ideas – either on-site or in advance – helping identify potential themes, priority sectors, ways to make the BRT’s recommendations more impactful and other changes that the BRT might wish to consider making. The brainstorming rounds were led by representatives of NEC, Dassault Systèmes, the European Business Council in Japan and Merck Biopharma Japan. The feedback session facilitated exchanges on several issues as well as providing a summary of the more common suggestions received.

The BRT Secretariat would like to thank Merck for hosting the meeting, the speakers, and everybody who submitted ideas in advance or on the day and Merck and NEC for hosting the networking reception. The BRT’s co-Chair companies will take these ideas into consideration when planning the agenda and making other arrangements for April’s annual meeting.

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