In a global economy marked by conditional market access, complex supply chains and accelerating technological change, Quality Infrastructure remains the often-invisible system that underpins trust in safety, quality and fairness in everyday life. While largely operating in the background, QI provides the stability economies require to adapt in times of disruption, including supply chain shocks, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid innovation cycles.  

It acts as a bridge between public policy objectives and market practice, translating regulatory requirements and standards into operational reality for businesses and enabling predictable, trusted market access across jurisdictions. In this environment, the central question is no longer whether QI is important. It is whether today’s QI architecture remains sufficiently agile, coherent and capable to support competitiveness and innovation in a new industrial order. 

This roundtable therefore examines: 

Are the industrials requirements met by the current QI eco-system and how to evolve to become the reliable partner of trust building for both industry and policy-makers? What is the current Quality Infrastructure system missing — and how must it evolve to remain fit for purpose? 

The global economy is entering a new industrial era. Manufacturing is returning as a strategic priority. Energy systems are being redesigned. Trade is becoming more conditional, more regulated and more dependent on demonstrable performance.

Europe is reindustrialising while pursuing high climate ambition and open markets. The United States is reshoring. China is upgrading at scale. India is expanding production rapidly. These models differ, yet remain deeply interconnected. In this environment, market access increasingly depends on proof: proof of safety, sustainability, compliance and reliability.

Trust is no longer assumed. It must be verified.

The TIC Summit 2026 will bring together senior policymakers, industry leaders and the global Quality Infrastructure community to examine how industrial strategies can remain competitive, interoperable and open in a more fragmented world.

The Summit will explore:

• How Europe can rebuild industrial capacity while maintaining global competitiveness

• What must align for trade to function across divergent regulatory systems

• How energy transition and digital technologies can scale safely and credibly

• Why testing, inspection and certification are strategic enablers of investment and market access