HEPA Hungarian Export Promotion Agency (HEPA) participated with its own stand at the 7th GreenTech Conference, held in Zalaegerszeg on 28-29 May 2026. GreenTech is one of Hungary’s leading events dedicated to sustainability and green energy, bringing together representatives from the business, government, academic and institutional sectors to exchange ideas and discuss the challenges and opportunities of the green transition.
This year’s conference focused on topics such as artificial intelligence, the circular economy, electromobility, automotive innovation, healthcare and the future of sustainable technologies. The event provided an excellent opportunity for participants to gain insights into the latest industry trends while building connections with domestic and international stakeholders shaping the transition toward a more sustainable economy.
As part of the conference programme, Dr. Gábor Péter Artner, Deputy CEO of HEPA, participated in the panel discussion “A New Era, New Challenges in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - Economic and RDI Relations in a Multipolar World”. The discussion explored how the rapidly evolving global economic landscape is creating new opportunities for international business cooperation and investment. Participants shared their views on the potential of artificial intelligence, digitalisation, the automotive industry, green innovation and the energy transition, while also discussing ways to strengthen partnerships between Hungarian and foreign companies.
During the discussion, Dr. Gábor Péter Artner highlighted that, according to WTO estimates, artificial intelligence could increase the value of global trade by up to 40% by 2040 and raise global real GDP by 11%. At the same time, he stressed that AI alone does not increase GDP volume, rather, sustainable economic growth is driven by the quality of companies and the quality of human capital, which determine how effectively AI technologies can be adopted and utilised.
Alongside the conference, HEPA organised a dedicated Partner Meeting, opened by Dr. Gábor Péter Artner. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Áron Littvay-Kovács, HEPA’s Director for Corporate Relations, who provided an overview of the agency’s current activities and services. Among the guest speakers was Dr. Zsolt Hajnalka, Supervisory Board Member of MAJOSZ (The Association of Hungarian Automotive Suppliers) and Head of the International Relations Section.
A key highlight of the afternoon was a roundtable discussion focusing on the current state and future outlook of Hungary’s automotive industry. Participants reviewed the challenges facing the sector, with particular attention to the growing importance of green technologies and the changing demands of export markets. The discussion also addressed how export promotion tools can support the international competitiveness of Hungarian automotive companies and what role they may play in the years ahead. The official programme concluded with an informal networking session.
The discussions throughout the event reinforced the idea that the green transition and technological advancement are no longer separate trends, but two interconnected dimensions of the same economic transformation. In the years ahead, companies that can respond effectively to these changes and successfully integrate them into their business models and day-to-day operations will be best positioned to strengthen their competitiveness and achieve sustainable growth.