The first COST-ARKWORK Industry forum organised in Graz Jan 17-18, 2019 brought together contract archaeologists and policy makers from countries all over Europe. The principal goal of the forum was to further the exchange between contract archaeologists and policy makers. With this goal in mind, the forum incorporated several discussion sessions in small groups and a whole afternoon dedicated to the policy maker panel, where the policy makers of 9 European countries discussed the backgrounds and differences of their policies.