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AGENDA | |
Monday, 2 June 2008 | |
Afternoon | Registration |
19:00 | Welcome Reception |
Tuesday, 3 June 2008 | |
Venue: Reval Hotel Latvija | |
8:00 – 10:00 | Registration |
10:00 – 11:00 | Opening of Business Forum |
11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee break |
11:30 – 13:30 | Plenary Session: |
East and West - Energy in the Baltic Sea Region. | |
Security of Supply, Demand and Infrastructure. | |
Session moderator : | Mr. Kaspars Gerhards, Minister of Economics of Latvia |
The main topics: | Energy security is more than sustainability, competitiveness and secure supply of energy. During the last decade energy has become more and more dependant on policy changes starting with splitting up monopolies in the EU and the liberalisation of energy markets. Yet in the in Baltic Sea Region there is still one big supplier of energy with many customers. Within the framework of the EU several actions are on the table, primarily the third package of liberalisation, followed by the security of energy supply and then security of critical energy infrastructure. Only an integrated approach that combines all the different aspects of energy security can be successful. The EU still suffers a strategic deficit and tries to adjust using single setscrews, whilst a wholesale energy security strategy is imperative. The demand for energy and new energy infrastructure projects are of major importance in the Baltic Sea Region’s energy business, especially where the demand of the West meets the supply of East. In the EU-Russia energy dialogue, partners are now working on energy strategies and potential energy infrastructure projects that will also concern Baltic Sea Region development for decades to come. |
13:30 – 15:00 | Lunch |
15:00 – 17:00 | Plenary Session: |
Renewable & Alternative Energy: | |
Future perspectives and potentials of renewable energy in the region. | |
Diversification of primary resources. | |
The main topics: | In light of recent EU energy policy developments the issue of increased deployment of renewable energy has been highly prioritized both on the Community and on the national level. According to recent EU energy policy guidelines a mandatory target of 20 % has been set for the share of renewable energy of the final energy consumption in Europe by 2020. As a part of the integrated energy and climate change legislative package published by the European Commission on 23 January 2008 a proposal for a new directive on increased use of renewable energy sources has been made. The new Directive is aiming at a fair division of effort between Member States while setting individual national targets for each Member State. It also tries to remove unnecessary barriers to the growth of renewable energy (for example, by simplifying the authorization procedures for new renewable energy developments). The new Directive will encourage better types of renewable energy (for example, by setting sustainability standards for biofuels). It has to be emphasized that further increase of the use of renewable energy is important both from the perspective of security of supply since it allows for diversification of energy sources and from the perspective of sustainable development. Especially in the Baltic region, where security of supply and need for diversification of primary energy sources are key challenges, the new Directive could deliver positive change in energy production and consumption patterns. An increased deployment of renewable energy sources could also be helpful for the creation of new jobs in the region and would contribute to the overall competitiveness of the region. |
19:00 | Gala Concert and Reception |
Wednesday, 4 June 2008 | |
Venue: Reval Hotel Latvija | |
8:00 - 9:30 | Plenary Session: |
Future vision of the Baltic Sea Region | |
The main topics: | The world of globalised markets carries both challenges and opportunities. The significance of cross-border activities and free movement of goods and services across countries and continents, are constantly growing. This trend makes it ever more important to exchange views and share knowledge for the development of close economic ties within the Baltic Sea Region. Intergovernmental cooperation, in order to ensure the region’s further competitiveness on a European and global scale, will be the main topic on the agenda of t he 7th Baltic Sea States Summit taking place in Riga on June 4th. Acknowledging the importance of strengthening collaboration and dialogue among government and business leaders to ensure future competitiveness of the Baltic Sea Region, government leaders, prior to the opening of the Summit, are invited to join the Baltic Sea Region Business Forum to share their vision of the region’s development prospects with EU Commissioners and business representatives. The main questions for the discussions will be the characteristics of the Baltic Sea Region and it’s competitiveness today, the main advantages and threats, the future cooperation prospects in energy, finance and transport sectors, the role of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in strengthening economic ties in the region and the necessary improvements. |
Invited panellists: | Prime Ministers' participating in the 7th Baltic Sea Region Summit, EU Commissioners and outstanding business leaders. |
9:30 - 10:00 | Coffee break |
10:00 – 12:00 | Plenary Session: |
Global Finance Market – Future Challenges and Perspectives for the Baltic Sea Region: | |
Session moderator: | Mr. Ilmars Rimsevics, Governor, Bank of Latvia |
The main topics: | Challenges for the global financial markets, the aftermath of the US subprime market turmoil and the impact for the European financial markets. Further perspectives and possible revisions of the global financing channels for banks, corporates and sovereigns: the future of structured markets and their alternatives. The growing role of sovereign wealth funds in the current juncture of global liquidity and credit strains. Actual and future developments in the Russian financial sector and the impact of the global financial turmoil on it. |
12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
13:30 - 15:30 | Plenary Session: |
Transport and Logistics: | |
Strengthening the competitiveness of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) in the global Eurasia transport corridors . | |
Session moderator: | Mr. Ainars Slesers, Minister of Transport of Latvia |
The main topics: | Transport and logistics in the BSR: analysis of the current situation, identification of problems and solutions for the development of competitive multimodal services within the BSR. Maritime cargo transport in the Baltic Sea versus new inland transport corridors: competition or partnership? Trends in cargo transportation, future cargo flows and distribution in the BSR ports. Increasing efficiency of the multimodal cargo transportation. Development and capacity planning of infrastructure. Advantages of technological cooperation of the railway transport with different gauge systems. Common strategy and development projects for the region's sea-ports, airports, and cargo terminals. Development of logistic centres and value added services. Forecasts and development trends in the container cargo market in the BSR. Efficient cooperation models to attract Asian and other intercontinental/overseas cargo. The role of the BSR in serving internal and external needs of the EU. |
15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee break |
16:00 – 17:00 | Final Session: |
Conclusions of Plenary Sessions, | |
Summaries from session moderators. | |
17:00 | Cocktails |
