INVESTMENT FORUM RESTART AFTER THE CRISIS – FUNDING GROWTH VENUE: KEMPINSKI HOTEL RIVER PARK, BRATISLAVA, 11 – 13 NOVEMBER 2014 TUESDAY, 11 NOVEMBER, 2014 12:30 – 13:30 REGISTRATION 13:45 – 14:00 TATRA SUMMIT INVESTMENT FORUM WELCOME ADDRESS PETER KAŽIMÍR, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava RÓBERT VASS, Executive Vice-President and CEO, Central European Strategy Council; Founding Member of the Centre for European Affairs, Bratislava 14:00 – 15:30 SESSION I: RESTART AFTER THE CRISIS – FUNDING GROWTH Economic recovery in Europe remains fragile, so it is crucial to discuss the rules for “unblocking Europe” to achieve smart growth and competitive Europe. The Eurozone is slowly regaining momentum in the core but stressed economies with high debt, high unemployment and credit constraints are limiting a full speed recovery. Wide-ranging actions are needed to tackle low inflation and to encourage broader investment. Despite progress on structural reforms, concerns surrounding the long-term productivity and competitiveness of the Eurozone remain. What actions are necessary to put the EU economies on a path to economic growth? How important is the private sector for facilitating economic growth in the long term? PETER KAŽIMÍR, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava LÁSZLÓ BARANYAY, Vice-President, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg IOANA PETRESCU, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Romania, Bucharest HERBERT STEPIC, Senior Adviser to Board, Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Vienna CHAIRED BY: REBECCA CHRISTIE, Correspondent, Bloomberg News, Brussels 15:30 – 16:00 COFFEE BREAK 16:00 – 17:30 SESSION II: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FINANCING OF GROWTH IN THE EU: VIEWS FROM BOTH SIDES Challenges remain on the way to greater credit update to the private sector in the EU. It is necessary to boost bank liquidity to finance growth. Further structural reforms are needed to incentivise the private sector. Identifying suitable and bankable projects remains a key issue. The combination of private and public financing of strategic projects could go a long way towards more efficient use of allocated EU funds. How to promote greater public and private sector financing cooperation? Which investment areas could most benefit from a combination of private and public investor financing in PPP projects? INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY: ANDREJ BABIŠ, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic, Prague JEAN-MARC PETERSCHMITT, Managing Director, Central and South Eastern Europe, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London DOMINIK THUMFART, Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure and Energy, Capital Markets and Treasury Solutions, Deutsche Bank, London DAINA BELICKA, Partner, Advisory Services, EU Account Advisory Leader, EY, Brussels CHAIRED BY: SIMON NIXON, Chief European Commentator, The Wall Street Journal, London 16:00 – 17:30 ROUND TABLE: DIGITAL ECONOMY – THE FUTURE OF GROWTH? (ON SEPARATE INVITATION ONLY) 17:30 – 18:00 COFFEE BREAK 18:00 – 19:30 SESSION III: MODELS OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS IN THE EU The European Commission supports wider use of financial instruments in the place of grants when financing projects using EU funds. Financial instruments come in three main forms – loans, guarantees and equity. Their repayable nature can incentivise the private sector to invest EU funds in the most efficient manner, minimising costs and/or maximising revenues. The revolving format of the funds encourages sustainability and accountability. Advantages to greater use of financial instruments include attraction of additional private capital and private sector know-how, investment into suboptimal investments and potentially elimination of market gaps in the long term. Which models of financial instruments could replace grants in financing projects in different investment areas? What are the short and long term risks associated with greater use of financial instruments? How to mitigate these risks? How can the public sector assist in ensuring a positive capital market feedback loop when promoting investments, which implement financial instruments? ROBERT AUXT, on behalf of the Slovak Investment Holding, Bratislava JEAN –CHRISTIAN SIX, Partner, Allan & Overy, Luxembourg ANTONIS GRAVANIS, Enterprise Greece, Athens PETER JEFFREYS, Senior PPP Specialist, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg TREVOR STURMY, Managing Director, Project Finance Capital Financing, HSBC Bank, Paris CHAIRED BY: MARTIN ŠANTA, Head of the Communication Department, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava 20:00 TATRA SUMMIT INVESTMENT FORUM COCKTAIL (ON SEPARATE INVITATION ONLY) CO-HOSTED BY TATRA BANKA, VENUE: ZOYA GALLERY, ERDÖDY PALACE, BRATISLAVA WEDNESDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, 2014 09:00 – 10:30 SESSION IV: CENTRAL EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE INVESTMENT STRATEGY Investment strategy in Central Europe has undergone numerous developments in the past two decades. Challenges remain in tax policy, access to financing, administrative burdens and enforcement of law. The development and promotion of investment strategy that supports competitiveness in Central Europe is necessary. What is the best way of contributing to a growth-promoting investment strategy in Central Europe? How to increase EU funds absorption while increasing efficient and effective use of the funds? What obstacles can be most easily eliminated to aid public-private cooperation in Central Europe? VAZIL HUDÁK, State Secretary, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava GÁBOR ORBÁN, State Secretary, Ministry for National Economy of the Hungary, Budapest MARTIN PROS, Deputy Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic, Prague ARTUR RADZIWIŁŁ, Undersecretary of State, Chief Spokesman for Public Finance Discipline, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland, Warsaw COMMENTS BY: HUBERT COTTOGNI, Head of Mandate Management, European Investment Fund, Luxembourg CHAIRED BY: MARTIN FILKO, Director, Institute of Financial Policy, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava 10:30 – 11:00 COFFEE BREAK 11:00 – 12:30 SESSION V: CENTRAL EUROPEAN INVESTMENT STRATEGIES – PRIVATE SECTOR OUTLOOK Economic uncertainty has lowered the availability of long-term finance for European infrastructure projects and the drop in public and private investments of EU causes concern. The need to speak on the innovative investment strategies of funding a growth is therefore urgent and crucial. Greater capital market development and easier access to finance are necessary for long-term private sector growth in Central Europe. The development and promotion of investment strategy that supports competitiveness in Central Europe is necessary. What is the best way of contributing to a growth-promoting investment strategy in Central Europe from the private sector perspective? What obstacles can be most easily eliminated to aid public-private cooperation in Central Europe? How best to motivate the Central European private sector to be more interested in financial instruments? DANIEL KŘETÍNSKÝ, Chairman, Management Board, Energetický a Průmyslový Holding, Prague GORDON BAJNAI, Group Chief Operating Officer, Meridiam, Paris, Former Prime Minister of Hungary, Budapest IVAN ŠTEFUNKO, Managing Partner, Neulogy Ventures, Bratislava OSZKÁR VILÁGI, Chairman of Board and CEO, Slovnaft, a.s., Bratislava TOBIAS WENNBERG, Senior Vice-President, Head of Central and Eastern Europe, SAAB, Prague CHAIRED BY: REBECCA CHRISTIE, Correspondent, Bloomberg News, Brussels 12:30 – 14:00 BUFFET LUNCH 14:00 – 15:30 ROUND TABLES (ON SEPARATE INVITATION ONLY) ROUND TABLE A: FACILITATING CAPITAL MARKET UPTAKE FOR INNOVATION ROUND TABLE B: STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY INVESTMENTS ROUND TABLE C: FINANCING THE GROWTH DRIVER FOR EUROPE – SMES PERSPECTIVE ♦♦♦♦ TATRA SUMMIT BRATISLAVA THE NEW EU POLITICAL CYCLE: ADDRESSING THE GROWTH AGENDA WEDNESDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, 2014 14:30 – 16:30 POLICY SESSION: CENTRAL EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVES ON THE EU INTEGRATION (ON SEPARATE INVITATION ONLY) 17:00 – 17:50 REGISTRATION 18:00 – 18:15 TATRA SUMMIT WELCOME ADDRESS PETER KAŽIMÍR, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava AMB. IVAN KORČOK, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the EU; Founding Member of the Centre for European Affairs, Brussels RÓBERT VASS, Executive Vice-President and CEO, Central European Strategy Council; Founding Member of the Centre for European Affairs, Bratislava 18:15 – 20:00 SESSION I: BATTLE FOR GROWTH: DIVERGENT VIEWS FROM EUROPE The EU policy makers have agreed on a number of key reforms since the eruption of the crisis over six years ago. The policy choices were never easy given the divergent views from different capitals. The situation is no different today. While Germany leads the core countries with fiscal discipline strategy, France, Italy and even the IMF are increasingly supportive of reforming the EU fiscal framework to accommodate the much needed growth measures. Most governments and institutions can agree on the need for structural reforms but even here the implementation has been lukewarm. While investments have lately received strong support from many corners of the EU, some states believe the major bulk must come from the private sources while others don’t think this can happen without significant public support. Can the EU agree on the appropriate growth strategy or are we destined to half-measures just to avoid the collapse? How far can we go with the flexibility of the Growth and Stability Pact while aiming to achieve the growth and stability in Europe? INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY: JYRKI KATAINEN, Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, European Commission, Brussels (Video Address) JAN KRZYSZTOF BIELECKI, Former Prime Minister of Poland; Chairman of the Economic Council, Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Warsaw ENRICO LETTA, Former Prime Minister of Italian Republic; Member of the Chamber of Deputies, Italian Parliament, Rome JÖRG ASMUSSEN, Permanent State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Berlin CARSTEN PILLATH, Director General, Directorate General Economic Affairs and Competitiveness, Council of the European Union, Brussels HARALD WAIGLEIN, Director General for Economic Policy and Financial Markets, Federal Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Austria, Vienna CHAIRED BY: KAREL LANNOO, CEO, Centre for European Policy Studies, Brussels 20:15 TATRA SUMMIT COCKTAIL VENUE: KEMPINSKI HOTEL RIVER PARK 20:45 TATRA SUMMIT DINNER (ON SEPARATE INVITATION ONLY) CO-HOSTED BY TATRA BANKA THURSDAY, 13 NOVEMBER, 2014 09:45 – 10:30 KEYNOTE SPEECH: TOWARDS A MORE POWERFUL EU: REBALANCING THE EU ARCHITECTURE1 MAROŠ ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President for the Energy Union, European Commission, Brussels CHAIRED BY: PETER SPIEGEL, Head of the Brussels Bureau, The Financial Times, Brussels 10:30 – 12:00 SESSION II: NEXT FIVE YEARS: REGAINING TRUST OR LOSING EUROPE After the Junker’s European Commission has been confirmed by the European Parliament vote, the ultimate goal for the new EU political cycle is clear - not only to address “more Europe”, secure growth, jobs and investments but to regain trust to avoid losing Europe. Call for “more Europe” offers divergent scenarios for the future of Europe. It challenges the European society and EU leaders on their attitude towards the level of integration. In post-crisis times, framed by the new political cycle, the EU has to take up the challenges responsibly to become more powerful. In these circumstances, is Europe ready for deeper economic and political integration? Are the divergent views on deepening the integration making the EU more powerful or are they creating the multi-speed Europe? How to rebalance the EU architecture to foster the interests of the EU? What are the biggest challenges for the new EU political cycle and how to tackle them? Does the new EU leadership offer clear solutions for the UK question, immigration issues, the rise of Eurosceptic populism and the lack of democratic legitimacy? INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY: 1 Session is held in partnership with the Representation of the European Commission in Bratislava GÜNTER VERHEUGEN, Honorary Professor, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder); former Vice-President of the European Commission, Brussels JEAN-CLAUDE PIRIS, former Legal Counsel, Council of the European Union, Brussels GEORGE S. ZAVVOS, Legal Adviser in the Legal Service of the European Commission; first European Commission Ambassador in the Slovak Republic; Former Member of the European Parliament, Brussels JOZEF BÁTORA, Director, Institute of European Studies and International Relations, Comenius University, Bratislava CHAIRED BY: PETER SPIEGEL, Head of the Brussels Bureau, The Financial Times, Brussels 12:00 – 13:30 BUFFET LUNCH 13:30 – 14:00 KEYNOTE SPEECH: CENTRAL EUROPEAN RECIPE FOR GROWTH Central Europe is a success story of the last decade but it has not been untouched by the Eurozone crisis. The growth rate has come down and almost converged with that of the rest of the EU. This is a major challenge for the region – successfully and sustainably to emerge from the deepest economic crisis in a generation. Slovakia, the only Eurozone member from the Visegrad region, currently presiding the Visegrad Group, is shaping the debate on the Central European recipe for growth – the recipe to challenge slow growth, high unemployment, insufficient public and private investment, macroeconomic imbalances, public debt and a lack of competitiveness. H. E. ROBERT FICO, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava CHAIRED BY: AMB. IVAN KORČOK, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the EU; Founding Member of the Centre for European Affairs, Brussels 14:00 – 15:30 SESSION III: ECONOMIC RECOVERY – STILL AN UNFINISHED BUSINESS? Contrary to many analysts’ expectations a few years ago, the Eurozone managed to survive its debt crisis intact. But given the political costs, can we afford a long period of weak growth, low inflation and high unemployment? And what can be done to avoid such a scenario? Despite the consolidation efforts, the government debts have not come down. Structural reforms are not being implemented. Bank lending is weak while the capital markets in many countries are practically nonexistent. Investments are far below the pre-crisis levels and the external demand has lately been disappointing. Where can the EU find its much needed growth engine? IVAN LESAY, Senior Advisor to Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava JOZEF SÍKELA, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Slovenská sporiteľna, Bratislava ROLF STRAUCH, Director, Research and Institutional Relations of the European Financial Stability Facility, Luxembourg GUNTRAM WOLFF, Director, Bruegel, Brussels CHAIRED BY: MARTIN ŠANTA, Head of the Communication Department, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava 15:30 – 16:00 COFFEE BREAK 16:00 – 17:30 SESSION IV: EU ENERGY UNION: CAN IT BE BOTH GREEN & COMPETITIVE? The future EU Energy Union should ensure energy supply security and solidarity among the EU member states. Policy steps and action will lead towards the integration of national energy markets, reducing European energy demand, decarbonisation of the energy mix and the increase of investments in research and innovations. While achieving the “green” targets and the climate agenda itself remains one of the key pillars of the energy union, some are increasingly worried about the impact of these policies on the competitiveness of Europe. The concerns are especially strong in times when Europe is still searching for the dynamic engines for growth. What is the ultimate objective of the European green and competitive energy union? MARY VERONICA TOVŠAK PLETERSKI, Director for European and International Carbon Markets, DG for Climate Action, European Commission, Brussels PETER JAVORČÍK, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava GEORGE F. BABCOKE, President, US Steel, Košice, Slovakia THOMAS JAN HEJCMAN, Member of the Board of Directors, RWE Slovakia, Chief Executive Officer, Východoslovenská energetika, Košice CHRISTIAN EGENHOFER, Head of the Energy and Climate Change Research Programme, CEPS, Brussels CHAIRED BY: SANDRINE DIXSON-DECLEVE, EU Director, Prince of Wales's EU Corporate Leaders Group, Brussels 17:30 – 17:45 CLOSING REMARKS 17:45 FAREWELL GLASS OF WINE
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