Agenda

Morning

08:30 – 09:00

Registration and Welcome Coffee

09:00 – 10:15

Session 1 - Opening Keynote Presentations

09:00 – 09:45

The View from the European Commission - Enterprise and Industry

Daniel Calleja-Crespo, Director General, DG Enterprise and Industry, European Commission

09:45 – 10:15

The View from the European Council

Grazyna Henclewska, Undersecretary of State responsible for Raw Materials, Polish Ministry of Economy

10:15 – 10:45

Morning Coffee Break

10:45 – 12:05

Session 2 – Creating a sustainable and competitive mining industry in Europe

The first pillar of the European Raw Materials strategy concerns the need for more extraction within the borders of the EU, with the ultimate aim of reducing Europe’s import dependency. What progress has been made so far in achieving this, and what more needs to be done in order to remove the technological and economic barriers that still exist? Is more co-ordination between member state geological surveys needed in order to increase the knowledge base of the mineral resources available? Whilst increased home-based mining would have the added benefit of creating more European jobs, what lost expertise needs to be revived to ensure that mining in ever harsher and deeper conditions is safe? How can innovative technologies such as robotics be deployed in order to make mining safer and more commercially viable, and what measures must be put in place in order to make mining in Europe a sustainable activity, particularly in terms of water and energy use? How can a level playing field be created and enforced, which allows European exporters to compete on the international commodities market, and provides EU industries with access to these materials at prices that are as competitive as imported materials?

Panel Discussion:

Moderator: Georg Danell, Senior Partner, Kreab Gavin Anderson

Corina Hebestreit, Director, Euromines
Mattia Pellegrini, Head of Unit, Raw materials, Metals, Minerals and Forest-based industries, European Commission
Patrice Christmann, Head of Mineral Resources Department, BRGM
Guy Thiran, Director-General, Eurometaux

Afternoon

12:05 – 13:15

Lunch Break

13:15 – 14:40

Session 3 - Global co-operation for a secure supply of Raw Materials: how best to establish fair trade policies and good governance?

As few countries produce all of the raw materials required for use in their industries, it is imperative that a global standard is established for the fair and sustainable trade of these resources. How can Europe take a pro-active stance in international trade discussions in order to best represent their interests on the global stage? Is stricter monitoring and control of existing trade agreements required in order to protect Europe’s supply of essential Raw Materials, and is the WTO playing a strong enough role in resolving disputes with third countries? How can further co-operation and knowledge-sharing with the resource-rich nations, and particularly those in the developing world, help to ensure access to the materials required by European industries, and will projects such as Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative help to improve transparency and good governance?

13:15 – 13:20

Introduction from the Session Moderator

Moderator: Paul Rübig MEP, Member, European Parliament

13:20 – 13:35

Presentation

Petros Sourmelis, Head of Unit, Market Access, Industry, Energy and Raw Materials, European Commission

13:35 – 13:50

Presentation

Zhang Lirong, Deputy Ambassador , Mission of the People's Republic of China to the EU

13:50 – 14:05

Presentation

Marinke van Riet, International Director, Publish What You Pay

14:05 – 14:20

Presentation

Markus J. Beyrer, Director General, BUSINESSEUROPE

14:20 – 14:40

Discussion with the above speakers

14:40 – 15:00

Afternoon Coffee Break

15:00 – 15:25

Afternoon Keynote Speech: The View from the European Commission - Environment

Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for Environment, European Commission

15:25 – 16:45

Session 4 - Raw Materials demand in the value chain: How can the efficient use of resources help to address global challenges?

Following the adoption by the European Parliament of the ‘Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe’ in May 2012, what progress is already being made in achieving the decoupling of resource use from economic growth, and what are the next steps for both industry and Member State governments? Based on the results of the European Commission’s consultation into resource efficiency indicators, what shape will these take and how should these be applied when developing legislative initiatives and concrete efficiency targets? What can be done to ensure the alignment of these targets with other policy measures, so that conflicts do not arise between the resource efficiency agenda and other ongoing legislative initiatives such as REACH? Ultimately, will such efficiency measures help to boost low-carbon technology development, and thus address the global challenge of climate change?

Panel Discussion:


Moderator: Dafydd ab Iago, Brussels Correspondent, Argus Media

Ester Van der Voet, Associate Professor, Leiden University
Judith Merkies MEP, Member, European Parliament
Kevin Bradley, President, Nickel Institute
John Ludden, Executive Director, British Geological Survey
Michel Baumgartner, EU Affairs Manager, Eurobat