OPEN DAYS 2010 Final Programme - European Commission - Europa

Implementing the Small Business Act for Europe through the European
Entrepreneurial Regions' Label
Each region that has been awarded the European Entrepreneurial Region (EER)
label has a different inspirational strategy for implementing the Small Business
Act (SBA). Discussing the different approaches and specific local context is an
enriching experience for the regions and all stakeholders involved (policy makers,
chambers of commerce, socio-economic partners, etc.). The objective of this
workshop is to share good practices on SME policies and entrepreneurship, put
into effect at the regional level.
European Investment Bank (EIB) instruments for local and regional
authorities - EIB and the 2020 strategy
Specialists from the European Investment Bank Group will explain the EIBs objectives and
role in general with special attention for the Europe 2020 strategy where the Bank is willing
to contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The discussion will not only focus
on innovating tools for each component of the Strategy with an emphasis on the next
generation of joint EU-EIB instruments, but also on the rapid lending volume increase and
product diversification for the financing of energy and climate change for the sustainable
growth component.
The EU budget: Whats in it for regions and industry?
The EU budget is a powerful tool to leverage resources and take forward competitivenessenhancing
reforms in the regions. But with public finances in tatters and severe economic
challenges expected to persist over the next decade, the EU budget will have to assign clear
priorities. Its structure and governance must be substantially reshaped to increase scope
for action in areas where the European added value is clearly identified e.g. research and
innovation, skills and adaptability, mobility and transnational infrastructures. At the same
time, it must be conducive to greater convergence across regions and help accompany the
necessary process of industrial restructuring in the European internal market. The seminar
aims at debating the following questions: Does the EU budget mirror EU priorities in the
post-crisis environment? How can we increase its leverage effect? What is the role of the
EIB? How can cohesion policy be reformed to better respond to the needs of European
regions and lead to industrial restructuring?
Workshops
Wednesday 6 October 2010
06A40
09:00 - 10:45
Venue: Committee of the Regions, VM 1
Organiser: Committee of the Regions,
Forward Studies/EER
Chair: Luc Van den Brande, Committee of the
Regions
Speakers: Alessandro Barberis, EUROCHAMBRES,
Belgium; Juan Jose Beltran, Regional Development
Agency of Murcia-INFO, Spain; Arto Bryggare, Chief of
Business Affairs Uusimaa Regional Council, Sweden;
Jerry Clifford, Institute of Technology Tralee, Ireland;
Luc Hendrickx, European Association of Craft, Small
and Medium-sized Enterprises-UEAPME, Belgium;
Paul Jacobs, BusinessEurope, Belgium; Tibor Mikua,
President Trnava Self-Governing Region, Slovakia;
Reinhardt Oehler, Head of Department, Ministry
for Economic and European Affairs, Brandenburg,
Germany; Antoni Soy, Government of Catalonia, Spain;
Mechthild Wörsdörfer, European Commission, DG
Enterprise and Industry, Belgium
06A41
11:15 - 13:00
Venue: Committee of the Regions, JDE 70
Organisers: European Investment Bank (EIB)
Speakers: Guy Clausse, European Investment
Bank, Luxembourg; Olivier Debande, European
Investment Bank, Luxembourg; Patrice Liauzu,
European Investment Bank, Luxembourg
06A42
11:15 - 13:00
Venue: Committee of the Regions, JDE62
Organiser: BUSINESSEUROPE
Speakers: Henryka Bochniarz, Polish
Confederation of Private Employers, Poland;
Joshua Chaffin, Financial Times, United Kingdom;
Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Regional
Policy, European Commission, Belgium; Matthias
Kollatz-Ahnen, European Investment Bank,
Luxembourg; Alain Lamassoure, Member of the
European Parliament, France; Janusz Lewandowski,
Commissioner for Budget and Financial
Programming, European Commission, Belgium
OPEN DAYS 2010 – European Week of Regions and Cities 37