Budapest Energy Forum - EU Energy issues - Eastern Institute and Constellation Energy Institute

3rd Energy Forum, 2008 2nd Energy Forum, 2007 1st Energy Forum, 2006

The Fourth Energy Forum

Under the high patronage of
H. E. the President of the Republic of Hungary, László Sólyom

November 15-17, 2009, Budapest, Hungary

Organized by Constellation Energy Institute and Instytut Wschodni

“New Economic Realities: Possibilities for Greater European Cooperation in the Field of Energy – Towards Sustainable and Secure Energy”

The room of maneuver of EU member states in cooperating in the sphere of energy may be constrained by several outside factors, particularly in East Central Europe. While the gas crisis of January 2009 created unprecedented incentives for cooperation, the impact of the new economic realities – lower energy prices and low economic growth – raise challenges for European-wide cooperation. In terms of CEE’s political environment, the year of 2009 is a transition period. It is yet to be seen what will be the priorities of the new European Commission to be set up in November 2009. By then the new US administration’s commitment to renewable energy and climate change and its ability and willingness to be present in Central Eastern Europe in the field of energy will be seen. At the same time, Russia’s, the main supplier of hydrocarbon to CEE, ability to act in the field of energy in the region will be hindered by the lack of investment in new fields and infrastructure as a result of the financial crisis and lower energy prices.

The 4th Energy Forum aims to create some certainty amid the uncertain environment by sketching possible future developments in energy globally, in the European Union and in the Central Eastern European region and identifying options for Central Eastern European political and business decision makers to influence energy developments through positive impact of cooperation. The Forum aims to encourage greater cooperation in decision making in the old and new member states. It is important to appreciate the power that regional solutions can bring to energy policy problems and to help decision makers in non-EU Europe and the US to appreciate the importance of Central European energy issues and the steps they can take to address them.

Programme

November 15 at Hotel Mariott

	Arrival of the participants / registration
18:00 - 19:30	Report Presentation: The intelligent energy system infrastructure for the future

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November 16 (Monday) at Duna Palace

8:45	Opening remarks
9:00 – 10:30	Plenary session: Energy as a Factor of Prosperity and Sovereignty
10:30 – 10:45	Coffee break
10:45 – 12:15	1. Impact of the Financial Crisis on the Energy Sector	2. Towards Secure Energy Supply – Politics or Business?
12:15 – 12:30	Coffee break
12:30 – 14:00	3. Skeletons in the Cupboard: Lessons Learned from the January 2009 Gas Crisis	4. Growth through Innovation. Energy and New Technologies
14:00 – 15:00	LUNCH
15:00 – 16:30	5. The EU and the US in the Run-Up to the conference in Copenhagen	6. On the Way to European Energy Security: What to Expect from the European Union?
16:30 – 16:45	Coffee break
16:45 – 18:15	7. The Role of Foreign Investment – How to Attract Energy Investments in CEE?	8. Russian Energy Strategy and the New Economic Realities
18: 25 – 18: 55	Global Gas Report
20:00-22:00	Gala Dinner held in the Hungarian Parliament

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November 17 (Tuesday) at Duna Palace

9:00 – 10:30	Plenary session: Common EU Energy Policy: Is it Really a Must?
10:45 – 12:15	9. Financing of the Energy Sector in CEE: Are There Financial Resources Available?	10. Regional Strategic Energy Projects
16:30 – 16:45	Coffee break
12:30 – 14:00	11. Challenges for the Nuclear Energy Development	12. The Role of Alternative Sources in the Energy Mix - What future for Green Energy in the new Economic Realities?
14:00 – 14:15	Closing remarks
14:15 - 15:30	LUNCH