IENE's 5th S.E. Europe Energy Dialogue

Thursday, June 2, 2011 - Friday, June 3, 2011

Following the success of the previous Energy Dialogue conferences, IENE is convening the “5^th S.E. Europe Energy Dialogue” next June in Thessaloniki (2-3 June, 2011).

The purpose of this international meeting is to bring together high-ranking government officials, senior business executives and energy experts from the countries of S.E. Europe but also from major energy producing countries with the objective of exchanging information and ideas, networking and discussing the shaping of the political action required in order to face the increased global and regional energy and environmental challenges. The “Energy Dialogue” has been conceived as a forum for furthering the idea of a S.E. European energy bridge involving all the countries of the region. To review the presentations from the 4^th SEEED please visit www.iene.gr/4thSEEED while 3^rd SEEED presentations can be found at www.iene.gr/3rdSEEED.

The SE Europe Energy Dialogue meeting which will be hosted at the “Met Hotel” in downtown Thessaloniki is very topical in view of the difficult situation with regard to the security of energy supplies, especially by the oil and gas importing countries of SE Europe, and the global concern for the development of viable alternatives.

In addition to the official representatives from each one of the SE Europe countries and the senior management from most major energy companies of the region, senior executives from banks and financial institutions (e.g. EBRD, EIB, World Bank, Black Sea Development Bank, etc.) donor representatives as well as high ranking officials from the European Commission, the International Energy Agency, the Energy Community, the World Energy Council, the Energy Charter and other international organizations are expected to participate.

The key objectives of the 5^th S.E. Europe Energy Dialogue can be outlined as follows:

- Identification of the main problem areas for energy policy and infrastructure development.

- Identification of prospects, challenges and opportunities in the energy sector of the region with special emphasis on electricity and gas.

- Assessment of Climate Change policies in the context of the region’s overall development.

- The international promotion of the region’s energy projects in electricity and gas with the view of attracting FDI.

- The furthering of contacts and interaction between energy suppliers and consumers focusing on gas interconnections, electricity networks, and Renewable Energy Sources.

- Further enhancing the unofficial but highly effective network of contacts at international and regional level already established within “Energy Dialogue”.

The “Energy Dialogue” is of particular relevance in this time juncture as current initiatives of the European Union for the creation of a regional energy market known as Energy Community (of SE Europe) and its Climate and Energy package (read 20-20-20), are evolving.

Among the themes that will be discussed during the 5^th Energy Dialogue meeting will be the following:

- Electricity Market Operation and Competition

- Electricity Infrastructure Projects

- The Expanding Role of RES on Developing a Regional Electricity Market

- Gas Market Challenges

- Gas Market Integration (in S.E. Europe)

- Key Energy Investments and Business Opportunities

The “5^th Energy Dialogue” programme will include presentations by senior executives of energy companies, well known analysts and high ranking government officials. The full programme of the Conference and registration information will soon be available through IENE’s website.