Programme

International Economic Forum - Krynica - 6-9 September 2006

"European Challenges: The Question of Europe's Identity"

"Europe Towards eServices, Innovation and Growth" Krynica Economic Forum, Agenda of the "New Economy" track
6 - 8th of September 2006, Poland

Location: Pijalna Glowna, Sala Jana

 

  Updated: 5 September 2006

 

Wednesday 6 th of September 2006

 

18 h 25: R&D and New Innovation Systems in a Global Economy

Welcome Words: Mr. Jaroslaw Bauc, President of the Board of Directors, Director General, Polkomtel S.A., Poland

Chair: Mr. Bernard Clements, Advisor, IPTS, DG JRC, European Commission

The relocation of R&D centres, the reorganisation of R&D investment and venture capital flows, the transformation of the R&D activities themselves are triggered by globalisation. How does this affect innovation at large, and the related Innovation and Technology policies in Europe and elsewhere?

Speakers:

 

 

Thursday 7 th of September 2006, morning

 

10 h 10: Absorbing EU Funds in the New Member States -- A Challenge for Economic Policy

This panel, organised by IMF, is exceptionally located in: Nowy Dom Zdrojowy, Patio 1

Chair:  Mr Christoph B. Rosenberg, Senior Regional Representative, International Monetary Fund Regional Office for Central Europe and Baltics

Under the EU's new financial perspective for 2007-2013, the new member states are eligible to receive substantial transfers, mostly in the form of structural funds. What opportunities for income convergence do these funds present? What are the macroeconomic challenges, as such inflows put pressures on currencies, prices and national budgets? What policies need to be put in place to ensure the efficient utilization of EU funds? Are there lessons from the old member states?

Speakers:

  • Ms. Grazyna Gesicka, Minister, Ministry of Regional Development, Poland
  • Mr. Imants Tiesnieks, Counsellor in the Permanent Representation of Latvia to EU, Ministry of Finance, Latvia
  • Prof. John Bradley, Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin, Ireland
  • Dr. Reiner Martin, Head of Section EU Countries, European Central Bank
  • Mr. Robert Sierhej, Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund Regional Office for Central Europe and Baltics, Poland
  • Dr. Andrea Mairate, Head of Evaluation and Additionality Unit, DG REGIO, European Commission,

 

11 h 35: Asian Growth Patterns: Threats or Opportunities for European ICT?

Chair:  Mr. Bernard Clements, Advisor, IPTS, DG JRC, European Commission

The panel will focus on the recent growth trajectories in major Asian countries, on industry and internationalisation policy and on combined information society and cohesion policy, proposing a discussion on the potential regional and global impact of this development and on cooperation opportunities for EU

Speakers:

 

 

Thursday 7 th of September 2006, afternoon

 

13 h 00: The Role of Public Sector's Support for Commercial Innovation

This panel, organised by the World Bank, is exceptionally located in: Nowy Dom Zdrojowy, Patio 2

Chair:  Ms. Daniela Gressani, Country Director, Central Europe and the Baltic States, The World Bank, Poland

Speakers:

Discussant: Prof. Itzhak Goldberg, Lead Specialist, Europe and Central Asia, World Bank

 

14 h 25: Growth in Old and New Europe : What Needs to be done?

Chair: Dr. Marcin Piatkowski, Advisor to Executive Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC, USA

Speakers:

 

 

Friday 8 th of September 2006, morning

 

09 h 00: Structural Funds and the Building of the Knowledge Society in Eastern Europe

Chair:   Dr. Pál Gáspár, Director, ICEG European Center, Hungary

The panel will be directed at assessing the possibilities of using the Structural Funds and the incoming funding for projects that promote the building of the Knowledge Society in the recipient countries. The lessons of cohesion countries and the first experiences with using the Structural Funds in NMS during 2004-2006 will be considered too.

Speakers:

  • Mr. János Matolcsy, Director, EU and Government Services Department of KPMG Advisory, Hungary
  • Dr. Andrea Mairate, Head of Evaluation and Additionality Unit, DG REGIO, European Commission,
  • Mr. Witold Sartorius, Director General, Polish Competence Centre for eGovernment and eEducation (PCC), Poland

 

10 h 25: eGovernment and the Public Sector Reform in Eastern Europe

Chair:  Ms. Renata A. Jaksa, Project Leader, ICEG European Center, Hungary

The panel will present how and why eGovernment might be different in Eastern Europe, as compared to the experiences of the rest of Europe. The discussion will include the need for public sector reform, the most important steps to be taken, and most of all, the role of eGovernment as precondition or consequence in terms of better governance?

Speakers:

       

11 h 50: eHealth and the Public Sector Reform in Eastern Europe

Chair:  Mr. Bernard Clements, Advisor, IPTS, DG JRC, European Commission

Health care institutions and system are currently facing growing sustainability challenges due to the ageing demographic trends, increasing costs and increasing demand for access and quality. While recent Information Society policies in Europe have mainly focused on access to infrastructure, one of the major challenges that governments face now is how health care institutions and stakeholders can make use of ICT as enablers of the coming health care reforms.

Speakers:

  • Ms. Angela Dunbar, Programme Manager of e-Health, Division of Country Health Systems, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Spain
  • Dr. Pál Gáspár, Director, ICEG European Center, Hungary
  • Dr. Ain Aaviksoo, Chairman of the Executive Board, Head of Health Policy Programme, PRAXIS Centre for Policy Studies, Estonia

 

 

Friday 8 th of September 2006, afternoon

 

14 h 40: European Social Models and Growth: Where are the Eastern European Countries Heading for?

Chair: Dr. Pál Gáspár, Director, ICEG European Center, Hungary

There is an increasing concern among economists that growth differences between European countries are partly due to the differences in the existing social models. Based on the recent contributions of the panellist the panel will assess these links giving special attention to the situation in the New European Member States, so far partly neglected in the analyses.

Speakers:

 

16 h 05: Asia versus Eastern Europe : FDI, R&D Investments and Relocation of the Industry

Chair:  Dr. Pál Gáspár, Director, ICEG European Center, Hungary (*)

The panel will discuss the factors affecting the relocation of industrial production and services from developed countries towards middle-income emerging markets, in particular those that may influence investors in relocating their assets to Asia versus Eastern Europe: wage levels, productivity, supply and quality of physical and human capital

Speakers:

 

 

 

NB: Five other panels, all relevant to the "New Economy" issues, organised by other institutions than IPTS, ICEG, IMF or the World Bank, complete the full agenda of the "New Economy" track. We invite the readers to inform themselves about those remaining panels in the general agenda distributed at the Forum.