High-level conference on the forthcoming power market reform - 'Helping or slowing down European industry?'

Venue: Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic to the EU
107, Avenue de Cortenbergh 107, 1000 Brussels

On behalf of BusinessEurope, we are pleased to invite you to a high-level conference on the forthcoming power market reform. Beside other high-level speakers, Commissioner Arias Cañete and Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, Slovak Republic Alexander Micovčin will give keynote speeches. The EU power market today and tomorrow – what is at stake? Is there a role for capacity mechanisms? If so, under which conditions? How to make renewables fit for the market and vice-versa? This reform is of great importance for European industry. It has to strike the right balance between (re)incentivizing investments and decarbonizing the power sector while addressing the challenge of rising electricity prices for end-users.

09h00 - 09h30    Registration and coffee

09h30 - 10h30    Welcome and keynote speeches

                         Markus J. Beyrer, Director General, BusinessEurope
                         Alexander Micovčin, Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, Slovak Republic
                         Miguel Arias Cañete, European Commissioner for Climate Action & Energy

10h30 – 12h00    Panel 1: The European power market today and tomorrow – What is at
                          stake?

The first panel will discuss the main challenges of European industry with the power market today and what is expected for the coming years. Namely, lack of investments in power generation, upscaling renewable energy sources, rising end-user electricity prices and increasing public interventions going in the opposite direction of an energy-only market.

• Florian Ermacora, Head of Unit, Wholesale markets - electricity and gas, Directorate-General for Engergy, European Commission
• Miroslav Kiralvarga, President, Slovak National Union of Employers and Vice President External Affairs, Administration and Business Development, U. S. Steel Košice, Slovak Republic
• André Poschmann, Head of European Electricity Policy and Market Integration, Ministry of Economy and Energy, Germany
• Ivo Hlaváč, Member of the board and Chief External relations and Regulation Officer, CEZ Group
• Stephen Woodhouse, Director, Pöyry Management Consulting

Followed by interventions from the floor.

12h00 – 13h00    Lunch

13h00 – 14h30    Panel 2: Capacity mechanisms – Why and under which conditions?

Capacity mechanisms are expected to play a prominent role in the forthcoming power market reform. The European Commission is currently consulting stakeholders and preparing a new report for the new power market design. This panel will deepen the discussion on the problems capacity mechanisms try to solve. And, when seen as necessary, under which conditions capacity mechanisms should apply in order to make them fit for the market and to support European integration.

• Gert Jan Koopman, Deputy Director General, European Commission
• Lenka Kovačovská, Deputy Minister for Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Czech Republic
• Lieven Stalmans, Group Manager, Borealis
• Manuel Baritaud, Senior Energy Analyst, International Energy Agency
• Troels Ranis, Energy and Climate Director, Confederation of Danish Industry

Followed by interventions from the floor.

14h30 – 15h00    Coffee break

15h00 – 16h30    Panel 3: Renewable energy – How to make it a success story?

Renewable energy has emerged from a niche to a major energy source in Europe. However, to reach the 2030 target in a cost effective way, more efforts must be made. While further renewable energy deployment is needed to decarbonize our economy, at the same time it pushes the power system to its limits. This panel will discuss possibilities and necessary policy adjustments to make renewable energy a success story in Europe.

• Hubertus Bardt, Managing Director, Cologne Institute for Economic Research
• Danielle Baron, Global Head of Utilities and Power, Crédit Agricole CIB
• Giles Dickson, Chief Executive Officer, WindEurope
• Michał Kurtyka, Undersecretary of State for Energy, Poland
• Hendrik Bourgeois, General Counsel Europe, GE

Followed by interventions from the floor.

Closing Session

16h30 – 17h00    Markus J. Beyrer, Director General, BusinessEurope

*Invited

For any inquiries related to the organization of the conference, please contact:
Mr. Jan Bambas (j.bambas@businesseurope.eu)
Mr. Nicolas Rathauscher (n.rathauscher@businesseurope.eu)