2006 EuroConference

Renaissance Hotel, Brussels

8.30 Registration and Coffee
8.55 Opening Remarks: Alfons Westgeest, Managing Partner, Kellen Europe

Session 1: European competitiveness and associations

9:05-10:30: Research and Innovation: strategies for associations. The European agenda is increasingly filled with the challenge of keeping Europe competitive. Associations have taken up the opportunities to gather momentum via Multistakeholders Technology Platforms and focus the EC’s funding streams. What are the benefits? Is it a win-win situation? Which case studies were successful, what are the pitfalls?

Chair: Alfons Westgeest, Managing Partner, Kellen Europe

• Nicole Dewandre, Head of Unit, Scientific Advice and Governance, DG Research and Technological Development, European Commission.
  Download PPT Presentation.
• Karen Strandgaard, RDG Manager, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations.
  Download PPT Presentation.
• Chris de Koning, Former External Affairs & Communication Manager, Shell Hydrogen BV & Former Board Member of the European Hydrogen Association: Case of newly emerging industries
  Download PPT Presentation.

10:30-11:00 Break

11:00-11:45: EU agendas and improved EU regulations: How can European and National Associations contribute to the EU better regulation agenda? With the failure of the first Lisbon strategy is the renewed one still credible? And how can associations contribute to this?

Chair: Rachel Barlow, Vice President, Kellen Europe

• Prof. Wyn Grant, University of Warwick
• Ivan Hodac, Secretary General, European Automobile Manufacturers Association
  • CARS 21 (ppt)
• Discussant: Prof. Justin Greenwood

11:45 –12:45: Closing keynotes: Issues like for instance security, consumer protection, food, are getting more and more global. How do associations face globalization? How do governments coordinate to find common approaches and solutions to face global issues?

Chair: Prof. Justin Greenwood, Aberdeen Business School & College of Europe

• Roger Liddle, Member of EU Trade Commissioner Mandelson’s Cabinet:  Open markets and globalization: a new challenge for associations?
• Peter Rush, CEO Kellen Company: EU-US trade relations and transatlantic business dialogue (ppt)

12:45-13:30: Lunch

Session 2: Dialogue with the EU and new forms of communication

13:30 – 15:45: Dialogues represent a critical factor in the relationship between the EU and key stakeholders. What are the main reasons for that? What are the different forms of dialogues and do they work? What kind of impact do they exercise: on the EU? on associations? And are they /or can they be successful?

Chair: Bill Duncan, Director-General, Assurre – the European association promoting Sustainable Resource Management.

Role of the European Parliament

• Graham Watson, Member of the European Parliament, Chairman, Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)

European Commission the Commission and consultation with industry

• Andreas Tegge, Vice President Government Relations, SAP
• Martin Kroeger, Administrator European Commission Secretariat General, relations with Civil Society

EU Regulatory Agencies: the case of the food & health sector

• Paloma Castro, Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs, McDonald's & representative at the Amcham EU

Benefits of industry long term relationships

• John Schonenberger, Chief Executive, European Copper Institute
  • The Benefits of Dialogue (ppt)

15:45 –16:00:

• Alfons Westgeest, Managing Partner - Kellen Europe and Philip Springuel, Director of Public Affairs - EurActiv.com: ‘Communication Trends within European Federations’
• Vincent Binon
  • Marketing I.R.I.S eCommunication - 2006 trends in online communication by associations (ppt)
• Closing Remarks, Prof Justin Greenwood Aberdeen Business School & College of Europe

This event is brought to you by Kellen Europe:

together with Professor Justin Greenwood, Aberdeen Business School:

Sponsored by:

and with Media partners: