media.netpr.pl | saturday, 4 february 2012
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  • 31

    MAY
    2010
    The European Economic Congress 2010. First Day Summary
    Media contact:

    Marta Stach
    Contacts in English and Polish only
    Imago Public Relations
    ul. Dworska 1
    40-584 Katowice
    m.stach@imagopr.pl
    http://www.imagopr.pl
    tel.: +48 32 608 29 85
    mobile: +48 609 808 119
    fax: +48 (32) 205 13 66

    On Monday, 31 May 2010, the Second European Economic Congress began in Katowice. The largest business conference under the patronage of José Manuel Barroso was opened by such luminaries as Bronisław Komorowski, Jerzy Buzek, Lech Wałęsa, Waldemar Pawlak, Janusz Lewandowski, Johannes Hahn, Jacek Rostowski and Michał Boni. On the first congress day, the discussions involved the economic order, the consequences of the financial crisis in Europe and around the world, and energy policy and the climate package.

    The official inauguration of the European Economic Congress 2010 (EEC) was attended by Marshall of the Sejm, Acting President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, and President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek. Also, the following spoke: Minister and Member of the Council of Ministers Michał Boni; EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn; EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget Janusz Lewandowski; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak; Minister of Finance Jacek Rostowski; and President of Poland in 1990-1995 Lech Wałęsa.

    Almost 30 speakers took part in the today’s two thematic panels of the congress. The first session moderated by Roman Młodkowski (TVN CNBC) involved a comprehensive debate on the consequences of the financial crisis in Europe and around the world, and the universality of the new order and how to enforce it. The new economic order in Europe was discussed by President of the Economic Council at the Prime Minister Jan Krzysztof Bielecki; Chief Executive for Europe, Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Hitachi Stephen Gomersall; Chief Executive for Europe, ING Group Cesar Gonzalez-Bueno; Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Kulczyk Investments Jan Kulczyk; and Executive Vice-President, Fortum Oyj Per Langer.

    A dominant issue of the second thematic block was the climate and energy package. The participants discussed the problems of fighting the climate changes in the aspect of their impact on the competitiveness of economy. The attendees included Minister of Environment Andrzej Kraszewski and Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Treasury Mikołaj Budzanowski as well as representatives of the largest corporations in the power sector such as ENEA, Grupa Lotos, PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, PKN Orlen, RWE Polska and Tauron Polska Energia. 
    In addition, the dedicated multimedia speeches of EU Commissioner for Climate Connie Hedegaard and EU Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger were presented.

    At the end of the day, Crystal Brussels Sprouts, the awards of the National Contact Point of the EU Research Programmes, were granted in the Concert Hall of the Academy of Music.

    What is more, the first day of the congress brought a debate on the health care system. The key problems of inpatient services in the Silesia Province, and the issues of financing the services and the access to therapy in selected medical areas were challenged by such personas as directors of the majority of Silesian hospitals.

    A panel on industrial parks and the prospects for their development was held in the Euro-Centrum Scientific and Technological Park. One of the numerous participants was the Economic and Commercial Counsellor in the Belgian Embassy, Maxime Woitrin.

    The Monday sessions of the European Economic Congress 2010 in Katowice were held in the Concert Hall of the Academy of Music, in the Biuro Centrum buildings and in the Scientific and Technological Park of Euro-Centrum.
    More about the European Economic Congress 2010 and a detailed congress agenda on www.eec2010.eu
    ***

    Andrzej Kraszewski, Minister of Environment: We cannot withdraw from the climate protection policy. For some time, we may resist the change of the 20% objective for carbon emission reduction to 30%. But we should know that it will not finish with 30%... However, we need more time than others. The government will present our interest which includes the precise combination of the carbon reduction with the country by country calculation. The demand is implemented through the comparable efforts method. We do not want to put less effort in the reduction. It is difficult to estimate how the costs of the fight with climate changes will affect the costs of industrial production. Right now, we have to initiate an ambitious plan of changes which will focus on clean carbon technologies, carbon capture and storage. The war with climate changes opens up opportunities which will form the basis for further sustainable growth.

    Jan Kulczyk: Our attitude and achievements give us the right which says that the world and international finance circles in particular do not perceive our region as one of the many in the investment basket or use a term of growing markets which is not very clear. We deserve to be assessed not only through the prism of our aspirations but primarily through our real and measurable achievements. And they are plentiful. Thus, I propose that since today, following a proven marketing rule “stand out or die”, we should be convincing the world that we are CEED, that is, a family of dynamic Central European economies.

    Michał Szubski, PGNiG President: Within a year, we may apply for changing a price list four times. It is logical to do it in a way which helps the market. The price list flexibility is beneficial for everyone. Firstly, it does not lead to a situation that we sell imported gas with a loss. On the other hand, there were cases that PGNiG could not have reduced a gas price because it had had to make up for such periods when it had sold gas with a loss.
    Elżbieta Bieńkowska: Last year, the half of the Polish GDP, the GDP that we are proud of and we boast about (...) was a direct or indirect effect of the cohesion policy. What happens now in economic terms, we owe, to a very large extent, to an efficient and primarily effective use of the funds, i.e. the one that will bring effects for many years.

    Janusz Lewandowski: A new stage of the crisis approaches us from the east. It is not by accident that such terms as “crisis”, “chaos” as well as “democracy” derive from Greek. And Europe even without the crisis is full of anxiety and self-doubt. Europe is a project for a good weather, and the crisis which we are still learning produces, beside solidarism, egoisms and protectionist inclinations. Fighting to reconcile the interests of member states, Europe copes with the crisis and goes from the fire rescue operation to preventive actions. The EU budget fulfils a new role of a loan guarantor and includes the carrot and stick mechanisms. Some tools of supervision over public finance of member states may in the future generate protests. However, Europe needs such a straitjacket.

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