2010 European Parliament of Enterprises

Thank you for your interest in the 2010 European Parliament of Enterprises (EPE). This event brings together 775 business men and women from across the European Union to debate and vote on issues at the top of the business agenda. The EPE runs over the afternoon of the 14th October, but the BCC will be running a full morning programme for the British delegation.  The full programme for the day is as follows:

National Programme for the British Delegation

• 10.am to 11.30am: in conversation with Gavin Hewitt, BBC Brussels correspondent.  Gavin will give his take on European Affairs and take questions from the floor.
• 12.00-1pm: lunch with Kim Darroch, Permanent Representative to the European Union. Kim will join us for lunch and give us an insight into his work as the UK’s most senior government official to the EU.
  The European Parliament of Enterprises
• 2.30pm Opening Session with: Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, Mr. Hermann Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.
  There will follow a series of debates with high level representatives from the European institutions. Each session is interactive with opportunities to intervene from the floor and vote on the key issues discussed.
• 3.00pm Debate One: Conditions. Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science and Wolf Klinz MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the Financial and Economic Crisis will talk about the role that the EU should play in stimulating enterprise, business growth and job creation.
• 4.00pm Session Two: Resources. Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of Industry and Entrepreneurship and Herbert Reul MEP, Chairman of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee in the European Parliament will discuss whether business has access to the resources necessary to lead economic recovery: access to skilled people, access to finance and access to sustainable energy sources.
• 5.00pm Session Three: Markets. Karel de Gucht, Commissioner for Trade and Malcolm Harbour MEP, Chairman of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will discuss the challenges that the EU faces in unblocking internal barriers to cross border trade and in encouraging businesses to access markets in third countries.
• 6.00pm Closing Session: Alessandro Barberis, President of Eurochambres and Mr. Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium.
• 6.30 -9.00pm Networking Drinks in the Members’ Dining Room, European Parliament.

Accommodation

As the EPE programme runs for a full day delegates are encouraged to stay in Brussels on the night of the 13th October. We have rooms booked for British delegates at the Hotel Silken and Hotel Leopold. Both are conveniently located near the European Parliament in the EU Quarter. These are available for a special rate of €160 to €180 with breakfast. Please indicate on the booking form whether you would like accommodation we will then pass your details on to the hotel.