Agenda

Opening words by  Kiril Petkov, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Bulgaria

Мoderator: Ilia Lingorski, Chief Economist at the Bulgarian National Bank 

Topic: "Тhree Seas Initiative: А path to smart development and comprehensive economic growth“

ROUND TABLE: 

Main Topic:  Connectivity for transition to sustainability
Key deliverables: Carbon neutral energy systems of the future will require increased energy efficiency, renewable energy and nuclear power, as well as natural gas as a transition and main fuel for balancing purposes. Repurposing of the existing gas infrastructure will be needed for the widespread use of low-carbon hydrogen.

Moderator: Kostadin Sirleshtov,   CMS Managing Partner, CEE Head of Energy & Climate Change, Bulgaria

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Panel: Natural gas as a transition fuel – the infrastructure priorities for the region
Natural gas should be recognized as an important transition fuel for the carbon neutral future. Interconnectivity is an essential element of security of supply and diversification, and further investment in interconnecting infrastructure should be considered.

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Between panels: Presentation of Overgas / Linden Energy

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Panel: Renewables as a driver for infrastructure development; the priorities for the region
Renewable energy development is a driver for infrastructure development (new grids, new storage capacities, new interconnectors).

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Between panels: Presentation of the Sustainable future for Maritsa East Complex 

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Panel: The case for nuclear in the region – a joint inter-governmental effort
Most of the individual efforts of the countries of the region to build new nuclear capacities are likely to fail without a regional effort. Role of Governments in the development of nuclear energy is key and so are the joint efforts in our region.

ROUND TABLE
Main topic: Discussion on connecting the innovation ecosystems in the Region, joining capacities and linking the local research and RegTech initiatives and efforts.

Key Deliverables:  Innovation efforts of the countries in the region would greatly benefit of more coordinated way of cooperation and joint utilization of the countries assets – both as investment vehicles, R&D hubs, human capital and RegTech cooperation.

The panel will explore how such a cooperation could be practically undertaken, which of the 3Seas countries would be interested to participate in the follow-up and provide it for continuation at the next meeting of the 3Seas Initiative.

Moderator:   Filip Genov, Managing Director, SophiaLab, Bulgaria

Roundtable Discussion: Investment Agencies: Drivers of mutual success for investors and Governments

Moderator: Mr. Bostjan Skalar, Executive director, WAIPA, Switzerland

Panel 1: The role of Investments Promotion Agencies in 3SII projects

• Key functions that could be covered and performed by IPAs in 3SII projects, Stamen Yanev, Kaspars Rožkalns, Director of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia and representatives from the other IPAs;

• Possibility for cooperation among IPAs in multilateral and cross-border projects, Stamen Yanev, Krzysztof Drynda, President of the Management Board of Polish Investment and Trade Agency (Paih) and representatives from the other IPAs;

• Potential for collaboration with the 3SIIFund and Amber Infrastructure, Joe Philipsz, Head of 3SIIF Investments (Amber Infrastructure);

• The potential impact of EU State Aid policies on 3SII projects,  Celine Chazelas-Baur and  Lea Zuber, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission;

• Compatibility and coherence between the EU Projects of Common Interest (PCI) and 3SII projects -  Celine Chazelas-Baur and Lea Zuber, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission.

Panel 2: Spreading cooperation

• Creating network among the IPAs and 3SIIFund;
• Possibility for utilization and integration with 3SII projects database;
• Adoption of declaration for cooperation

Presentation by Annette Kroeber-Riel, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Europe (online)

Fireside chat between the moderator of the Panel and:
• Assoc. Prof. Manyu Moravenov, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Bulgarian Stock Exchange
• Vladimir Danailov, Executive Director, Member of the Management Board, Fund Manager of Financial Instruments in Bulgaria
• Dr. Marek Dietl, President of the Warsaw Stock Exchange

Main topic: Aligning priorities for developing successful research & policymaking initiatives for stronger and more cooperating regional innovation ecosystems

Host:  Martin Danovski, Chairman, State Agency Research and Innovation, Bulgaria

Moderator: Teodor Sedlarski, PhD, 
Professor in Economics at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski 

 

Participants - Representatives of the 3SI Organizations working in the field of research & innovation

 

Robert Repnik, Director of the Slovenian Research Agency, Slovenia

Irena Martinović-Klarić, Ph.D., Executive director of the Croatian Science Foundation, Croatia  

Agnieszka Ratajczak, Director, Office of International Cooperation, National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), Poland

Mark Arunas, Project Manager, Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology, Lithuania  

Meelis Kitsing, Rector of Estonian Business School, Estonia

Artur Bobovnický, Director Innovations and International Affairs, Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency

Zoltán Birkner, President of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary

PART I

Presentations of good practices and existing models for developing research and innovation

PART II

Discussion „Common priorities with potential opportunities for cooperation”

PART III

Conclusion - A Joint Statement of the commitment of all research and innovation interested parties to develop an exemplary network for practical efforts on the initiatives of common interest.

Topic: How to work with 3SIIF and finance 3SI priority projects beyond the scope of the Fund

Keynote by:

Mr. Ian Brzezinski, Senior Fellow, The Atlantic Council, Washington, D.C., USA

Round table discussion: Role of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and companies from energy, transport and digitalization sectors in the Three Seas Initiative

Moderator: Mr. Krasen Stanchev, Sofia University, the Institute for Market Economics

 

Speakers:

Tsvetan Simeonov, President of BCCI, Bulgaria

Transport: Olga Wassilewska,

CEO, MW LOGISTICA OOD, Bulgaria

Energy: Plamen Pavlov, Bulgarian Gas Association
Aigars Rostovskis, Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Latvia 

Rimas Varkulevičius, Association of Lithuania Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Lithuania 

Mihai Daraban, CCI of Romania (video message) 

Eleonora Ivanova, Bulgarian – Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Tim Kurth, President of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Aurubis Bulgaria

Ulrike Straka, Austrian Federal Chamber, Advantage Austria, Austria

Ivan Barbaric, Croatian Chamber of Economy, Croatia

Radek Jakubský, Czech Chamber of Commerce

László Bódi, Hungarian

Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hungary

Rossen Tkatchenko, Hungarian-Bulgarian CCI

ROUND TABLE
Main topic: Digital mobility

Key deliverables: Digitalizing Europe's railways. The role of aviation in multimodal connectivity for passengers and freight. Maritime ports and transport megahubs: gateways for multimodality. Synchromodality and the future of transport and logistics value chain integration. The challenges of cross-border transport infrastructure development.

Main focus: Enhancing multimodal connectivity for people and freight in the digital era: physical, digital and commercial prerequisites

Moderator: Kaspars Briškens, Head of Strategy & Development at the Rail Baltica (Latvia)

Participants:

·Stefano Maio, Business Development Manager, Balkans, Bechtel Civil Infrastructure, USA

·Marcin Horała, Government Plenipotentiary for the Solidarity Transport Hub, Poland

·Iavor Pantaleev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian National Freight Forwarding Association

·Dimitrij Zadel, President of the Management Board of the Port of Koper, Slovenia (tbc)

·Ivet Vidinova, Director Business · development Dronamics
·Martin Gauss, CEO of AirBaltic, Latvia (video message)

ROUND TABLE
Main topic: Build Smart Infrastructure is a Key for Economic growth of the Region

Topics:
• Digitalization of Infrastructure аcross the Sectors for the Industry 4.0;
• Public Cloud is Key Enabler for Smart Infrastructure Services;
• Access to Open Data is a Crucial Component for Infrastructure of Tomorrow.

Moderator: Petar T. Ivanov, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria

 

Participants:

· Assen Vassilev, Minister of Finance, Bulgaria

· Isabella Groegor -Cechowicz, Vice-President, Sales PS, EMEA, Amazon Web Services, USA,

· Magdalena Dziewguc, Country Manager, Google Cloud Polska, USA,

· Artur Chmielewski, Head of Business development, IS-Wireless, Poland,

· Michal Potoczek, OChK, National Cloud Operator of Poland,

· Razvan Atim, General Manager Eastern Europe, UiPath, Romania,

· Raycho Raychev, CEO and Founder, EnduroSat, Bulgaria ,

· Madis Sassiad, Board Member, GoSwift, Estonia.

Closing remarks
• Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President, European Commission

Topic: „Three Seas Initiative: A path to stronger, united and competitive Europe“

Postmark Validating Ceremony on the Occasion of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Three Seas Initiative