Chairpersons´ greeting
Dear colleagues,
As a part of the Senate’s activities in the framework of Czech Republic’s presidency of the EU Council, the Committee on Public Administration, Regional Development and the Environment and the Committee on National Economy, Agriculture and Transport will organize a meeting of chairpersons of committees responsible for energy and the environment from national parliaments of EU Member States, the European Parliament, and the candidate countries. The meeting “Secure and sustainable energy for Europe” is to be held in the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic in Prague on 25-26 January 2009.
The meeting itself will take be divided in two sessions, starting with presentations concerning the competitiveness in the energy sector and Europe’s energy security, with emphasis on the state of energy markets and the related European legislation.
During the morning session, keynote speakers will present the current state of negotiations of so-called third liberalisation package and climate-energy package and, as latest output of the European Commission in the field of the European energy policy, main initiatives of the Second Strategic Energy Review. Particular emphasis will be given to security aspects of the energy policy. The Czech Minister of Industry and Trade will present the priorities of the Czech presidency of the EU within the energy policy.
The afternoon session will focus on climate change, particularly with regard to the climate-energy package, attention will be given also to international negotiations on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions after 2012, particularly in the light of the results of the Conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Poznan and perspectives on Copenhagen Conference. The Czech Minister for the Environment will present the priorities of the Czech presidency of the EU within the climate change and environmental policy.
We are looking forward to welcoming you in Prague
Jan Hajda Ivo Bárek
Oldřich Vojíř Libor Ambrozek