01 introduzione 06/11/2007 14.26 Page 1 - CEI · 01_introduzione 06/11/2007 14.26 Page 5. 6 01_introduzione 06/11/2007 14.26 Page 6. 02_logistic 06/11/2007 14.30 Page 7. general information

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Organisers ................................................................................................................... 5

General Information and Logistics ................................................................................ 7

National Palace of Culture.............................................................................................. 9

Programme................................................................................................................ 15

Political Events............................................................................................................. 16Timetable Programme .................................................................................................. 17Detailed Programme .................................................................................................... 18

Speakers and Project Promoters .................................................................................. 31

Introduction ................................................................................................................. 32Biographies and Abstracts............................................................................................ 33

Partners .................................................................................................................... 73

Sponsors...................................................................................................................... 74Media Partners ............................................................................................................ 78

table of contents


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organisers

Central European Initiative

Project Secretariat

Programme Manager: Mr. Guido Paolucci

Trieste Office at the CEI Headquarters Via Genova 9 // 34121 Trieste // Italytel. +39 040 7786 777 // fax +39 040 7786 766 e-mail : [email protected] : www.ceinet.org

Executive Officer: Ms. Slavena RadovanovicExecutive Officer: Ms. Elisabetta DovierJunior Executive Officer: Mr. Adrian Keler

London Office at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

One Exchange Square // London EC2A 2JN // UK tel. +44 20 7338 7471 // fax +44 20 7338 6538 e-mail : [email protected] : www.ebrd.com

Associate Manager: Ms. Marta Simonetti - WhitfordProgramme Assistant: Ms. Stefania Del Monte

Bulgaria Economic Forum

Vitosha Boulevard 86 // 1436 Sofia // Bulgariatel. +359 2 951 52 59 // fax +359 2 953 29 24e-mail : [email protected] : www.biforum.org

Mr. George Tabakov, ChairmanMr. Christoslav Bachurov, Executive DirectorMs. Christina Dimitrova, Projects DirectorMs. Marina Hristeva, Client Relations DirectorMs. Monika Nikolova, PR Manager

Ministry of Economy and Energy,

Republic of Bulgaria

Slavianska street, 8 // Sofia // Bulgariatel. + 355 2 94071 // fax +359 2 987 219e-mail : [email protected] : www.mee.government.bg

Mr. Lachesar Borisov, Deputy MinisterMs. Vessela Bayraktarova, Head of Europe DepartmentMr. Tzvetan Aleksov, Expert, Europe Department

Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce

and Industry

Iskar Street 9 // 1058 Sofia // Bulgariatel. +359 2 811 74 00 // fax +359 2 987 32 09e-mail : [email protected] : www.bcci.bg

Mr. Bojidar Bojinov, PresidentMr. Tsvetan Simeonov, Vice President and CEOMs. Mariana Stefanova, Director Business Center

SEF is organised in cooperation

with the EBRD

One Exchange Square // London EC2A 2JN // UKtel. + 44 20 7338 6000 // fax + 44 207338 6100e-mail : [email protected] : www.ebrd.com


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general information and logistics

Registration and Accreditation

SEF registration includes: access to all formal sessions and to theInteractive Business Area, i.e. to Project Presentations and FocusedMeetings, an information pack (participant bag), access to all SEFdatabases for business contacts and project promotion, participation insocial events including two lunches, an evening reception and a cocktail.

Registration / Accreditation pointGround floor area / National Palace of Culture

Monday 19 November (Day 0): 15.00 – 20.00Tuesday 20 November (Day 1): 08.00 – 18.00Wednesday 21 November (Day 2): 08.00 – 13.00

Please note that all participants, press and staff are required to wear theirbadges during all official events of the Forum including social events.

Accommodation

More information on accommodation in Sofia is available atwww.ceinet.org/SEF/Hotels

Local Transportation

On-payment pick-up service is provided by most hotels between thecity center and Sofia International Airport. Regular taxi service on thisroute should not exceed EUR 6 (12 leva) each way.

Free transfer service will be available for the evening reception onTuesday 20 (National Museum of History). The buses will depart fromoutside the National Palace of Culture at 19.30. For moreinformation, please refer to the SEF Info Point located on the fifthfloor (east of hall 9).

Press Center

Assistance to journalists and SEF Media Partners is available at theSEF Press Center located on the sixth floor. Please ask our staff for theparticipation at the Roundtable of the CEI Ministers of EconomicSectors, for SEF press releases, programme changes as well as fororganising interviews with selected speakers.

VIP Lounge

VIP lounge is located on the sixth floor. Official delegations andspeakers can use this facility to arrange their meetings. Please notethat only participants with badges marked “VIP” will have access tothe lounge.

IBA - Interactive Business Area

The Interactive Business Area (IBA) encompasses several activitieswhich aim at favouring the promotion of “project ideas” throughbusiness match-making of investors with financial and technicalsources. In the course of the years the CEI has gained considerableexpertise in this area thanks to its Networking database (pleaseconsult www.ceinet.org) used for business match-making.

The Interactive Business Area includes:

A Project Room (Project Presentations and Focused Meetings in hall7): the Interactive Business Area consists primarily of thematicworkshops used for project presentations. This year’s workshops coverthe following areas: Real Estate and Infrastructure, Reforms in SouthEast Europe, Eco-Innovation & alternative sources of Energy for SMEs,as well as SME development Projects co-funded by the EU in the CEIregion.

A Match-making System which assists SEF participants in makingappointments by creating a calendar of business meetings during theevent (Bilateral Meetings). This Match-Making venue – situated on thefifth floor, east of hall 8 – will serve as a facility for entrepreneurs,bankers, potential investors and joint venture partners to get to knoweach other and discuss their business proposals, availability of funds,projects and programmes.

A Desk of Italy – located on the fifth floor, west of hall 9 – managedby ICE (National Institute for Foreign Trade, Italy).Contacts: Fabrizio Camastra, Director, ICE Sofiae-mail: [email protected]

The strength of the SEF Interactive Business Area lies in the fact thatit remains closely linked to the mission of the Secretariat for CEIProjects to assist the implementation of strategies and project ideasinto bankable projects and fundable programmes. The main tool usedfor this purpose is the CEI Trust Fund, established within the EuropeanBank for Reconstruction and Development. The Fund, for which Italyhas made a total contribution of EUR 28 million since its inception, isused “to finance technical assistance, training and advisory services,as well as for the identification and preparation of projects to besubsequently financed or co-financed”. The Fund is also to supportthe organisation of training programmes, workshops, exchange ofknow-how and advisory services assignments aimed at promotioneconomic growth and institutional strengthening in the CEI countriesof operation.

After the Event

The 10th CEI Summit Economic Forum major outputs and updatedinformation, including speakers’ abstracts, presentations and

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National Palace of Culture

contacts, project-related documentation, press releases and clipping,post event Official Report and list of participants will be madeavailable on-line at www.ceinet.org/SEF

Social Events

Tuesday, 20 November 2007

LunchTime: 12.00 – 13.15Venue: National Palace of Culture (lobby, third floor)

Evening ReceptionTime: 20.00 – 22.00Venue: National Museum of History(16, Vitoshko lale Str., Boyna)

Free transfer service will be available for the evening reception. Buseswill depart from outside the National Palace of Culture (from VitoshaBlvd) at 19.30. The return from the National Museum will be at 22.00.Please make sure you take your SEF badge with you to the reception.

Wednesday, 21 November 2007

LunchTime: 13.30 – 14.45Venue: National Palace of Culture (lobby, third floor)

CocktailTime: 18.30 – 19.30Venue: National Palace of Culture (lobby, third floor)

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ground floor

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floor 03

floor 05

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floor 06

floor 07

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floor 08

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political events

Roundtable of the CEI Ministers of Economic Sectors

Date21 November 2007, 15.00 – 17.00 p.m.

VenueHall 7, 5th Floor, National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria

The Ministers of Economic Sectors of the 18 CEI Member States holdtheir annual Roundtable at the Summit Economic Forum, this yearhosted by the Bulgarian Minister of Economy, and Energy. TheRoundtable also is attended by special guests which include represen-tatives of International Financial Institutions and InternationalOrganisations in the CEI region. The Roundtable is followed by thePress Conference of the CEI Presidency. Entrance to the Roundtable isby invitation only.

Summit of CEI Heads of Government

Date27 November 2007, 9.30 – 13.30 p.m.

VenueHall 3, 7th Floor, National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria

The annual Meeting of the CEI Heads of Government (CEI Summit) isone of the most significant CEI political-institutional events. The CEISummit convenes in autumn in the country holding the CEI Presidencyand it takes place in parallel with the Summit Economic Forum. TheMeeting of the CEI Heads of Government focuses on principles andobjectives of the CEI as well as on political and economic orientationfor co-operation within the framework of the Initiative.


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timetable programme

DAY01 TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2007

DAY02 WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2007

09.30 // Official opening /////////////////////////////////////10.15 hall 3 > 7th floor

10.30 1.1 2.1 IBA 01

12.00

Conference Sessions hall 8 > 5th floor

Conference Sessions hall 9 > 5th floor

Interactive Business Areahall 7 > 5th floor

Focus on Bulgaria - Supporting Businesses,Growth and Reforms Consolidation

A New Vision of Capital Markets in Central andSoutheast Europe - the European SecuritiesLandscape

Real Estate Market and Infrastructure. TheBust of the Real Estate Boom or ImminentSurprises?

16.45 coffee break17.00

13.20 1.2 2.2 IBA 02

15.00 Energy Infrastructure Internationalisation of SMEs: Support Servicesand Financing

How to Implement the Next Wave of EconomicReforms in South Eastern Europe

15.10 1.3 2.3 IBA 03

16.45 The World Bank Group: Mobilising Resourcesfor the Future

Roundtable on Freight Services: SupportingBusiness through Transport InfrastructureDevelopment

Eco-innovation and Alternative Sources ofEnergy: Opportunities for SMEs

17.00 1.4 2.4 IBA 04

18.30 Technical Assistance Needs in the Region Women in Action - The Driving Force of theUnited Europe

SME Development Projects co-funded by theEU in the CEI Region

20.00 // Evening Reception and Cultural Programme22.00 venue: National Museum of History

09.00 1.5 2.5

10.30 Moving Energy Efficiency Forward ICT in SEE: Strategic Issues in Research, Technologyand Deployment

10.30 coffee break11.00

11.00 1.6 2.6

12.30 EBRD Transition Report 2007: People inTransition

Mobilising Actors for EnvironmentalGovernance

12.45 // SEF Closing Ceremony and Press Conference 13.30 hall 8 > 5th floor

13.30 lunch break14.45 lobby > 3rd floor

12.00 lunch break13.15 lobby > 3rd floor

18.30 cocktail19.30 lobby > 3rd floor

15.00 // Roundtable of the CEI Ministers of Economic Sectors ////////////////////17.30 hall 7 > 5th floor

17.40 // Ministers’ Press Conference18.15 hall 7 > 5th floor

13.30 parallel event // Bulgaria-Italy: Entrepreneurial Challanges15.30 hall 3 > 7th floor

11.00 parallel event // Great-IST Final Conference. Project supported by the European Commission FP6 IST Programme17.00 hall 3.2 > 8th floor


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The Official Opening sees SEF organisers welcoming all participants and drawing attention to the main topics to be discussed during the event. ThePrime Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Sergei STANISHEV, will address the public on behalf of the Government, which holds the rotating CEI Presidency for 2007.The Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy, Mr. Petar DIMITROV, will address the public on behalf of the Ministry, the event’s co-organiser. Othernotable speakers include Amb. Harald KREID, Director General, CEI Executive Secretariat, Mr. Guglielmo ARDIZZONE, Minister Plenipotentiary, ItalianMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Guido Paolucci, Head of the CEI Project Secretariat, Mr. Christos KATSANIS, Executive Director, United Bulgarian Bank,Ms. Gergana MANTARKOVA, Managing Partner, KPMG in Bulgaria, and Mr. Richard SHEARER, Chief Executive Officer, vivatel. Finally, the representa-tives of the CEI Secretariats and the Bulgaria Economic Forum will welcome participants and provide practical information on the event.

Welcome Address H.E. Sergei STANISHEV, Prime Minister, Bulgaria (invited)

Speaker H.E. Petar DIMITROV, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria

Speaker Amb. Harald KREID, Director General, CEI Executive Secretariat

Speaker Mr. Guglielmo ARDIZZONE, Minister Plenipotentiary, Directorate General for European Countries, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Speaker Mr. Christos KATSANIS, Executive Director, United Bulgarian Bank, Member of NBG Group, Bulgaria

Speaker Ms. Gergana MANTARKOVA, Managing Partner, KPMG in Bulgaria

Speaker Mr. Richard SHEARER, Chief Executive Officer, vivatel, Bulgaria

Speaker Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI, Programme Manager, CEI Project Secretariat

Moderator Mr. George TABAKOV, Chairman, Bulgaria Economic Forum

Coordinator Ms. Vessela BAYRAKTAROVA - Mr. George TABAKOV - Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI

9.30

10.15

Official OpeningVenue: Hall 3 (7th floor)

Day 01 // Tuesday 20 November 2007

10.30

12.00

1.1 Focus on Bulgaria - Supporting Businesses, Growth and Reforms ConsolidationVenue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

Following 17 years on the challengeing road of transition the hard work is now paying off. Bulgaria joined the EU on January 1st 2007 as a resultof a decade of coherent and prudent economic policies and structural reforms. Bulgaria today demonstrates sustained growth rates, falling inflation,declining unemployment and robust FDI. EU membership has now placed the country in a new environment and single market pressures will furtherstimulate competition. EU membership in itself, however, is not a guarantee that economic conditions will continue to improve and that the countrywill attract sufficient investment levels to enable it to further stimulate productivity growth. Continuation of prudent economic policies and the per-severance on the reform agenda are essential for Bulgaria to make full use of accession opportunities. This assembly provides an opportunity to shareexperiences, exchange views and propose specific actions to help address the post-accession convergence challenges going forward.

Moderator Mr. James HYSLOP, Director for Bulgaria, EBRD

Welcome address H.E. Petar DIMITROV, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria

Keynote Speaker Mr. Yavor KUIUMDJIEV, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria: “Competitiveness of the BulgarianEconomy”

Speaker Mr. Stoyan STALEV, Executive Director, InvestBulgaria Agency, Bulgaria: “Bulgaria - The Right Investment Location”

Speaker Amb. Michael B. HUMPHREYS, Head, Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria: “Growth and Jobs - EUStructural and Cohesion Fund in Support of the Lisbon Strategy”

Speaker Mr. Cormac MURPHY, Head, Division Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus, South East Europe Department, European InvestmentBank (EIB): “EIB and Financing of Bulgaria's Investment Needs”

detailed programme


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10.30

12.00

Moderator Mr. Plamen RUSSEV, Managing Partner, Balkan Consultancy Center, Bulgaria

Keynote Speaker Mr. Dimcho MIHALEVSKY, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Bulgaria

Project Promoter Mr. Strahil IVANOV, Manager, Yavlena Ltd., Bulgaria: “Outlines of the Bulgarian Real Estate Market”

Project Promoter Mr. Miroslav YAZOV, Financial Manager, Yazov Group, Bulgaria: “Sky Buildings – the New Face of Business and Living inPlovdiv”

Project Promoter Mr. Atanas GAROV, Managing Director, Colliers International, Bulgaria

Project Promoter Ms. Oksana TSEDRIK, Deputy Director CUE “Ecocomplex”, Minsk Region Executive Committee, Belarus // Mr. VladimirSOBOLEV, Counsellor, Foreign Economic Cooperation, Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: “Organization of theModern System for Separate Collection and Processing of Solid Domestic Waste”

Project Promoter Ms. Nataly PETROVSKAYA, Chief Specialist, Department of the Energy Efficiency and Ecology, Ministry of Energy, Belarus //Mr. Vladimir SOBOLEV, Counsellor, Foreign Economic Cooperation, Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry:“Reconstruction of Mozyr Heat Power Plant”

Coordinator Bulgaria Economic Forum & BALREC - Balkan Real Estate Conference

CEI Officer in Charge Mr. George TABAKOV - Ms. Christina DIMITROVA

IBA 01 Real Estate Market and Infrastructure. The Bust of the Real Estate Boom or Imminent Surprises?Venue: Hall 7 (5th floor)

In recent years a new EU regime for regulation of the European securities markets has been developed. The new directives and implementing meas-ures entail very extensive changes that will affect the development in the capital markets. In some areas, the new EU regulatory regime introducescompletely new opportunities, while in others the focus is first and foremost on greater harmonisation of national legislation, so that EU regulationsupports the continued progress towards a fully integrated securities market in the EU. The new regulatory regime is expected to augment compe-tition among the various trading platforms in Europe, strengthen cross-border competition among securities dealers, and further harmonise theapproach to investor protection.

Moderator Mr. Christos KATSANIS, Executive Director, United Bulgarian Bank, Member of NBG Group, Bulgaria

Speaker Mr. Hannes HUHTANIEMI, Policy Officer, DG Internal Market and Services, European Commission

Speaker Mr. Victor PAPAZOV, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Bulgarian Stock Exchange, Bulgaria: “Capital Market in Bulgariaafter MiFID ”

Speaker Mr. Gilbert McCAUL, Partner, KPMG in Bulgaria: “A Financial Advisor’s Perspective on the Development of Capital Markets”

Speaker Mr. Heinrich SCHALLER, Joint Chief Executive Officer, Vienna Stock Exchange, Austria: “Vienna Stock Exchange –International Expertise and Know How in the Modern Capital Markets”

Speaker Mr. Henry VON BLUMENTHAL, Senior Capital Markets Officer, European Investment Bank (EIB): “EIB and Capital MarketsDevelopment in Central and Eastern Europe”

Speaker Mr. Stere FARMACHE, Chief Executive Officer, Bucharest Stock Exchange, Romania: “Bucharest Stock Exchange Developmentand Capital Market Integration”

Speaker Mr. Luciano MONTI, Chief Executive Officer, APRI Sviluppo Private Equity S.p.A., Italy: “Early Stage Financing”

Coordinator Bulgaria Economic Forum

Officer in Charge Mr. George TABAKOV - Ms. Christina DIMITROVA

10.30

12.00

2.1 A New Vision of the Capital Markets in Central and Southeast Europe - the European Securities Landscape Venue: Hall 9 (5th floor)

Speaker Mr. Andrea CASINI, Chief Business Officer, Management Board, Unicredit Bulbank: “Financial Institutions: Backbone andEngine of Business and Economic Growth in Bulgaria”

Speaker Mr. Bojidar DANEV, Chairman and Executive President, Bulgarian Industrial Association – Union of the Bulgarian Business,Bulgaria “Simplification of Regulatory Framework (in line with Lisbon Agenda and EU Policy to Reduce AdministrativeBurdens by 25 per cent)”

Speaker Mr. Dieter WAHL, Financial Director, Miroglio Bulgaria EOOD, Miroglio Deutschland GmbH, Ulmia Stoffe GmbH “Miroglio’sInvestments in Bulgaria: History and Actual Situation”

Coordinator CEI Project Secretariat

Officer in Charge Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI - Mr. Yannis ARVANITIS


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13.20

15.00

1.2 Energy InfrastructureVenue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

One of the three main objectives of the EU energy policy for Europe is to 'increase the security of energy supply'. This could be achieved with theprovision of reliable energy sources (traditional fossil as well as renewables, clean and alternative form of energy) and the building of the necessaryinfrastructure for the supply and transfer of energy resources. The three-year action plan, adopted in March this year, envisages effective diversifi-cation of energy sources and energy supply routes. Having in mind the increasing energy dependence of EU, which is expected to reach 70% (if nomeasures are taken), strengthening inter-regional commercial ties between EU, Central Asia, Caspian and the Black Sea Regions is key to ensurediversification of energy sources and energy supply routes. The presence of adequate energy infrastructure is an important prerequisite to guaran-tee the reliability of energy supplies and the effective functioning of competitive energy markets. The second main objective of the European ener-gy policy is to guarantee the competitiveness of European economies and provide energy at affordable prices. Again, this can be ensured also throughthe Energy Community, which includes non-member countries from the Balkans. This panel will consider the ever-changing role of Southeast Europeas an important link in the energy resources routes and will stress the valence of ensuring investments in large infrastructure projects to strength-en the links between European consumers and energy suppliers.

Moderator Mr. George GIAOURIS, Principal Banker, Power and Energy, EBRD

Keynote Speaker Ms. Galina TOSHEVA, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria: “The Bulgarian Energy Policy in theContext of the European Energy Policy - Challenges and Opportunities”

Speaker Mr. Charles FEINSTEIN, Energy Sector Manager, Europe and Central Asia, Sustainable Development Department, WorldBank: “SEE (Security, Environment and Economic Growth) in SEE: A World Bank Energy Sector Perspective”

Speaker Mr. Alistair McLEISH, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mmd Group: “Guaranteeing and Communicating Transparency forMajor Energy Projects”

Speaker Mr. Riccardo MERIGGI, Program Manager South Strema, Eni S.p.A. Gas & Power, Italy: “Increasing Energy Security in Europe?Key Update on the planned South Stream Gas Pipeline project”

Speaker Mr. Enrico VIALE, Manager for the Balkans, ENEL, Italy: “Energy balance, Capacity Increase and Investments in SouthernEastern Europe”

Speaker Mr. Mardik Rupen PAPAZYAN, Executive Director, NEK AED, Bulgaria: “The Electric Power Infrastructure in Bulgaria andProspects for its Development”

Speaker Ms. Rositsa TANEVA, Head of Department, Bulgartransgaz EAD

Speaker Mr. Vladimir VASILCHENKOV, Deputy Director General, Belarusian National Dispatcher Centre of Power Industry, Belarus:“Belarus Energy Sector Development for Increasing Energy Security”

Speaker Mr. Werner AULI, Member of the Executive Board of OMV Aktiengesellschaft, Head of Gas, Austria: “Nabucco Gas PipelineProject”

Coordinator CEI Project Secretariat, BEF Bulgaria Economic Forum

Officer in Charge Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI - Ms. Gaia PERACCA - Mr. George TABAKOV

13.20

15.00

2.2 Internationalisation of SMEs: Support Services and FinancingVenue: Hall 9 (5th floor)

SMEs find it more difficult than large enterprises to have cross-border activities within the European Internal Market and in third countries markets.In Europe significantly only 24% of small and 25% of medium enterprises claim to be prepared to go to another country. In this scope it is neces-sary to help SMEs to face more and more demanding markets and CEI Member States policies should support SME internationalization to third mar-kets. This session will focus on how to support Governments, public institutions and the private sector in CEI Countries to improve their capacity todesign policies and to implement support programmes specifically aimed to SME internationalization. There is clear evidence of market failure thatcreates barriers preventing SMEs from achieving their full potential. In particular, obstacles hampering SME access to international markets include:shortage of working capital to finance exports; lack or low level of human resources with sufficient knowledge on foreign markets and specific tech-nical skills; identifying foreign business opportunities; limited information to locate and analyze markets; inability to contact potential overseas cus-tomers. In order to achieve permanent results, new strategic alliances have to be established between SMEs and policy makers to remove barriersthat small enterprises face in their internationalization process. Particular attention will be given to business match-making and to activities aimedto identify cross-border partners and business opportunities.

Moderator Ms. Daniela FIORI, Permanent Representation of Italy to the European Union, State Aid attaché, Brussels: “Internationalization of SME, a European Strategy in the framework of the Competitiveness and Innovation Program 2006/2013”

Speaker Mr. Stanimir BARZASHKY, Executive Director, Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA),Bulgaria: “The Government Supporting Programmes for SME sector in Bulgaria”

Speaker Mr. Antonio FANELLI, Deputy Head, OECD Investment Compact for South East Europe: “SME Policy in the Western Balkans:Strengths and Weaknesses”


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Speaker Mr. Raffaele BOLDRACCHI, Principal Manager, Official Co-financing Unit, EBRD: “Enhancing Access to Credit and ProvidingInnovative Services to Strengthen the Competitiveness of the Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) sector. The Role of theDonors funded EBRD Technical Cooperation Programme”

Speaker Mr. Daniel IVARSSON, Chief, Office for Arab States, Europe and CIS, International Trade Center UNCTAD/WTO

Speaker Ms. Valentina ALEXANDROVA, Director, Investment and Legal Services Department, InvestBulgaria Agency, Bulgaria:“Bulgaria – Unique Investment Location”

Speaker Ms. Slavica SINGER, Board Chair, CEPOR - SMEs and Entrepreneurship Policy Centre, Croatia: “Croatian Efforts inInternationalization of SMEs: Support Services and Financing”

Speaker Mr. Francesco D'APRILE, President of the Italian Association of Management Consultant (APCO), Partner, P&D ConsultingSrl., Italy: “Managing Internationalization process and win in the global market. Human Capital and SMEInternationalization. Case History”


Officer in Charge Ms. Elisabetta DOVIER

13.20

15.00

In most transition countries the initial-phase reform is almost complete: institutions supporting market structures and political-democratic pluralismhave been in place for a number of years and are, to varying degree, operational. For the countries of South East Europe, major reforms have beenimplemented in investment policy, tax and trade. Achievements on the economic front include an average GDP growth rate of 5%, stable inflation,and FDI inflows in the region that have increased from EUR 4.6 billion in 2002 to over EUR 12 billion in 2006. However, the first wave of policyreforms and economic growth has not reduced unemployment that is over 20% in the Western Balkans. The financial infrastructure is still weak withinterest rate spreads averaging 7%. Corruption is still high and competition is limited in certain product sectors. This workshop will outline a secondwave of reforms for SEE to increase growth and competitiveness and suggest ways to implement those reforms most effectively.

Moderator Mr. Anthony O'SULLIVAN, Head, OECD Investment Compact for South East Europe: “How to Implement the Next Wave ofEconomic Reform in SEE”

Speaker Ms. Marie-Laurence GUY, Projects Officer, Global Corporate Governance Forum, International Finance Corporation (IFC):“Corporate Governance Reform Efforts in Southeast Europe”

Speaker Mr. Gian Piero CIGNA, Principal Counsel of Corporate Governance, Legal Transition Team, EBRD

Speaker Ms. Dana ARMEAN DENIS-SMITH, Managing Director, Marker Global Ltd., United Kingdom: “Making the Small Count –SMEs, Regulation and Economic Reform in South - East Europe”

Speaker Mr. Fadi FARRA, Principal Administrator, OECD: “Targeting Reforms through a Sector Specific Approach”

Speaker Mr. Eugenio BETTELLA, Managing Partner, Roedl & Partners, Italy: “CEI Countries’ Legal Framework Changes to WestEuropean Standards”



IBA 02 How to Implement the Next Wave of Economic Reforms in South Eastern EuropeVenue: Hall 7 (5th floor)

13.30

15.30

Parallel event Bulgaria - Italy: Entrepreneurial ChallengesVenue: Hall 3 (7th floor)

As in past years, economic operators will be provided with broader information and in-depth studies on the opportunities granted to small business-es. The Italian expertise in the execution of projects co-financed through structural funds will be presented as a model of successful governance.This year’s seminar by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria will focus on how SMEs can benefit from Structural Funds and Measures assis-tance, in particular through the Operational Programmes (OP) for Competitiveness and OP Human Resources Development. The discussions will beaccompanied by the presentation of a number of infrastructure projects and business initiatives under Corridor VIII.

Moderator Mr. Marco MONTECCHI, President, Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria

Speaker Amb. Gian Battista CAMPAGNOLA, Italian Embassy in Sofia

Speaker Mr. Edoardo POLLASTRI, President, Assocamerestero - Association of Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad, Italia

Speaker Mr. Antonio PAOLETTI, President for Eastern and Central Europe, UNIONCAMERE - Union of Italian Chambers of Commerce,Italy

Speaker Ms. Tiziana VECCHIO, General Department for Foreign Trade Promotion, Ministry of Foreign Trade, Italy: “European StructuralFunds: an Opportunity for the Italian Enterprises”


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Speaker Mr. Fabrizio CAMASTRA, Director, Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) in Sofia: “Promoting SMEs´ Competitiveness”

Speaker Mr. Michele GRIMALDI, General Manager, Pan-European Corridor VIII Technical Secretariat, Italy: “Corridor VIII as a StrategicAxis for Trade and Investments: the Initiatives of the Secretariat”

Speaker Mr. Pier Paolo VECCHI, Association of Italian engineering, Architectural and Technical-economic Consulting Organizations(OICE): “Italian Engineering, a Contribution to CEI Region Development”

Speaker Mr Giulio GUARRACINO, Executive Manager, Italian Construction Contractors Federation (ANCE)

Speaker Mr. Pietro BACCARINI, President of Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Italy

Speaker Mr. Jean TALMON, Special Adviser for Central and Eastern Europe, Astaldi Spa

Speaker Ms. Daniela KONOVA, Chair of Management Board, Generali Bulgaria Holding AD: “Generali Bulgaria Insurance Companies- Taking Advantage of A Strong Brand In Competing For Insurance Business”

Speaker Mr. Alex CAR, Director General, Italcementi Bulgaria: “Italcementi, Sustainable Development and New Investments”

Speaker Mr. Marco CASASOLE, Attorney, Legal department // Mr. Giovanni Battista CALI', Attorney, Tax Department, CMS AdonninoAscoli & Cavasola Scamoni, Italy: “Bulgarian Tax and Legal Issues”

Speaker Mr. Vittorio MACCHITELLA, General Director, Uniontrasporti: “Intangible Barriers along Corridor VIII: main results survey”

Coordinator CEI Project Secretariat; Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria

Officer in Charge Mr. Marco MONTECCHI - Ms Tiziana CARLINO - Ms. Stefania DEL MONTE

15.10

16.45

1.3 The World Bank Group: Mobilising Resources for the FutureVenue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

The countries of Central and Eastern Europe have achieved tremendous economic progress in the past decade. The countries of the region need tofully mobilize their available resources to maintain the growth momentum and to converge more rapidly to the development level of Western Europe.In this context, this session will begin by presenting the key challenges for the region with regard to human resource development. It will then pres-ent the findings of a study on regional integration and growth in South East Europe. The role of PPPs in resource mobilization will also be present-ed. The World Bank will inform about its strategic goals and areas of activity in South East Europe, and about its engagement in EU Member Statesthrough the case study of Bulgaria.

Moderator Ms. Sandra BLOEMENKAMP, Special Representative for South East Europe, World Bank

Keynote Speaker Mr. Dimcho MIHALEVSKY, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Bulgaria: “Project forDevelopment of Municipal Infrastructure”

Speaker Mr. Arup BANERJI, Sector Manager, Human Development Department, World Bank: “Human Resource Issues in CEICountries - Presentation of Key Findings from WB study ‘From Red to Gray: The Third Transition of Aging Populations inEastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union’ ”

Speaker Mr. Ivailo IZVORSKI, Senior Economist, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector, World Bank: “Avoiding theMiddle-Income Trap: Integration and Growth in the Western Balkans”

Speaker Mr. Angelo DELL'ATTI, General Manager, Private Enterprise Partnership, Southeast Europe Infrastructure, InternationalFinance Corporation (IFC): “PPPs and Resources Mobilisation”

Speaker Mr. Marco MANTOVANELLI, Country Manager for BiH, World Bank: “The World Bank's Strategic Goals and Areas of Activityfor the Region”

Speaker Mr. Florian FICHTL, Country Manager for Bulgaria, World Bank: “Regional and Strategic Challenges - Bulgaria as a CaseStudy of Engagement with an EU Member State”


Officer in Charge Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI - Ms. Gaia PERACCA

15.10

16.45

2.3 Roundtable on Freight Services: Supporting Business through Transport Infrastructure DevelopmentVenue: Hall 9 (5th floor)

The focus of the roundtable will be on the changes necessary in service models and organisation of railway undertakings to respond to market needs,rather than purely on the infrastructural investments in rail networks. The panel will discuss how to fill the gap between customer expectations andservice provided, to enhance the use of infrastructural assets and, as a consequence, stimulate the interest of financial and institutional investors oninfrastructural development. In particular, case studies on improving efficiency and effectiveness in the railways offering will be examined, such as:efforts to achieve locomotives interoperability; need for on board staff and loco drivers interoperability; logic behind the construction of a terminalnetwork; development of advanced logistic services integrating rail transport in a door-to-door logic.


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15.10

16.45

IBA 03 Eco-innovation and Alternative Sources of Energy: Opportunities for SMEsVenue: Hall 7 (5th floor)

This session will focus on environmental technologies and intelligent energy, two tools identified by the EU for enhancing innovation and competi-tiveness in Europe. Eco-innovation is any form of innovation aiming at significant and demonstrable progress towards the goal of sustainable devel-opment, through reducing impacts on the environment or achieving a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources, including energy.Speakers will also examine, with a specific focus on SMEs, prospects and opportunities for the use and production of “intelligent energy”. The pro-motion of eco-innovation and technologies as well as the use of alternative sources of energy through the EU Competitiveness and InnovationFramework Programme (CIP) aims at contributing to the achievement of environmental objectives and creation of economic opportunities. Thesethemes will be presented by EC representatives and discussed by referring to best practices in the field.

Moderator Mr. Fausto SANTANGELO, Representative of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, BEST Groups to the European Commission, Brussels

Speaker Ms. Marinella LODDO, Director, Industrial Co-operation and Relations with Intl. Org., National Institute for Foreign Trade(ICE), Italy

Speaker Mr. Pierpaolo DETTORI, Industrial Area Manager, CONSER sccpa, Italy: “Energetically Self-sufficient Industrial Areas:Economic and Environmental Sustainability. The Case Study of Prato (Italy)”

Speaker Ms. Svenja BARTELS, Attorney, Roedl & Partner, Italy: “Case Study of a Geothermal Project in Hungary”

Speaker Mr. Vittorio GHINASSI, General Secretary, Association for Italian-Moldavian Trade (ACIM), Italy: “Project ‘S.E.E.M’ - Systemsfor Energy Efficiency in Moldova”

Speaker Mr. Andrea VALCALDA, Chief Coordinator, Environment and Innovation Project, ENEL, Italy: “Gaining Technological andEnvironmental Leadership: Enel’s ‘Environment and Innovation Project’ ”

Speaker Mr. Riccardo HONORATI BIANCHI, Expert - Resident Twinning Adviser, Development and Cohesion Policies Department,Ministry of Economic Development of Italy: “Special focus on Environmental and Competitiveness Programmes (Energy,Innovation Projects) - Overview of the Structural Funds in Bulgaria in the Programming Period 2007-2013: stakeholders,opportunities for SMEs”



Moderator Ms. Luisa VELARDI, Director, Strategy Department, Trenitalia, Italy: “Roundtable on Freight Services: Supporting Business through Transport Infrastructure Development”

Keynote Speaker H.E. Asen GAUGAZOV, Minister, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Bulgaria: “Development of RegionalRoad Infrastructure to Provide for Traffic of People, Goods and Services”

Speaker Mr. Georgi PETARNAICHEV, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport, Bulgaria: “Development of Intermodal Transport andLogistics – Priority Task in the Ministry of Transport’s Schedule”

Speaker Mr. Giuseppe RAZZA, General Manager, Pan-European Corridor V Technical Secretariat: “Corridor V Development”

Speaker Mr. Paul GUITINK, Senior Policy Adviser, Central and Eastern Europe, Community of European Railway and InfrastructureCompanies (CER): “Market Demand for Reliable, High Quality Transport Services: Constraints and Opportunities for RailFreight”

Speaker Mr. Pencho POPOV, Director, Central Freight Division, National Railway Operator (BDZ), Bulgaria: “Perspectives forDevelopment of the Railway Freight Transports in Bulgaria”

Speaker Mr. Paolo CELENTANI, Director, Marketing Department, Cargo Division, Trenitalia, Italy: “The Rail Cargo Business Lifecycle”

Speaker Mr. Karl MOHNSEN, Chief Executive Officer, TX Logistik, Germany: “TThe Role of a New Comer in the Perspective of MarketLiberalization”

Speaker Mr. Günther ENGELHART, Head, Cargo and Logistic, Rail Cargo Austria: “Cooperation between Trenitalia and RCA to createEfficient Rail Services between Eastern and Western European Hubs”



17.00

18.30

1.4 Technical Assistance Needs in the RegionVenue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

This session will outline the rationale as well as take stock of the achievements of grant-type assistance (in the form of technical cooperation andinvestment co-financing in support of specific components of investment projects by IFIs and other international organisations) in the South-EasternEuropean region, including Romania and Bulgaria, and in the European Neighbourhood Policy countries members of the CEI. The EBRD will provide


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17.00

18.30

2.4 Women in Action - The Driving Force of the United EuropeVenue: Hall 9 (5th floor)

In the past, being a leader or a manager was something common for a man. Nowadays women are equal to men and are active in all society andcommunity areas. In 2007 – the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All – we would like to present the readiness and willingness of women totake part in policy and decision making. Women entrepreneurs are numerous and the success of the organizations run by female entrepreneurs isrecognized but not widely enough. Access to finance is one of the main driving forces of a company and women are facing problems in obtainingfinancial resources for their businesses. Women entrepreneurship calls for: raising the visibility of existing women entrepreneurs, creating a climatethat is favourable to woman entrepreneurs; increasing the number of new women entrepreneurs; increasing the scale of existing women run busi-nesses. The organizations, presenting and standing behind the rights of women entrepreneurs and women are important players on European andworldwide level.

Moderator Ms. Ingrid SHIKOVA, Information, Public & Relays Adviser, Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria

Keynote Speaker H.E. Emilia MASLAROVA, Minister, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Bulgaria

Speaker Ms. Ewa RUMINSKA-ZIMNY, Senior Social Affaires Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) :“Gender Gap and Economic Policy”

Speaker Ms. Radka STAMENOVA, Manager, Meridian 22 - Company for Education and Training, Bulgaria: “Lifelong Education –Challenge and Reality for Women”

Speaker Ms. Etta CARIGNANI, Secretary General, World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM), Italy: “Women in EconomicDecision-making”

Speaker Ms. Jasminka KESER, Head, Project Preparation and Implementation Section, SME Directorate, Ministry of Economy, Labourand Entrepreneurship, Croatia: “Croatian Women in Business”

Coordinator Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bulgaria

Officer in Charge Ms. Mariana STEFANOVA

17.00

18.30

IBA 04 SME Development Projects co-funded by the EU in the CEI RegionVenue: Hall 7 (5th floor)

Project Promoter Ms. Sandrine CARLIER-WIART, Senior Marketing Analyst, CORDIS Contractor

Project Promoter Mr. Mauro BIANCHI, Managing Director, Teseo Sprl, Belgium: “Transferring Government to Business IST Good Practices toEastern European New Member States // Pro-active Intelligence and Support Programme to stimulate European SMEs facedwith Research Issues in the field of ICT Security”

Project Promoter Mr. Giuseppe SAIJA, Project Manager, Teseo Sprl, Belgium: “Euro India Research Center. INCITE - INDIA MENTOR: Catalystfor Euro-India ICT Research // FASTER – Fostering Alliances for Sustainable Transport in European Research”

presentations on existing funds, such as the multilateral Western Balkans Fund, and on the specific pipeline for the coming months in key sectorsand regions. Special emphasis will be given to the discussion of technical cooperation projects in the areas of Municipal and EnvironmentalInfrastructure and Small Business, where assignments have a strong focus on enhancing corporate governance practice, transferring technical knowl-edge, creating employment and investment opportunities. Those are fundamental to ensure further harmonisation and integration into internation-ally recognised standards of best practice, thus enhancing companies' creditworthiness and access to banking and capital markets. The session willbe of benefit to consultancy houses looking for business opportunities as well as civil servants wanting to learn more about funds’ availability andrelated operations across institutions.

Moderator Mr. Gary BOND, Director, Official Co-Financing Unit, EBRD

Keynote Speaker Mr. Lyubomir DATZOV, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Finance, Bulgaria: “The Transition in Bulgaria – Status and Challenges”

Speaker Mr. Engin GOKSU, Senior Manager, Official Co-Financing Unit, EBRD: “EBRD’s Technical Cooperation Programme in SouthEast Europe”

Speaker Mr. Henry RUSSELL, Deputy Director, Municipal Environmental Infrastructure, EBRD: “Case Studies from MEI projects - whereTC has been crucial”

Speaker Mr. Eivind TANDBERG, Public Financial Management Advisor for South East Europe, International Monetary Fund (IMF),Slovenia: “Public Financial Management Reform Priorities for South East European Countries”

Speaker Mr. Daniel IVARSSON, Chief, Office for Arab States, Europe and the CIS, International Trade Center (UNCTAD/ WTO)

Speaker Mr. Anthony O'SULLIVAN, Head, OECD Investment Compact for South East Europe: “Technical Assistance Priorities in SEEto improve the business climate”




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9.00

10.30

1.5 Moving Energy Efficiency Forward Venue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

This session will introduce the debate on the importance of extending the benefits of energy efficiency projects to the residential sector and the areaof built environment. The EBRD has had a long-standing success in guaranteeing loans to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon intensity inthe corporate sector. Now, moving transition forward in the energy field will require expanding energy efficiency credit lines to local banks for on-lending to support small energy efficiency and renewables energy projects in the residential sector. In this respect, the newly established credit linein Bulgaria is a successful case study, whose structure can be replicated elsewhere. The EBRD will also present the results from the latest sustain-able energy market study in the Western Balkans, supported by the CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD.

Moderator Mr. Jacquelin LIGOT, Director, Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Team, EBRD: “Financing Energy Efficiency in Transition Countries; EBRD’s Experience”

Keynote Speaker Mr. Tasko ERMENKOV, Executive Director, State Energy Efficiency Agency, Bulgaria: “Trends and Measures for EnergyEfficiency Improvement of Bulgarian Economy”

Speaker Ms. Kostadinka TODOROVA, Director, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Protection Directorate, Ministry of Economy andEnergy, Bulgaria: “Energy Efficiency in Bulgaria – Present situation, Legal Framework, Measures for Energy EfficiencyIncrease”

Speaker Mr. Gueorgui HOROZOV, Director, Energy and Infrastructure Department, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB)

Speaker Mr. Paul WAIDE, Senior Policy Analyst, Energy Efficiency and Environment Division, International Energy Agency (IEA):“International Energy Efficiency Developments in the Buildings Sector: Opportunities and Issues”

Speaker Mr. Gianpiero NACCI, Senior Engineer, Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Team, EBRD: “EBRD Approach to EnergyEfficiency in the Industrial Sectors: Stand Alone Projects and Credit Lines”

Speaker Mr. Zdravko GENCHEV, Executive Director, EnEffect, Center for Energy Efficiency, Bulgaria: “New Energy Efficiency Fundswill support Climate Change Mitigation”

Speaker Mr. Mario LAZZERI, Business Development Manager, D'Appolonia S.p.A, Italy: “Energy Benchmarking: a Tool developed forEBRD for Assessing Energy Efficiency Performance and Carbon Credit Opportunities”



Day 02 // Wednesday 21 November 2007

Project Promoter Mr. Claudio DI GIORGIO, Head, Information Services & Innovation Department, Informest, Italy // Ms. Boriana MINTCHEVA,Head of Division, SME Internationalization, Bulgarian Small and Medium Entreprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA), Bulgaria:“IDEA - Interactive Database for Enterprises and Associations: an interactive platform to promote Business Support Servicesin the CEI Countries”

Speaker Mr. Hristo MIHAILOVSKY, Chief Executive Officer, Bulgarian Credit Rating Agency (BCRA), Bulgaria: “Assessment andTransparency of Creditworthiness as a Tool for Enhancing the Competitiveness and Support SMEs Internationalization”

Speaker Ms. Giorgia GIOVANNETTI, Professor, University of Florence, Italy: “The Increasing Importance of Internationalized SME inthe CEI Region”



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10.30

2.5 ICT in SEE: Strategic Issues in Research, Technology and DeploymentVenue: Hall 9 (5th floor)

The basic aim of this session is to highlight the strategic issues related to research and business convergence in the ICT sector in South-EasternEurope. The composition of the session is targeted to presentation of the ICT in SEE from different perspectives. The keynote speech will give thebird-eye vision on the ICT development of the region and its standing within the current development processes. Then the results of the Great ISTproject which analysed the IST RTD in 11 countries from the region will provide a view on the recent similarities, dissimilarities, strategic issues andurgent needs. Opportunities for cross-border cooperation within eRegion development will furthermore be discussed. Also the business perspectivewill be represented by providing an overview of the telecommunications market in the SEE. The session will conclude with the case of the newBulgarian accelerated strategy for the development of the ICT. Thus, the session should give an insight to the recent regional developments as wellas available instruments for intervention, and help the participants to identify areas for their future operation.


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11.00

12.30

1.6 EBRD Transition Report 2007: People in Transition Venue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

The EBRD Transition Report provides an overview on progress in structural reform and economic performance in the 29 countries of the postcommu-nist transition region, detailed assessments for each country, as well as a special focus each year on a selected aspect of transition. The leadingtheme for this presentation of the 2007 Transition Report is People in Transition. Drawing heavily from the results of the EBRD/World Bank Life inTransition Survey (LiTS), conducted in autumn 2006, the Transition Report will look at how peoples' experience in the labour market has affectedtheir life satisfaction and views on reforms, the variation across and within countries in attitudes toward the economic and political aspects of tran-sition, and peoples' perceptions of the impact of transition on public service delivery. Discussants from other IFIs will introduce work conductedthrough their institutions as a basis for opening up a debate on the transformations achieved in the CEI region of operation through transition.

Moderator Mr. James HYSLOP, Director for Bulgaria, EBRD

Keynote Speaker H.E. Plamen ORESHARSKI, Minister, Ministry of Finance, Bulgaria

Speaker Mr. Fabrizio CORICELLI, Director of Policy Studies, Office of the Chief Economist, EBRD

Speaker Mr. Christoph ROSENBERG, Senior Regional Representative Central Europe and Baltics, International Monetary Fund inPoland (IMF): “Economic Trends and Challenges in the New Member States”



11.00

12.30

2.6 Mobilising Actors for Environmental Governance Venue: Hall 9 (5th floor)

Sustainable development is the overarching long term goal for all European countries. While governments in the region will always hold part of thesolution through policy conducive to enhanced sustainable practices and the setting of legislative frameworks within which citizens and businessesoperate, ensuring sustainable development is also the responsibility of all actors involved in any given transaction. Stakeholders (public bodies, busi-nesses, NGOs, individual citizens) need to be empowered and encouraged to come up with new and innovative ways to address the challenges andseize the opportunities in an enabling business environment. More and more business leaders recognise that there is a business case for socialresponsibility, and that paying attention to sustainable development spurs investments in new technologies, processes and products which customerswant, thus ensuring them a competitive advantage over (slower) competitors. They know that it makes good business sense to plan ahead and knowwhere to invest for the future. They know there are opportunities if there is vision, for example by moving towards a low carbon economy. This ses-sion will give space to a range of stakeholders to present their position and the solutions they hold in relations to environmental sustainability. Whattype of dialogue has been shaped so far in Europe as well as globally, and what do we mean when we speak of sustainability? How is the conceptapplied in practice?

Moderator Mr. Henry Richard JACKELEN, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator for Bulgaria

Keynote Speaker H.E. Sasha DRAGIN, Minister, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Republic of Serbia

Speaker Mr. Yordan DARDOV, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment and Waters, Republic of Bulgaria: “Economic Growth andSustainable Management of Natural Resources”

Speaker Ms. Anne BURRILL, Deputy Head of Unit, Enlargement & Neighbouring Countries, DG Environment, European Commission:“Environment Policy -- Motor for a Better Future”

Moderator Mr. Joze GRICAR, Chairman, Department of Informatics, University of Maribor, Slovenia: “Innovative eRegion Development: Opportunities for the Cross-border Collaboration”

Keynote Speaker H.E. Nikolay VASSILEV, Minister, Ministry of Public Administration and Administrative Reform, Bulgaria

Speaker Ms. Despina ANASTASIADOU, Director, South Eastern Europe Telecommunications & Informatics Research Institute S.A.,Greece: “Insights and Recommendations on IST Research & Development Policies in Eastern Europe - The GREAT-IST ProjectPerspective”

Speaker Ms. Aleksandra RAKOVIC, Expert, Working Table II - Economy, Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe: “Policy andRegulatory Challenges for the ICT Sector in South Eastern Europe”

Speaker Mr. Richard SHEARER, Chief Executive Officer, Vivatel, Bulgaria: “The Business Perspective: the Telecommunication Marketin SEE”

Speaker Ms. Sasha BEZUHANOVA, General Manager, Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria Ltd.: “Economic Growth Based on Innovation”

Speaker Mr. Plamen VATCHKOV, Chairman, State Agency for ICT, Bulgaria: “State Policy for ICT Development – an instrument forfostering R & D”


Officer in Charge Ms. Slavena RADOVANOVIC


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12.45

13.30

SEF Closing Ceremony and Press ConferenceVenue: Hall 8 (5th floor)

The Closing Ceremony will provide participants with a summary of the outcomes from the forum sessions and will present the conclusions of theRoundtable of CEI Ministers of Economic Sectors. The CEI representative will close the Summit Economic Forum 2007 and will invite participants tothe next edition of the SEF, which will take place in Moldova next November under the Moldavian CEI Presidency for 2008. The Minister of Economyand Energy of Bulgaria, Mr. Petar DIMITROV, will address the public on behalf of the host Government and will invite the participants to the closingreception.

Moderator Mr. George TABAKOV, Chairman, Bulgaria Economic Forum

Speaker Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI, Programme Manager, CEI Project Secretariat

Speaker H.E. Petar DIMITROV, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria

Coordinator Ms. Vessela BAYRAKTAROVA - Mr. George TABAKOV - Mr. Guido PAOLUCCI

15.00

17.30

Roundtable of the CEI Ministers of Economic SectorsVenue: Hall 7 (5th floor)

17.40

18.15

Ministers' Press ConferenceVenue: Hall 7 (5th floor)

Speaker Ms. Teia CATANA, Head of Unit, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Romania: “Sustainable Developmentand the Business Sector – the Romanian Perspective”

Speaker Mr. Philippe ROMBAUT, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ecobulpack JSC, Bulgaria: “Separate Waste Collection Management”

Speaker Mr. Gianni CATALANO, Managing Director Environmental Control Systems Southern Europe, ALSTOM Power: “Maritza East1 - Desulphurization Plants for a Better Environment”

Speaker Mr. Augusto PRETNER, Chief Executive Officer, SGI Studio Galli Ingegneria S.p.A., Italy: “Environmental Governance in theWater Sector”

Speaker Mr. Mike FOSTER, CEO, ENEL Operations Bulgaria: “Sustainable Environmental Programme of Enel in the Rehabilitation andImprovement of Maritza-Est Power Plant”

Coordinator Bulgaria Economic Forum

Officer in Charge Mr. George TABAKOV - Ms. Christina DIMITROVA


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The event

As acknowledged in the revised Lisbon Strategy, among its top prior-ities Europe needs to implement a comprehensive and holistic strate-gy for realising the knowledge society and encourage the diffusion ofinnovative information technologies. In this context, the FinalConference will present the Great-IST Project’s results in order to dis-cuss the future orientation of the research policy related to theInformation Society in Central and Eastern Europe.

The topics that will be addressed during the Conference include:

• presentation of the EU strategies for IST policy harmonisation• analysis of the regulatory approach in place in the IST sector• identification of policies research priorities in the IST sector• methods of implementation and good practices• mechanisms of cooperation with the academic and business sectors• forms of IST cooperation at regional and international level

A roundtable discussion will take place with representatives of com-petent ministries of participating countries.

The project

The Great-IST Project (www.great-ist.org) funded by the EuropeanCommission FP6 IST Programme, has been conceived with the aim tosupport the establishment of a more integrated area in research andtechnology development (RTD) in Central and Eastern Europe. Througha wide cooperation platform open to relevant stakeholders such as sci-ence and research centres, universities, governments, competentagencies, industrial associations and the private sector, the Projectpromotes harmonisation of IST research priorities, convergence of tar-get countries’ IST RTD policies with the EU and cooperation in thebroader area of the European East.

The operational results of the Project are reflected in a number of con-crete guidelines and recommendations addressed to governments aswell as to other decision making bodies in order to achieve a fast andeffective reorientation of the public and private sectors towards stateof the art application of IST.

T he participating countries are: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYROM, Moldova, Montenegro,Romania, Serbia, Ukraine.

The framework

The event is co-organised by the Central European Initiative (CEI) asresponsible Project Partner and the State Agency for InformationTechnology and Communications of Bulgaria on behalf of the CEIBulgarian Presidency for 2007.

The Conference will be held within the 10th CEI Summit EconomicForum (SEF), the main CEI business event taking place in Sofia on 20-21 November 2007. Co-organised by the Bulgarian Ministry ofEconomy and Energy and the CEI, the SEF acts as a platform gather-ing the business community, governments, IFIs and internationalorganisations for discussing investment opportunities and economicdevelopment in the CEI region.


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NATIONAL PALACE OF CULTUREHall 3.2 (8th floor)Policy makers from Ministries responsible for Information Society from 11 target countries and beyond will be gatheredin a roundtable in order to discuss, based on the Great-IST Final Report and Position Paper, how to foster regional coop-eration in Information Society in the region. The target countries of the project are: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYROM, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine.

11.00 // Official opening /////////////////////////////////////11.15 Speaker Plamen Vatchkov, Chairman, State Agency for Information Technology and Communications, Bulgaria

Speaker Harald Kreid, Director General, Central European Initiative Executive Secretariat

11.15 The Great-IST Project and its Final Report: fostering regional cooperation in Information Society in the “Great European East”11.45 Speaker Mauro Bianchi, Lead Partner, TESEO s.p.r.l, Brussels, Belgium

Introduction to the Great IST Project: concept and results

Speaker EC Official (tbc)

The EC strategy for IST RTD policy harmonisation in the Great IST region

Speaker Despina Anastasiadou, Director, South Eastern Europe Telecommunications & Informatics Research Institute (INA)s.a, Thessaloniki, Greece

Presentation and insights of the Great IST Final Report

12.00 Recommendations on IST RTD national policies and scenarios for harmonisation: roundtable discussion with policy makers13.45 Moderator Harald Kreid, Director General, Central European Initiative Executive Secretariat

Presentation of the Great IST Position Paper and its policy recommendations for target countries

Speaker Miroslav Bojovic, European Centre for Peace and Development, Belgrade, Serbia

National Priorities of Great-IST target countries: converging scenarios for IST research

Speaker Nelly Stoyanova, Director, Information Society and Information Technology Directorate, State Agency for

Information Technology and Communications, Bulgaria

Speaker Ministerial representatives from the competent Ministry of target countries (names tbc)

Roundtable discussion with contributions and comments from senior policy makers from target countries

15.00 Improving the links between SMEs and research: continuation of the roundtable discussion16.30 Moderator Miloš Kuret, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Directorate for Information Society, Slovenia

Speaker Boris Cizelj, Slovenian Business and Research Association, Brussels, Belgium

The SME sector and its relations with research and technological development: Great-IST lessons learned and challenges ahead

Speaker Ministerial representatives from the competent Ministry of a target countries (names tbc)

Roundtable discussion with contributions and comments from senior policy makers from target countries

16.30 Follow up actions: similar initiatives, EU instruments and closing remarks17.00 Speaker Raphael Koumeri, Director, Brussels Office, PLANET S.A., Greece

From research capacities to ICT research priorities in the Western Balkans

Speaker Vlassios Venner, Project Officer, European Commission, Information Society and Media Directorate-General, International Relations (tbc)

Follow up to the Great IST Project: outlining forms of future cooperation through the EC instruments

Speaker Krasimir Simonski, Deputy Chairman, State Agency for Information Technology and Communications, Bulgaria

Closing remarks

programme



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This Chapter contains speakers’ biographies and abstracts, as well as Project Promoters’ presentations. This information will help SEF participantschoose the sessions and project presentations that best meet their interest. Speakers’ contact details are also reported in order to promote thedevelopment of further relations and cooperation. Power Point presentations and all relevant documentation provided in this Booklet will be availablein electronic format on the CEI website soon after the event at www.ceinet.org/SEF.

introduction


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biographies and abstracts

Sergei Stanishev

Prime MinisterGovernment of the Republic of Bulgaria

Biography

Sergei Stanishev graduated in history from the Moscow State University withoutstanding results in 1989. In 1994, he defended his Doctor’s thesis “TheSystem of Career Development of State Dignitaries in Russia and ItsTransformation in the Second Half of the 19th Century”. Sergei Stanishev spe-cialized in international relations at the London School of Economics andPolitical Science, 1999-2000; specialized at the Moscow School for PoliticalStudies. Journalist in 1994-1995 with many articles treating foreign policyissues, published in Bulgarian dailies and weeklies and in the foreign press.Appointed senior expert at the Foreign Policy and International ActivitiesDepartment with the Bulgarian Socialist Party’s Supreme Council, 1995.Appointed head of the Department, 1996.Elected member of the Supreme Council and of the Executive Bureau of theBSP’s Supreme Council as secretary in charge of international activities,2000.Chairman of the BSP Supreme Council, elected at the second session of the44th Congress of the Bulgarian Socialist Party on 15 December 2001. InDecember, the Coalition for Bulgaria Parliamentary Group elected him itsleader.Member of the PES Presidency since 2002. Under his chairmanship the BSPbecame a full member of the Socialist International in October 2003 and ofthe Party of European Socialists in May 2005.Elected by the 2nd Multi-seatConstituency of Bourgas to represent it at the 40th National Assembly, June2005 parliamentary elections. Chairman of the Coalition for BulgariaParliamentary Group till 16 August 2005 when the Bulgarian Parliamentelected him Prime Minister.Fluent in English and Russian; working knowledge of French and Polish.

Petar Dimitrov

Minister Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 940 75 30fax +359 2 981 0980 e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mr Petar Dimitrov graduated from the Moscow Institute of Economics andStatistics and became Doctor of Economics of the Moscow Institute ofEconomics and Statistics. Mr Dimitrov specialized in Theory of Management,Moscow Institute of Economics and Statistics and carried out a specialization inManagement, Nottingham Trent University, U.K. Mr Petar Dimitrov worked as Lecturer at the Varna University of Economics,

OFFICIAL OPENINGwhere in 1988 he became an Associate Professor in Social Management. From1989 until 1994 he held the post of Deputy Rector of the Varna University ofEconomics. In 1990 Mr Dimitrov became Head of the Higher School ofManagement with the Varna University of Economics.Mr Petar Dimitrov was member of the Parliament in the 37th, 38th, 39th and40th National Assembly. Member of the Commissions on Education andScience, Economic Policy, Budget and Finance. Between 2005 and 2007 hewas Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Budget and Finance of the40th National Assembly, member of the Parliamentary Commission onEconomic Policy. From the 18th of July 2007, Petar Dimitrov was nominatedfor Minister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Presentation

Competitiveness of the Bulgarian Economy

Presentation of the priorities of the economic policy of the Bulgarian govern-ment and the perspectives for development.Political and financial stability – a key factor for socio-economic development.Presentation of the macroeconomic indicators and business climate environ-ment – real GDP and financial stability. The ultimate goal is to enhance thecompetitiveness of the Bulgarian economy and to achieve stable and sustain-able economic growth by promoting investments, towards clear positioning ofBulgaria on the competitive global market. Our competitive advantagesinclude: political, financial and macroeconomic stability; favorable businessenvironment; skilled labor; low business costs; belonging to the 500 millionSingle European Market, etc. The Bulgarian government highlights as a keypoint the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).A major priority of the Bulgarian government is to improve the investment cli-mate and attract increasingly higher amount and volume of foreign directinvestments. Attracting strategic investors remains our main priority, as it is akey precondition for achieving high economic growth, modernizing productionand ensuring employment.

Harald Kreid

Director GeneralCentral European Initiative, Executive Secretariat

Contacts

tel.+39 040 77 86 777fax +39 040 360 640e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Ambassador Harald Kreid has been the Director General of the Central EuropeanInitiative Executive Secretariat since 2002. Among his tasks are the manage-ment of the organisation and the liaison to CEI structures, specifically to theHeads of Government, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other high level meetings.Prior to his actual position, Ambassador Harald Kreid served as Head of thePermanent Representation of Austria to the UN and other InternationalOrganisations, as well as to WTO in Geneva (1996-2001). In this capacity, hechaired, among others, the UN Economic Commission for Europe and theConference on Disarmament. During the Austrian accession negotiations to theEU, he acted as chief negotiator in the area of Agriculture. He held several positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs both abroad(Ambassador in Chile and Minister at the Austrian Embassy in Madrid) and inhis home country, where he was responsible for Multilateral Economic, Socialand Environmental issues.He completed his studies of history, political sciences and philosophy at theUniversities of Vienna, Wesleyan (USA) and Nancy (France) between 1957 and1962 and speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian and Croatian, in addition tohis mother tongue.


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Christos Katsanis

Executive DirectorUnited Bulgarian Bank, Member of NBG Group,Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 811 22 35fax +359 2 980 98 90e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mr. Christos Alexandros Katsanis is the executive director of United BulgarianBank. He was born in Athens, Greece and has the Greek nationality. He pos-sesses Economics Degree from Athens University, DESS (Masters equivalentdegree) from the Institut d’Administration des Enterprises, Paris, DEA (Mastersequivalent degree) from Sorbonne University, Paris and Doctorate fromSorbonne University Paris, thesis “The international diversification of securi-ties portfolio by European banks” (in French). In 1981 - 1982 he was a traineein European Commission, DGXV (Banks Capital Markets). Since 1983 he occu-pies managing positions in Bank of Central Greece, Ionian Bank of Greece,Xiosbank, Global Finance and National bank of Greece in Athens, London andSofia. He has been working at the current position - executive director of UnitedBulgarian Bank since February 2002. His main responsibilities are corporatebanking, investment banking, risk management, international relations andsynergies and economic research. Mr. Katsanis is the president of the HellenicBusiness Council in Bulgaria and member of the following boards: InterleaseBulgaria, ETEBA Bulgaria, Bulgaria Economic Forum, Stopanska banka, Skopje(March 2000 - September 2002), United Bulgarian Bank, Bulgarian BankingAssociation (2003). He is fluent in Greek, Bulgarian, English, French, Spanishand Italian and has good knowledge of Russian and German.

Gergana Mantarkova

Managing PartnerKPMG in Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 9697 500fax +359 2 9805 340e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Gergana Mantarkova is Managing Partner of KPMG in Bulgaria. Since 2006 herrole has expanded to Managing Partner of KPMG in Albania, Kosovo andMacedonia. In this capacity she is responsible for setting the strategy and steer-ing the development of KPMG in the above geographies. Mrs Mantarkova is alsoa member of the KPMG Central and Eastern Europe Partnership Board. GerganaMantarkova leads the Corporate Finance and Transaction Services functions inKPMG in the Balkans. She has unrivalled experience in advising internationaland domestic clients in the whole process of acquisitions, disposals, financingand restructuring. Mrs Mantarkova has directed a wide range of advisory engage-ments for governments in the region. Gergana Mantarkova has been with KPMGin Bulgaria since its establishment, advising on issues facing clients in the evolv-ing business environment in the country. In 1997 Mrs Mantarkova was appoint-ed Partner in KPMG in Bulgaria, and in 2000 she became Managing Partner ofthe practice. Gergana Mantarkova was Chairperson of the Bulgarian Associationof Management Consulting Organizations in the period 2001 - 2007, thus pro-moting the profession in the business community. She is currently a member ofthe Managing Board of the Association. Mrs Mantarkova holds an Executive MBAdegree from the University of Bristol and Ecole Nationale des Ponts etChaussees, Paris, as well as a master’s degree in Economics from the Universityof National and World Economy, Sofia.

Richard Shearer

Chief Executive Officervivatel, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 94 94 648fax +359 2 85 24 955

Biography

Richard Shearer has worked in the telecommunication sector for approximately 22years. He started his career with Cable & Wireless, Great Britain, and later on heheaded C&L’s International Telecoms Consulting Practice in USA. In 1997 he becameCEO of DiGi in Malaysia (a company offering mobile, fixed, internet and data servic-es). He was COO of the British branch of Deutsche Telekom - One 2 One (latter í-Mobile UK), as well as being a member of the board of directors of Virgin Mobile.Prior to BTC establishing vivatel, Shearer led private software company Em-powerInteractive Group, which served operators such as Orange, TIM, Smart and Wind.

George Tabakov

Chairman Bulgaria Economic Forum, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

George Tabakov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1968. He graduated from theFrench Language School in Sofia and the prestigious Moscow State Institute forInternational Relations with a Master’s Degree in International Economic relations.His successful professional career begins with the establishment of theAdvertising Agency “Tabakov Advertising”. From 1997 to 1999 he passesthrough the whole hierarchical chain in the Ministry of Trade and Tourism. He startsas a Chief Expert in the Foreign Investment Department. From July 1998 toDecember 1999 he is Deputy Minister of Trade and Tourism with main responsi-bilities – foreign investment promotion, foreign trade regime, dual-use goodsregime, foreign programs and foreign technical aid. As a Deputy Minister in 1999he takes part in the establishment of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe onbehalf of the Republic of Bulgaria. Since 2000 George Tabakov is also an activeparticipant in the OECD’ Investment Compact for South East Europe. In February2000 he takes on the management of the Foreign Investment Agency and chairsit until mid 2001. From 1999 up to 2002 he is Chairman of the Board ofDirectors of Plovdiv International Fair, one of the biggest fairs and exhibitions inSouth East Europe. In 2001 he is elected as Chairman of Bulgaria Economic Forum(BEF), which he currently presides. Every year BEF organizes the annual South EastEurope Economic Forum, which has turned to be one of the most prestigious eventsin the region. From 2004 George Tabakov is also a member of the Board ofDirectors of “Ecobulpack” JSCo – the leading national packaging waste recoveryorganization. He speaks English, French, Spanish and Russian languages. He ismarried, with one daughter.

Guido Paolucci

Programme ManagerSecretariat for CEI Projects (CEI-PS)

Contacts

tel. +44 207 338 6152fax +44 207 338 6538e-mail: [email protected]


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Biography

Guido Paolucci is the Programme Manager of the Secretariat for CEI Projects (CEI-PS). He heads the two CEI-PS offices located in Trieste and London (based with-in the Official Co-financing Unit of the EBRD). Among his current tasks are themanagement of the CEI Trust Fund at the EBRD and the organisation of the annu-al CEI Summit Economic Forum.Mr Paolucci’s expertise spans over 33 years in technical areas such as procure-ment and transport infrastructure with major International Financial Institutions(EBRD, IBRD, AfDB, etc.) and private firms in Central and Eastern Europe, Africaand Latin America. In all his postings, Mr Paolucci gained direct experience inmanaging all phases of a project cycle, i.e. from project identification and apprais-al to implementation and monitoring. In particular, working as Area Manager andDirector of Tenders Office for Railway International Consortium in 1983-1992, heacquired specific expertise in railway construction and rehabilitation in severalcountries of the world. Mr Paolucci is especially well-versed in procedures associ-ated with FIDIC conditions of contract and procurement policies and rules of themajor IFIs/IOs (WB, IADB, EBRD, AFDB, ADB, and EC) as well as any tender doc-uments for works, goods, and services. In May 2005, Mr. Paolucci was appointedby the Italian Government as the Programme Manager of CEI Project Secretariat.

Yavor Kuiumdjiev

Deputy MinisterMinistry of Economy and EnergyBulgaria

Contacts

tel.+359 2 940 7604 fax. +359 2 987 5163e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Mr Yavor Kuiumdjiev graduated from the Technical University in Sofia, Bulgaria.In the period 08/2000 – 06/2001 Mr Kuiumdjiev studied at the RochesterInstitute of Technology – US Business School in Prague, Czech Republic;Rochester, NY, USA and became Master of Business Administration.Between March 1993 and October 1996 Mr Kuiumdjiev was a Group Managerin Global Travel s.r.o. – a branch of Dutch incoming tourist agency, Prague,Czech Republic. In the period 07/2001 – 02/2003 he worked as Head ofAffluent and Small Businesses Department, Komercni Banka a.s, member ofSociété Générale group in Prague. From February 2003 until September 2004Mr Kuiumdjiev was Vice President International Sales in Skoda Praha a.s. –engineering company providing turn-key deliveries for Power Plants. In theperiod 10/2004 – 08/2005 he worked in Global Payments Inc. – globalprovider of solutions for electronic payments, Prague, Czech Republic, and wasAdvisor of the General Manager of Skoda JS a.s. – leading provider of engi-neering, services and equipment for Nuclear Power Plants. Since August 2005Mr Kuiumdjiev is Director of the representation of Skoda JS a.s. in Sofia,Bulgaria. From February 2007 until October 2007 Mr Kuiumdjiev wasAssociate Director of A.T. Kearney - leading global management consultancycompany for Central and Eastern Europe.From the 10th of October 2007, Mr Yavor Kuiumdjiev was nominated DeputyMinister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria

Andrea Casini

Chief Business Officer and Member of theManagement BoardUniCredit Bulbank, part of UniCredit Group,Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 923 2841fax +359 2 923 2844 e-mail : [email protected]

1.1

Focus on Bulgaria - Supporting Businesses, Growth and ReformsConsolidation

Biography

Mr. Andrea Casini is a professional banker. He is responsible for the businessdivisions of the strongest Bulgarian bank UniCredit Bulbank, part of one of thebiggest European banking institutions in Europe UniCredit Croup. AndreaCasini has a 20 year experience within the Group. He starts his professionalcareer in UniCredit in 1987 as a manager of the Credito Italiano in Brescia.After that his career passes different positions and in 2001 he is Head ofCorporate Banking in New Europe Division of UniCredit Group. From 2002 to2005 he is Chief Operating Officer of UniCredit’ Banks in Slovakia and theCzech Republic. Andrea Casini is married with two children.

Presentation

Financial institutions: Backbone and engine of business and economicgrowth in Bulgaria

Presentation topics in resume:- Major economic trends in Bulgaria and expectations till 2010 – FDI, GDP,inflation, unemployment, competitiveness, based on UniCredit Group Research- Role of the banking sector in Bulgaria – main projects and financing opportu-nities – Infrastructure, PPP, energy efficiency- The role of the banks in facilitating the EU funds utilization – EuropeanCompetence Center

Bojidar Danev

Chairman and Executive PresidentBulgarian Industrial Association – Union of theBulgarian BusinessBulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 98 00 303fax +359 2 98 72 604 e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Bojidar Danev is a President and Executive Chairman of the Bulgarian IndustrialAssociation – Union of the Bulgarian Business (BIA). He governs the associa-tion’s activities and represents the organization before the state bodies,national and international institutions.His career started in the Institute of Cybernetics of the Bulgarian Academy ofSciences (BAS), where he attained an academic rank of a senior research asso-ciate. Mr. Danev has read lectures in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, USA, UnitedKingdom and other countries.He was appointed Vice Chairman on financial issues of the Central CooperativeUnion in 1987. In this system, he implemented the politics of SMEs’ settingup, reformed the currency practice, and introduced market principles for themanagement of independent units. Bojidar Danev joined BIA as a Vice President in 1989, where he supervised thedepartments of Economic analysis, Privatization and investments, Industrialgrowth. He participated in the development and adoption of a normative baseon privatization, and in the preparation and realisation of the privatization ofa large number of enterprises and commercial sites.Bojidar Danev was a Manager of the Sofia Stock Exchange in the period 1991-1997. He was elected Chairman of BIA in 1993. He has enrolled in the expansion ofthe social dialogue in the country. He actively works in the sphere of legallabour ties, reforms in the pension acts, joint negotiations, and etc. He wasVice President of the National Council of Tripartite Cooperation in 2004 and in2006. Bojidar Danev turned to be the main engine in the establishment of the EU -Bulgaria Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and became a co-Chairman fromthe Bulgarian side in the period 1999 – 2004.In 2006 he was elected Vice President of the Economic and Social Council ofthe Republic of Bulgaria and of the National Council of Tripartite Cooperation;became a Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) andHead of the working group on the Lisbon Strategy with Bulgarian participation.He is also a Member of the high – level working group on the free movementof workers at EESC; Bojidar Danev is a Member of the Management Committee of the BulgarianAcademy of Sciences and Vice President of the New Bulgarian University’sBoard.


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Presentation

Simplification of Regulatory Framework (in line with Lisbon Agenda and EUPolicy to Reduce Administrative Burdens by 25 per cent)

There are two levels of liberalisation and simplification of the regulatoryframework: national and EU.The most recent review of regulatory regimes in Bulgaria, prepared by BIA inthe first months of 2007, showed that from 70 examined 235 suggestions forsimplification laws are drafted and amendments in 60 laws should be adopted.In 2004 was adopted a Law for restricting the administrative regulation andcontrol on the economic activity. According to the formulations of the law: reg-ulatory regime can be introduced only by a law; documents, included in thepublic register, are not required; introducing the tacit consent principle in sin-gle transactions and actions; the size of the charges in the administrative reg-ulation must not exceed the costs for their implementation. One of the short-comings of the law is that it is not working properly, because no practical rulesfor the implementation of the law were accepted, as well as the proper govern-mental body is appointed to control the follow up of law implementation.One of the most suitable and easy for implementation tasks for regulatory frame-work simplification on Bulgarian level is to set up a transparent and user friend-ly administrative register. The register should introduce the possibility of follow-ing-up the movement of the applications - an obligatory public registration of theapplications filed for issuing an act under a certain regime, incl. the deadlinefixed by the executive authority for the elimination of the irregularities in thedocuments presented, as well as for issuing the documents under the application.The register must specify explicitly the documents enlisted in the public registers,which should not be required from the applicant-persons for submission. The experience with the Better Regulation has shown that the regulations pre-dominantly contain obsolete rules or that there is a potential to improve theimplementation of the regulation. It is important to underline that the objec-tive of simplification is to find better solutions and make the regulation moreintelligent and not to deregulate.There are several measures and ways to simplify the legislation. One of the suc-cessful strategies could be to focus on recycling data and giving enterprises theopportunity to use electronic reporting without duplicating the information inpaper reports or reporting the information twice for different use. It is importantthat the EU will prioritize the standardisation of their information requirements,thus more information can be used for different purposes at a time.The basic principle of simplification is to be sure that the regulation does notdemand information from enterprises which are not relevant in relation to theregulation. There must be a limit of the administrative burdens from new reg-ulation; otherwise the simplification can be offset by new burdens. Some prac-tical measures in this context are as follows:- Harmonize the Nomenclatures in Intrastat, Extrastat and Prodcom;- Simplification of Employment Contracts;- A Common implementation of the Directive on VAT invoicing;- Introduction of a One-stop shop to File VAT Declarations;- Update the Directive and the Procedures concerning VAT refunds;- A New Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base;- A more flexible procedure for establishing a Work Council or an informationand hearing procedure;- Electronic Customs.In compliance with the Internal Market rules, the Commission should introducecommon EU rules as a matter of urgency in the spheres of regulatory regimes,tax base, public and corporate procurements. EU has to force the creation of aCommon EU Stock Market, taking into account the interests of the StockExchanges owners, in order to ensure the easy and less expensive access forthe EU investors.The single market legislation should be introduced using the effective mecha-nism of regulations to ensure the transposition and implementation of the EUrules at the national level, in a transparent but technical matter, jumping overthe national administrative culture. Number of regulations should scale up atthe expense of directives.The EU Legislation should not be adapted to the national ones; it should betransposed without variations. The national legislations that are in non-con-formity with the EU legislation should be changed.

Michael Humphreys

Ambassador, Head of RepresentationRepresentation of the European Commission inBulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Ambassador Michael B. Humphreys is Head of Representation of the EuropeanCommission in Bulgaria since 1 January 2007. Before Bulgaria’s accession hewas Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Sofia from 1 October2006. Michael Humphreys holds an Honours Degree in Social Sciences (1966) fromthe National University of Ireland. Since 1971 he is a Fellow of the Institute ofChartered Accountants in England and Wales. Having joined the European Commission in 1984, Michael Humphreys hasextensive experience in transition economies and in EU enlargement policy. Hehas served with the Commission in Ukraine from 1995 to 1997 and as Headof Delegation in Kazakhstan (1998-2001), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002-2006) and, most recently, Bulgaria.

Presentation

Growth and Jobs - EU Structural and Cohesion Fund in Support of the LisbonStrategy

Stoyan Stalev

Executive DirectorInvest Bulgaria Agency, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Mr Stoyan Stalev graduated from the German Gymnasium ‘Nicola Gulubov’ inSofia and then ‘St. Clement Ochridski’- PhD in Law and Masters in Law. He isthe author of a few monographs in the field of law.Between 1981 and 1991, Stoyan Stalev was Senior scientific collaborator inthe Institute of Law Science in Sofia, Bulgaria. From 1990 to 1991 he was LawAdviser of Zelio Zelev (President of Republic Bulgaria). Between 1991 and1998 he was Ambassador of Republic Bulgaria in Bonn, Germany. In 1997 hewas Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Interim government. From 1998 to2006 Mr Stalev was Ambassador of Republic Bulgaria in Ankara, Turkey.Mr Stoyan Stalev was awarded with a Federal Cross medal and in present timeis Member of board of the Diplomatic institute (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).Mr Stoyan Stalev has been Executive Director of Bulgaria Invest Agency (BAI)since 2006.

Presentation

Bulgaria - The Right Investment Location

Bulgaria’s geographic proximity to the markets of the EU, EFTA, Russia Asiaand the Middle East is an asset. Country’s stable political system and robusteconomic growth is a prerequisite for a strong FDI inflow. Manufacturing, PowerEngineering, ICT and Tourism are sectors with proven expertise, various advan-tages and potential for further development. The emergence of the country asan ITO/BPO location also raise questions regarding the availability of talentand the quality of education. A more vast group of investors can now benefitfrom the funding opportunities existing under the new InvestmentEncouragement Law.

Dieter Wahl

Financial DirectorMiroglio Bulgaria EOOD, Miroglio DeutschlandGmbH, Ulmia Stoffe GmbH, Bulgaria, Germany


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Contacts


Biography

Dieter Wahl was born on September 11th, 1964 in Ulm, (Germany). After gaining a Dipl.Betriebswirt (BA) he started working as a Financial direc-tor in several companies of the Miroglio Group. He has gained 20 years expe-rience in IT systems, controlling, financial environment and project manage-ment, including project logistics for production line transfers, IT-projects tointegrate the German seat into Miroglio’s infrastructure, distributing all prod-ucts from Bulgarian products through Miroglio Germany in West Europe, as wellas the integration of the Chinese daughter company into the group’s financialcontrolling system.

Presentation

Miroglio’s investments in Bulgaria : history and actual situation

The Miroglio S.p.A. is one of the biggest textile companies in Europe. Eightyears ago the owners decided to create new production companies in Bulgariato substitute expensive Italian productions and also to increase to productoffer. Miroglio became one of the main foreign investors in Bulgaria. Therewere three main seats: Elin Pelin (near Sofia), Sliven and Nova Zagora. In 2007the group was divided in two parts, we represent still three plants with 800employees. Actually we fight against three big problems: high turnover of workers whatleads to quality problems; strongly increasing salaries what makes Bulgarianproducts less competitive and a lack of available workers to increase the pro-duction.

Cormac Murphy

Head of Division Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus, South East EuropeDepartmentEuropean Investment Bank (EIB)

Contacts

tel. +352 43 79 71 25e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Mr. Murphy is the Head of Division, South East Europe Department of theEuropean Investment Bank, with particular responsibility for the Bank’s opera-tions in Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus. Between 2002 and 2005, Mr. Murphy was Head of Division in the Bank’sCentral Europe Department, responsible for operations in Hungary andSlovenia. Prior to this – between 1997 and 2002 – Mr. Murphy was Unit Headin the Bank’s Credit Risk Department, responsible for loan operations in thecorporate sector and development of the Bank's risk management systems. Mr.Murphy joined the Bank in 1994 as Loan Officer and worked on loan opera-tions in Slovakia.Before joining the EIB, Mr. Murphy held various positions in Treasury/CapitalMarkets, Corporate Banking and International Project Finance - in Ireland,Luxembourg, the UK and Canada. Mr. Murphy is an Irish national with a Bachelor's and Master's degree inEconomics from Trinity College and University College Dublin and is married(Swedish) with three children.

Presentation

EIB and Financing of Bulgaria's Investment Needs

Galina Tosheva

Deputy Minister Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 98 82 773 / 92 63 134e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mrs Galina Tosheva graduated from German Language School and TechnicalUniversity in Sofia, Industrial Management Engineer-Economist. Between1998 and 2000 she was Member of Board of Directors, "EnergoremontVarna" EAD and from 1997 until 2000 she was Expert at State Agency ofEnergy and Energy resources Financial Department. In 2000 was Member ofBoard of Directors, Electricity Distribution Company Stara Zagora. From2000 until 2002 Mrs Tosheva was Head of Finance Department, KozloduyNuclear Power Plant. From 2002 until present day she has been Member ofBoard of Directors, "Mini Maritza Iztok" EAD. Between 2002 and October2005 she was Head of Projects Department Projects, Structural Reform andState Participation Directorate Ministry of Energy and Energy Resources.From October 2005 until September 2006 she was Director of EnergyMarkets and Restructuring Directorate Ministry of Economy and Energy. FromSeptember 2006 Mrs Galina Tosheva was nominated for Deputy Minister ofEconomy and Energy.

Presentation

The Bulgarian energy policy in the context of the European energy policy –challenges and opportunities

The Energy strategy of Bulgaria, approved by the National Assembly in 2002is concentrated over the transition problems until 2007 in the energy sector.Many changes have been accomplished in the energy sector relevant to finan-cial and commercial rearrangements of the companies. The new challengesin the sector resulting from the country’s integration with EU mainly are con-nected to:- Fulfillment of considerable in scale and urgent ecological engagements,mostly affecting coal industry;- An accelerated execution of already started investment projects relevant toenergy supplies assurance;- Active work on creating and developing models and trade mechanisms after2007 under the leadership of the State Energy and Water RegulatoryCommission;Introduction of effective mechanisms for energy efficiency stimulation, ener-gy saving and producing energy from Renewable energy Sources;- Investments drawing (not only by privatization) through creating clear andstable regulatory environment combined with gradually withdrawal of thestate from the investment processes.The European development dynamics of the energy policy imposes renova-tion of the national view and strategy in the energy sector. The fundamentalmeasures and actions enlisted in the Energy Strategy from 2002 are fulfilledand aimed at taking into account the new realities from the participation ofour country in the regional and common energy market of the EU, the newpriorities of the New energy strategy of Bulgaria are defined, namely:Guaranteeing of the energy supplies security; Insurance of the Bulgarianeconomy competitiveness; Sustainable development.

Marco Alverà

Senior Vice PresidentENI SpA Gas & Power Division, Italy

1.2

Energy Infrastructure


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Contacts


Biography

Marco Alverà has a degree in philosophy and economics from the LondonSchool of Economics and Political Science.From 1996 to 2000 he worked in the M&A and Private Equity departments ofGoldman Sachs in London, New York and in Italy. From 2000 to 2002 he wasvice president of Netesi SpA (Italy’s leading ASP operator) of which he was alsothe founder. From 2002 to 2004 he was director of Corporate Strategy at EnelSpA. From 2004 to 2005 he was chief financial officer at WindTelecomunicazioni SpA where he oversaw the sale on behalf of Enel. FromAugust 2005 to March 2006 he was assistant to the chief executive for spe-cial initiatives at Eni.In March 2006, he was appointed Director of Supply & Portfolio Developmentat Eni’s Gas & Power Division.In May 2007 he was also appointed ProjectManager Russian Development. In August 2007 he was also appointed ProjectManager South Stream

Presentation

Increasing energy security in Europe? Key update on the planned SouthStream Gas Pipeline project

The expected demand/supply gap in European gas supplies is creating uncertainty.Such uncertainty is made worse by the fact that the exact amplitude of such gapis difficult to predict, due mainly to the unknown exact amount of Europeanpower that will be produced with fuels other than gas and to the uncertain paceof development of new, very expensive import projects.The projects currently on the European drawing board, either pipelines or LNGchains, if realized will have a substantial “on/off” impact on their market of des-tination.It is therefore important to develop projects having solid roots in supply, sustain-able development strategies and sound business logic.Such projects, to be real winners, will inevitably need to involve our external gasproducers, and will be the only “tools” to effectively reconcile our desire forincreasing security of supply with theirs for security of demand.South Stream is an example of the kind of projects that a win/win cooperationwith gas suppliers can foster.Mr Alverà’s presentation will highlight these concepts and some key features ofthe South Stream Project as available at this early stage.

Werner Auli

Member of the Executive Board of OMVAktiengesellschaft Head of Gas, Austria

Contacts

tel. +43 1 275 00

Biography

Werner Auli was born in 1960, is married and has two children. Auli graduat-ed from the Technical University of Vienna and started his career in 1987 inOMV's department for company development and strategic control.In 1990 he became assistant to the Executive Board for the areas of chemicalsand materials. In 1991 he became assistant to the Executive Board for theareas finance, controlling and chemicals.From 1993 to 2000 Werner Auli was Managing Director of AUSTRIAMineralöl GmbH, responsible for finance and accounting, controlling, market-ing, IT and HR. In 2000 he took over the management of the OMVCogeneration GmbH and from 2001 to 2003, he additionally was responsiblefor the management of OMV Erdgas GmbH with the areas supply, marketingand distribution. From 2002 to 2004 Werner Auli was Managing Director ofEconGas, a 50% subsidiary of OMV, where he was responsible for finance, sup-ply & trading, marketing and foreign distribution.In 2004 he returned to the OMV Group, where he was chairman over andspeaker of the Management Board of OMV Gas GmbH. On January 1, 2006 hebecame Head of OMV Gas International GmbH.

Since January 1, 2007 he is a Member of the OMV Executive Board responsi-ble for the Gas business.

Presentation

Nabucco Gas Pipeline Project

Nabucco Gas pipeline will connect for the first time regions with huge gasreserves in the Caspian, Middle East and Egypt with Europe.With a total length of 3300 km, starting at the Turkish eastern border thepipeline will run through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, ending in Austria at theCentral European Gas Hub in Baumgarten. This pipeline, which will connect two“old” EU-member states, two states which joined the EU in 2007 and oneaccession candidate, is unique in Europe. The shareholders of the Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH (NIC),responsible for the development, the construction, and the marketing of thetransport capacity, located in Vienna, are BOTAS, Bulgargaz Holding,Transgaz, MOL and OMV Gas International. Nabucco is one of Europe’s mostimportant energy infrastructure projects, improving the gas supply situation forthe countries along the route and for Europe as a whole.The main strategic goals are:Diversification of gas supply sources and routesEnhancement of liquidity of the gas market Meeting increasing gas demand.

Charles Feinstein

Energy Sector ManagerEurope and Central Asia Region, SustainableDevelopment Department, The World Bank,United States

Contacts


Biography

Charles Feinstein is presently Sector Manager for Energy operations in theWorld Bank’s Europe and Central Asia Region. As such he is responsible foroverseeing the energy lending and advisory program in 28 countries compris-ing over 60 projects with a loan value of approximately $3 billion. Prior to hisappointment in the ECA Region, he was Lead Energy Specialist in the WorldBank’s Latin America and the Caribbean Region. Mr. Feinstein’s work builds onhis earlier service as a renewable energy specialist, and his role as co-authorof the World Bank’s Environmental Strategy for the Energy Sector strategypaper (“Fuel for Thought”).Through the 1990’s, Mr. Feinstein was Team Leader for Climate Change in theWorld Bank’s Environment Department. In this position he was responsible foroverseeing the development of the World Bank/Global Environment Facility cli-mate change project portfolio, currently valued at over $1 billion in grant andconcessional finance, and for advising on World Bank policies related to cli-mate change. Mr. Feinstein has also been instrumental in fostering new public-private part-nerships for climate change mitigation, such as the early practical demonstra-tion of market-based systems for greenhouse emissions abatement in collabo-ration with the Government of Norway.Mr. Feinstein is trained in electrical engineering and resource and environmen-tal economics. His professional background also includes international devel-opment service with the U.S. Government and research assignments on ener-gy and environmental issues at the East-West Center.

Presentation

SEE (Security, Environment and Economic Growth ) in SEE: A World BankEnergy Sector Perspective

Energy Sector Policies and investment patterns in Southeast Europe areincreasingly driven by the triple challenge of meeting aspirations for energysecurity, environmental sustainability and economic growth. This agenda hasbeen notably advanced by the April announcement of the new EU energy pol-icy framework, and the sharpening of the on-going debate on sector organiza-tion and structure. The presentation by Charles Feinstein, World Bank Energy Sector Manager for


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Europe and Central Asia, will illustrate how countries in Southeast Europe areaddressing their challenge with the help of World Bank advice and invest-ments.

Georgios Giaouris

Principal Banker, Power and EnergyEBRD

Contacts


Biography

Georgios (George) Giaouris is a Principal Banker within the Power end EnergyUtilities team of EBRD. He is currently country co-ordinator for EBRD’s Powersector financing in Bulgaria, Albania and Slovakia, responsible for marketingand origination and energy policy dialogue with Governments.George has over 10 years of banking experience focusing in the power sec-tor and project financing with major International Financial Institutions likeEBRD, Barclays Capital, Commonwealth Development Corporation - formerCDC, focusing in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Middle East.In particular, working as Operation Leader for EBRD, George was involved inthe successful financing of the Maritza East 1 Power Plant which was award-ed Power Deal of the Year for 2005. George was also responsible for closinga number of recent debt and equity transactions in the South Eastern Europewith EBRD.

Alistair McLeish

Founder and CEOMmd Group, Public Affairs & Public RelationsConsultants, United Kingdom

Contacts


Biography

Alistair McLeish is a globally-renowned advisor both at C-suite businesslevel and to governments. He has a unique experience in developing major,full-service, global campaigns encompassing all elements of the corporateaffairs and government relations activity. In 1985 he founded the Mmd Group which is currently the leading corpo-rate, public affairs and public relations consultancy across Central andEastern Europe, South East Europe and Eurasia. Mmd operates a globalstrategic consultancy, crafting and delivering pan-European and global cor-porate and public affairs campaigns with focuses on Washington DC, NewYork, London and Brussels. In growing the Mmd network, Alistair pioneereda matrix management approach in the region by combining internationalcommunications and management expertise and best practice with the bestof local talent and social, political, economic & cultural understanding forbest supporting corporate, lobbying and public affairs campaigns in varioussectors. Alistair McLeish has an extensive experience in corporate affairsprojects in the energy sector.

Presentation

Guaranteeing and communicating transparency for major energy projects

The on-going debate around the energy sector organization has sharpenedand communication is playing key role both in terms of major energy proj-ects throughout the region and in the countries’ approach to their challenges.

The three biggest tasks ahead of the sector - energy security, environmentalsustainability and economic growth require a structured debate. In his pres-entation Alistair McLeish Founder and CEO of Mmd Corporate, Public Affairs& Public Relations Consultants will speak about the role of transparency inthe sector.

Mardik Rupen Papazyan

Executive DirectorNEK EAD, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Mr. Mardik Papazyan was born on 20 June 1948, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. At pres-ent he is Executive Director of NEK EAD, Bulgaria. He graduated from theMoscow Power Engineering Institute, majored in Power Systems Cybernetics,and the Technical University in Sofia, Bulgaria. Mr. Papazyan career began in 1973 when he was appointed TechnicalSupervisor at NPP Kozloduy. In 1985 he was Deputy Manager and GeneralManager of the Plovdiv Power Supply Enterprise. Over the period 1992 -2001 he was Managing Partner at engineering companies active in the ener-gy field such as – FRODEXIM LTD, TRAFOSERVIZ JSC. 2001 – 2005, he wasBoard Member and Manager of ELCABEL KO – M LTD.

Presentation

T he Electric Power Infrastructure in Bulgaria and Prospects for itsDevelopment

Vladimir Vasilchenkov

Deputy General Director “National Power Control Centre” Belarus EnergySystem, Belarus

Contacts

e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Vladimir Vasilchenkov is Deputy General Director of the “National Power ControlCentre” (RUP “ODU”) Belarus energy system. His responsibility is economy andinternational relations. Mr Vasilchenkov expertise span 30 years in technical areassuch as construction and servicing power stations, procurement with Governmentand International Financial Institutions (EBRD, IBRD) and private firms in Belarus,Asia and Africa.In all his postings Mr. Vasilchenkov gained direct experience in managing all phas-es of project cycle, i.e. from project identification and appraisal to implementationand monitoring. In particular, working as Deputy Head Project Management Unit forOrsha (Belarus) Gas Combined Cycle power station. Project was financed by EBRDin 1993-1998 he acquired experience in using specific contemporary technologyfor production electricity and heat. In 2004-2005 Mr.Vasilchenkov was working asExecutive Director of the investment bank “Belrosbank” dealing with financingprojects in energy sector and industry.

Presentation

Belarus energy sector development for increasing energy security

Structure Ministry of Energy Republic of Belarus is introduced in presentation.To obtain an understanding of the key issues that Belarus faces with regard toits energy sector, it is instructive to look at an analysis of the sector sstrengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT).Strengths: Location as a transit country; Geographical proximity to its primary


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energy supplier; Extensive wood resources; Established electricity network;Established gas transmission network; Export refining capacity.Weaknesses: Limited indigenous energy resources; High dependence onimported energy; Very heavy dependence from one a supplier of primary ener-gy; Aging physical infrastructure; Limited oil and gas storage; A weak legisla-tive and regulatory framework.Opportunities: Increased production of domestic resources (primarily wood);Diversification of energy supply sources; Expanded transit activities andincreased transit revenues; Increased security of domestic supply as a result ofexpanded storage facilities.Threats: Higher energy import costs; Further deterioration of the domesticinfrastructure.To date, the sector has successfully built on its strengths and somewhat mini-mized its weaknesses and threats, and as a result has been able to provide reli-able and affordable energy to the economy. Some ways to overcome the weak-nesses is shown in presentation. First of all it is using local fuel, put in opera-tion new efficiently equipment (mainly Gas and Steam Combined Units),restore and new construction of the hydro power plants. Some perspectives willbe open for the Belarus energy sector after endorsement Annex B of the KyotoProtocol (KP). Belarus is taking appropriate steps on the institutional and reg-ulatory front to meet its obligations under the KP and to be able to engage inthe Kyoto mechanisms.

Enrico Viale

Country Manager South East EuropeEnel SpA, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Enrico Viale works for Enel SpA in Sofia since 2003, where he has served as aChief Executive Officer at Enel Maritza East 3 and as a Country Manager SouthEast Europe. A graduate in civil engineering, Enrico Viale continued his studiesin the United States, earning at first a master's degree in management at theUniversity of Santa Clara and later he completed the executive managementprogram at Sloan School of Business. Enrico Viale began his career by workingin the Project Finance Department of GIE Spa, Milan. In 1989 he joinedAnsaldo Energia Spa, Milan as Head of Project Finance, and in 1994 he wasappointed Finance Director. In 1995 he joined Mediocredito Centrale Spa,Rome, where he was a Head of Export Finance. From 1995 till 1998 he workedfor ABB Structured Finance in Milan as a Managing Director, and from 1998till 2003 he served as a Senior Vice President at ABB Structured Finance inZurich.

Presentation

Energy balance, Capacity Increase and Investments in South East Europe

Dimcho Mihalevski

Deputy Minister Ministry of Regional Development and PublicWorks, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 9405 430fax +359 2 987 25 17 e-mail : [email protected]

1.3

The World Bank Group: Mobilising Resources for the Future

Biography

Mr Dimcho Mihalevski has a master’s degree in Political Management from NewBulgarian University and a master’s degree in Industrial and Civic Constructionfrom the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy. In 1993Mr. Mihalevski received a postgraduate qualification in Human ResourcesManagement from the University of National and World Economy, and in 2002he further received a qualification in Good Practices in Local Government fromNew Bulgarian University. Dimcho Mihalevski started his professional careerin 1990 with the House-Building Company in Kardzhali as Head of workshop.In 1992, Mr Mihalevski became a deputy director of the Construction andConstruction Services Plant in Kardzhali. In 1994, he became the ExecutiveDirector of “Koveg”, Kardzhali, and in 1998 he took the position of a Directorof “Bulgar Product” Ltd. Mr Mihalevski was elected a Deputy Mayor of theKardzhali Municipality in 2000 and he held that post until 2003. In 2004, MrMihalevski continued his professional career in 2004 as an Executive Directorof “CD Lighting” AD.For the same period of time, until his election as a Deputy Minister of RegionalDevelopment and Public Works, Mr Mihalevski was a coordinator in theRegional Policy Department of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Supreme Council.

Presentation

Project for Development of Municipal Infrastructure

In February 2006, the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Directorof the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)signed a Memorandum of understanding for the implementation of infrastruc-ture projects, and more specifically “Project for Development of MunicipalInfrastructure”. The project objective is to improve the quality of water andwastewater services and to prepare projects for financing by the EuropeanUnion funds. The specific objectives of the project are: 1. Improvement ofwater-supply services and the quality of drinking water for the population bymeans of: Rehabilitation of water-supply systems – change of water-conduits,pumps and other facilities; Completion of water sources (dams) and the adja-cent infrastructure, Drinking water treatment plant, conductive water-conduitsand reservoirs. 2. Contribution to economy of resources of national signifi-cance (such as water and electricity). The loan borrowing proposal from theInternational Bank for Reconstruction and Development was approved by theCouncil of Ministers (Decision No 574 of 31st July 2006) and the Project waslisted for funding by a state loan, amounting to EUR 88 280 000 (81%),from the World Bank. The monthly financing from the state budget and watercompanies amounting to EUR 21 400 000 (19%) is added. The overall proj-ect budget is EUR 109 680 000 allocated for consulting services (EUR 12900 000) and construction works (EUR 96 700 000).The project consists of the following components: 1. Preparation of develop-ment of municipal infrastructure projects, which will be funded via the opera-tional programmes and actualization of the spatial plans of the Black Seamunicipalities; 2. Rehabilitation and expansion of the water infrastructure in 6regional water companies in the cities of Dobrich, Razgrad, Sliven, Smolyan,Stara Zagora and Targovishte; 3. Completion and rehabilitation of dams andwastewater treatment plants. According to this component, the completion ofthe following dams is envisaged: “Neykovtsi” for the city of Tryavna,“Plovdivtsi” for the cities of Madan and Rudozem, “Luda Yana” for the city ofPanagyurishte, and the reconstruction of “Studena” for the city of Pernik. Thecompletion of the wastewater treatment plants adjacent to the above men-tioned dams is also included. The benefits expected from the projects are:Elimination of an all-year water regime in Stara Zagora – 243 000 citizens;Elimination of a seasonal water regime in built-up areas – 163 000 citizens;Improvement of the quality of drinking water – 96 500 citizens; Electricityproduction – 14 million kWh/ per annum; Economy of water resources via lossreduction - 9.4 million m3 /per annum.

Arup Banerji

Manager, Human Development Economics, Europeand Central Asia The World Bank, United States

Contacts



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Biography

Arup Banerji is Manager for Human Development Economics as well as theLead Economist for Human Development for Europe and Central Asia at theWorld Bank. In his career at the World Bank, he has worked on both researchand operations in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East –on a variety of issues relating to governance, employment, institutions, publicsector reform, social sector reforms, poverty reduction and economic growthstrategies. He is a principal author of books including the recent From Red toGray on Aging Populations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union,Enhancing Job Opportunities in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union,the World Development Report 2002 on the role of institutions in develop-ment, Better Governance for Development in the Middle East and North Africa,World Development Report 1995 on labor markets, and numerous other ref-ereed journal articles and discussion papers. Prior to joining the World Bank,Dr. Banerji taught at the Center for Development Economics at WilliamsCollege, Massachusetts, where he was the Dean of Graduate Studies, and at theUniversity of Pennsylvania. Dr. Banerji holds a Ph.D. and a Master's degree inEconomics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Presentation

From Red to Gray – Developing human resources in the context of rapidlyaging populations in Eastern Europe

In 2025, more than one in five Bulgarians will be more than 65 years old— up from just 13% in 1990. Ukraine’s population will shrink by a fifthbetween the years 2000 and 2025. And the average Slovene will be 47.4years old in 2025 — among the oldest in the world. Populations have beenaging quite rapidly in many countries; yet the unique conjunction of rapid-ly aging and relatively poor populations exists only in transition countries.Indeed, because of this demographic “third transition” that is following thepolitical and economic transitions, the only countries in the world with pop-ulation declines of more than 5,000 people between 2000 and 2005 were16 countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union — led byRussia, Ukraine, Romania, Belarus, and Bulgaria. No aging country is as pooras Georgia — set to lose 800,000 people over the next two decades. Andno other countries in the world face the dual challenges of a rapidly agingpopulation and an incomplete transition to mature market institutions todeal with the adverse economic consequences of aging. The economicimpact of aging will be felt most through the rising proportion of the elder-ly — those aged 65 and older. The old-age shares will increase beyond15% in 2025 in all but seven transition economies and Turkey. But will thechanging demographics in the region mean a halt to economic growth,because older populations have shrinking labor forces and save less, withnegative consequences for investment and capital accumulation? And howabout government expenditures? Is it valid to be concerned that aging pop-ulations in ECA countries will exert new pressures on public spending, espe-cially for pensions and health care, as older populations require greatertransfers from the decreasing numbers of working age, and have significant-ly higher needs for health care and long-term care?The presentation will use findings from a recent World Bank research study,From Red to Gray, to explore these issues and the consequences for changesthat need to be made in government policies in Eastern Europe and the for-mer Soviet Union – on issues ranging from labor markets to pensions, andfrom health care and long-term care to education and lifelong learning. Itwill point out that the needs for reform on the issues are very different fordifferent countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. They depend on eachcountry’s individual aging profile and on the reform paths and timing thatthe countries choose in the decades ahead. The challenge is to be proactivein undertaking the particular reforms that are essential for meeting theshocks caused by aging populations.

Sandra Bloemenkamp

Special Representative for South East EuropeWorld Bank

Contacts


Biography

Since July 2007, Sandra Bloemenkamp has been appointed as World BankSpecial Representative for Southeast Europe and as co-manager of JointEuropean Commission-World Bank Office for Southeast Europe, based inBrussels. Among the tasks of this office are donor coordination in candidateand potential candidate countries through the IFI Advisory Group, organizationof donor conferences for the reconstruction of the Western Balkans region, andpolicy coordination between the World Bank and the European Commission.In her career at the World Bank, Ms Bloemenkamp has worked on a number ofcountries in Central and Eastern Europe. She joined the World Bank Group in1991 to assist the Executive Director for Armenia, Bulgaria, BiH, Croatia,Cyprus, fYR Macedonia, Georgia, Israel, Moldova, the Netherlands, Romania,and Ukraine. In 1993, Ms Bloemenkamp joined the Bank’s operational staff asCountry Officer for Ukraine. She managed the first loan of the Bank to Ukraineand worked extensively on projects and analytical work to support economicdevelopment in Ukraine. Between 1997 and 2003, she worked as SeniorPublic Sector Management Specialist in Albania. She was also Team Leader forthe Legal Reform Project in Kazakhstan and managed the preparation of aPublic Finance Management Project for the Slovak Republic.In 2003, she was appointed the World Bank Country Manager for Macedonia,based in Skopje, in charge of the policy dialogue, strategy and program imple-mentation. She led the World Bank’s Country team working on the country andguided the drafting of the new World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategyfor 2007-2010. Prior to joining the Bank, Ms. Bloemenkamp worked at theMinistry of Finance in the Netherlands, as a financial sector advisor, workingon national legislation and European Directives related to the financial andcorporate sector. Ms. Bloemenkamp holds Master of Law degree of the CatholicUniversity of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Angelo Dell’Atti

General Manager, Private Enterprise Partnership,Southeast Europe InfrastructureInternational Finance Corporation

Contacts


Biography

Angelo is the General Manager of the IFC’s Private Enterprise PartnershipSoutheast Europe Infrastructure (PEP SE Infrastructure) which provides adviso-ry services for the structuring and implementation of Public-PrivatePartnerships (PPPs) in all infrastructure sub-sectors. Angelo is also the TeamLeader in the global Advisory Department of IFC’s with responsibility forCentral and Eastern Europe. He has extensive experience in the marketing,structuring and implementation of PPPs, privatization and financing of infra-structure projects and has undertaken several roles in more than 30 projects inover 25 countries, in transition economies, the Americas, Africa, Europe andAsia. He has direct experience in municipal services, transport, energy andtelecommunications infrastructure. Before joining IFC in 2002, Angelo was a director at the Suez-Lyonnaise desEaux group, where he was responsible for international finance. Inter alia, heorganized and closed the financial structuring for the first privatization in thewater sector in Italy for a region comprising 37 cities. He has structured andnegotiated an investment fund for the projects of the Suez Lyonnaise des Eauxgroup in Latin America, ensuring the participation of key international equityinvestors. Before working in the private sector, Angelo was a Principal Bankerfor the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) where heparticipated in the financing of several infrastructure projects the telecommu-nications, transport and municipal services sectors in countries such asAlbania, Byelorussia, Macedonia, Poland, Rumania, Slovenia and Ukraine. Angelo started his career at J.P. Morgan in international capital markets in theissue and distribution of debt- and capital-financing instruments. He graduat-ed in Business Administration at the Universitá L. Bocconi in Milan and holdsa Master in European Economy from the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

PresentationPPPs and Resources Mobilisation


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Florian Fichtl

RepresentativeThe World Bank, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Florian Fichtl currently holds the position of Country Manager, World Bank OfficeSofia, Bulgaria He joined the Bank in 1994 in the Western Africa Department,Populations and Human Resources Division, working on education and socialprotection projects. As Senior Social Protection Specialist, he guided Bank sup-port to countries emerging out of conflict, including Democratic Republic ofCongo, Ethiopia, Liberia and Sierra Leone. While working on Sierra Leone andEthiopia, Florian Fichtl spearheaded new financing and coordination mecha-nisms to facilitate the support of the Bank and international community to crit-ical demobilization and reintegration programs. In April 2003, Florian Fichtl was appointed Country Manager for Eritrea withresidence in Asmara, guiding the Bank’s assistance strategy with a strongemphasis on health, education, infrastructure and rural development; and focus-ing the policy dialogue on fiscal transparency and macro-economic stability.Florian Fichtl holds graduate degrees in Economics from Columbia University,New York, and Sociology from the Free University of Berlin, Germany.

Presentation

Regional and strategic challenges - Bulgaria as a case study of engagementwith an EU member state

Ivailo Izvorski

Senior EconomistWorld Bank

Contacts


Biography

Ivailo Izvorski is a Senior Economist with the World Bank. He is currently work-ing on Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. Prior to joining the World Bankin 2005, Mr. Izvorski was with the Institute of International Finance inWashington DC and with the IMF, and worked on a number of countries in cen-tral and eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan,Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic states. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from YaleUniversity in the U.S.

Presentation

Avoiding the middle-income trap: integration and growth in the WesternBalkans

The last decade, and the last five years in particular, have been relatively goodfor the countries of the Western Balkans. Growth has been robust throughout theregion, accelerating of late, as recovery from conflicts and disturbances has bornefruit and as EU integration has been advanced. The countries of the WesternBalkans now need to improve on past growth performance amidst growing con-cerns about its sustainability. With living standards still low and pockets of pover-ty present throughout the region, growth in output, exports and employmentneeds to be accelerated. The factors that supported growth of late are unlikely todrive it much further, however. Existing partially reformed education systems, forexample, are under pressure, as companies are constrained by lack of qualifiedworkers. Much of the trade preferences enjoyed by these countries have beeneroded, moreover, and China looms increasingly large in regional markets forboth low-skilled and skill-intensive products. Exports have been growing, but theytrail most other countries of emerging Europe relative to GDP. Going forward, key

rigidities need to be tackled to facilitate faster and sustainable growth andenable these countries to emerge from the “middle-income trap” that has limit-ed all too many countries from progressing further. The presentation focuses onthe need to facilitate the accumulation of human capital, starting with a deter-mined effort to revamp education policies and spending. These efforts need to besupplemented by further reforms of the investment climate, including bystrengthening competition in key product markets such as for telecommunica-tions services, and by pre-empting the emergence of energy shortages.

Marco Mantovanelli

Country Manager for Bosnia and HerzegovinaWorld Bank

Contacts


Biography

Mr. Marco Mantovanelli is the Country Manager of the World Bank Office inBosnia and Herzegovina. He assumed the current position in July 2007. Mr. Mantovanelli, an Italian national, joined the World Bank in 1993, wherehe has held various managerial and technical positions. Following a period asa senior advisor to the Vice President for External Relations, he was, until June2007, the Head for External Relations of the Africa region of the World Bank,coordinating staff in Washington and 32 Country Offices in Africa in theirengagement with the full range of Bank constituents, including media, civilsociety and donor patters. During 2000-2004 he represented the World Bank and led the offices in theDominican Republic, during a period marked by several policy reversals anduncertainties following a devastating financial crisis, and Haiti, a turbulenttime culminating in the ousting of President Aristide. Prior to that assignmentand as Task Team Leader of human development projects, he specialized in sup-porting the delivery of education services at a decentralized level and on fos-tering schooling opportunities in rural areas of Latin America and theCaribbean region. Before joining the World Bank Mr. Mantovanelli worked asan economic research consultant with several Italian and US-based firms. Heholds a Masters Degree in International Economics from Johns HopkinsUniversity and one in Political Science and International Relations fromBologna University.

Presentation

The World Bank’s strategic goals and areas of activity for the region

The last decade of the 20th century witnessed a process of change - common-ly known as 'transition' - that transformed the countries of Central and EasternEurope and the former Soviet Union. These countries, ranging from middle tolow-income countries, comprise the World Bank's Europe and Central Asia(ECA) region. The World Bank has worked with these countries from the earli-est phases of transition to the present to improve the living standards of theirpeople, promote economic growth, and ensure that future generations benefitfrom sound environmental practices and social development. Countries in ECAhave achieved notable successes. For example, 41 million people (about 10percent of population) was lifted out of poverty between 1998 and 2003. But,this strategically important region is still volatile and vulnerable: 61 millionremain poor; 150 million economically vulnerable. Other vulnerabilitiesinclude macroeconomic imbalances, spatial allocation of resources, demogra-phy, weak institutions and infrastructure, unfinished reforms, environment, andpersistent unemployment, particularly among the youth. The Bank continues tofocus on these key development issues and remains one of the “partners ofchoice”, even in advanced Middle Income Countries. The challenge for theinstitution is to respond to sophisticated clients with an increasingly nimbleand flexible approach and adapt the World Bank Group service mix to differentcountry circumstances.


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Lyubomir Datzov

Deputy Minister Ministry of Finance, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 98 592 022e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mr Lyubomir Datzov graduated from the Vocational School in Mechanics,Vratza, Bulgaria in 1988 and University of National and World Economy,Sofia, Bulgaria Master’s Degree, Major: Economic Systems Planning andForecasting in 1992. Between 1992 and 1995, Lyubomir Datzov wasSpecialist in Budget Policy Department, Ministry of Finance. From 1995 until1997 he was expert in the same department. From 1997 until 2000 was headof Macroeconomic Analyses and Budget Policy Department in Budget GeneralDepartment. Between 2000 and 2001 he was Head of Budget PolicyDepartment in Budget and Treasury Directorate. From 2001 until 2003 wasBulgaria Fiscal Advisor to the Minister of Finance. Mr Datzov has additionalqualifications and courses in “Introductory course of economics”, Moscow,World Bank, IMF; ”Applied economic policy”, Vienna, JVI; “MacroeconomicPolicies”, Zagreb, World Bank and EU; “Macroeconomic Policies”, Tokyo, JICAand “Budget Impact on the Economy Growth”, Vienna, JVI. Mr Lyubomir Datzovhas been Bulgaria Deputy Minister of Finance since 2003

Presentation

The transition in Bulgaria – status and challenges

Gary Bond

DirectorOfficial Co-financing Unit, EBRD

Contacts


Biography

Gary Bond is Director of Official Co-financing at EBRD. From 1996 to 2000 hewas Manager of Technical Assistance and Trust Funds at the InternationalFinance Corporation in Washington DC. Previously he worked in IFC investmentactivities in the Asia region and has worked as a consultant to the World Bank.

Engin Göksu

Senior ManagerOfficial Co-financing Unit, EBRD

Contacts

e-mai l: [email protected]

Biography

Engin Göksu, a Turkish citizen, is currently a Senior Manager in the Official Co-financing Unit at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development(EBRD). He is responsible for the overall relationship of donors such as theNetherlands, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Austria and Germany. In addition, he is

1.4

Technical Assistance Needs in the Region

covering all EU-EBRD cooperation in the European Neighborhood area and themultilateral Western Balkans Fund. He worked previously at the World BankGroup in Washington DC and at Deutsche Bank in New York. He has a Master’sDegree in International Relations from the School of Advanced InternationalStudies at Johns Hopkins University, USA.

Presentation

EBRD’s Technical Cooperation Programme in South East Europe

The EBRD and its donors have been active for many years in South Eastern Europe.Apart from providing financing for projects in sectors such as municipal services,transport, energy, micro lending, banking many projects continue to receive tech-nical assistance to transfer know-how and ensure local capacity building.

Anthony O’Sullivan

HeadInvestment Compact for South East Europe,Organisation for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD)

Contacts

tel. +33 1 4524 7637fax +33 1 4524 9335 e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Anthony O’Sullivan is the Head of the Investment Compact for South EastEurope. The Investment Compact, under the Stability Pact for South EasternEurope (Working Table II on Economic Reconstruction, Development and Co-operation) and the OECD (Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs) is aleading programme designed to improve the investment climate and encour-age private sector development in South East Europe (SEE). Head office islocated in Paris, France with regional offices in Bucharest, Romania andBelgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. ( HYPERLINK "http://www.investmentcom-pact.org" www.investmentcompact.org). Mr O’Sullivan has a background as astrategy consultant with the firms Accenture, Monitor Company and A.T.Kearney. His academic credentials include a first class Honours Degree inEconomics at McGill University and a Masters in Development Economics at theLSE in London.

Presentation

Technical Assistance Priorities in SEE to improve the business climate

Henry Russell

Deputy Director, Municipal and EnvironmentalInfrastructureEBRD

Contacts

tel. +44 2 07 33 87 825fax +44 2 07 33 86 964 e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Henry Russell is the Deputy Director for Municipal & EnvironmentalInfrastructure, EBRD a position he has held since May 2003 in this positionhe is responsible for managing and developing business in the water supply,urban transport, and solid waste management sectors within South EasternEurope with an emphasis on sub-sovereign municipal and utility risk. He isalso responsible for portfolio management and implementation of the team'sentire portfolio of Euro 1.6 billion covering more than 100 active projects. Mr Russell’s investment expertise spans over 20 years within Eastern Europeand Asia including project finance, loan and equity investments in privatejoint venture and domestic companies and public and municipal infrastruc-ture. Mr Russell’s experience within the European Bank itself spans over 15years in which time he has held positions of Director of Serbia and


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Montenegro within the SEEC group, Director of Western Balkans (SEEC) andHead of the Romanian Resident Office. Mr Russell holds an MSc in Economicsfrom the London School Economics a BA in Economics and Political Sciencefrom Yale University.

Presentation

Case studies from MEI projects - where TC has been crucial

Eivind Tandberg

Public Financial Management Advisor for SouthEast EuropeInternational Monetary Fund, Slovenia

Contacts


Biography

Eivind Tandberg is the International Monetary Fund’s regional public financialmanagement advisor for South East Europe. He provides advice to Albania,Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, UNMIK Kosovo, FYR Macedonia,Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Mr. Tandberg is locatedat the Center of Excellence in Finance in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and is appointedfor a period of three years, starting from September 2005. Mr. Tandberg wasa Deputy Division Chief in the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF for severalyears. He has provided technical assistance and strategic advice to more than50 countries in different parts of the world, including many transition andemerging economies in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Prior to joining theIMF, Mr. Tandberg was a Unit Chief in the World Bank and a Deputy DirectorGeneral in the Norwegian Ministry of Finance.

Presentation

Public Financial Management Reform Priorities for South East EuropeanCountries

The IMF and other institutions have provided extensive support to publicfinance and governance reforms in South East Europe over the last 15 years.This has provided crucial support for broader economic and political reforms,and all the countries in the region have made significant advances in theirtransition to market economies. Slovenia became a EU member in 2004,Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and several other SEE countries are activelypursuing membership. For all the countries, consolidation of ongoing reformsand further improvements in public finance and governance will be importantfor realizing key economic and political goals. However, progress has beenuneven in different reform areas. In some important areas, most of the coun-tries have made significant steps towards good international practices. Inother areas, progress is more mixed, and some the reforms have proved to bevery difficult for all the countries in the region. This presentation will discusspossible systemic bottlenecks to the introduction of advanced public financeand governance systems in the SEE countries and propose measures to over-come these obstacles. Further technical assistance will play an important rolein this regard. The presentation will aim to identify specific needs for techni-cal assistance in different countries, and propose approaches to meetingthese needs.

Daniel Ivarsson

Chief, Office for Arab States, Europe and the CISInternational Trade CentreSwitzerland

Contacts

tel.+ 41 22 730 0390fax. +41 22 730 0811e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

As Chief, Office for Arab States, Europe and the CIS, Daniel Ivarsson is incharge of technical cooperation coordination covering the whole range of busi-ness oriented trade development services provided by the International TradeCentre (ITC) of UNCTAD/WTO.Of Swedish origin, he received his Bachelor of Business Administration,Bachelor of Arts and Master of Political Science degrees after studies at theuniversities of Upsala and Gothenburg in Sweden. After a posting at theSwedish Embassy in Moscow in the late 1970s, he continued his studies atINSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, where he obtained his MBA in 1980. He then spent some ten years as a consultant in international business devel-opment, working for trade promotion agencies and for leading suppliers ofhigh-tech plant and equipment, before helping start up the European UnionPHARE and TACIS programmes, from 1991 in the position of ImplementationManager in the co-ordination unit in Moscow. In 1993 he joined the EuropeanBank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as deputy to the Head ofProcurement and was later promoted to Head, Consultant Contracts Unit. After leaving the Bank early 1997, Daniel Ivarsson worked for several moreyears providing support and advice to development banks, international organ-isations, large utilities, other public agencies and private firms in the fields offinancing and management of public infrastructure, technical co-operationmanagement, public procurement, and promotion, monitoring and evaluationof trade and investment, including development aid. He served at the SwissState Secretariat for Economic Affairs, where he managed the Swiss financialassistance programmes for several transition countries, before being appoint-ed as Managing Director of the International Federation of ConsultingEngineers (FIDIC) in 2001. He took up his present position late 2004.

Presentation

Enhancing the international competitiveness of SMEs - trade developmentchallenges and the ITC response

Since the early 1990s, the countries of Eastern Europe have been reforming theirformerly centrally planned economies to make them fully market oriented.Compared with the countries which became EU members in 2004, the transitionprocess of the others has taken considerably more time. The growing political stability, trade policy liberalisation (with FTAs and CEFTA2006 agreements), as well as the prospect of accession to the European Union forsome countries of this region, have created more favourable circumstances for for-eign trade and foreign direct investment in recent years. Nevertheless, the tradebalance, especially for goods, remains strongly negative in most of the countries.Improved international competitiveness remains essential for the countries’ suc-cessful integration into the world market and for their economic and social devel-opment in general. A strong desire to become ‘EU-compatible’ is now very pres-ent in the minds of decision makers and the business community, which is likelyto help taking the necessary steps for improving international competitivenessand export performance at large. This is reflected in several demands for ITCassistance with trade related technical assistance and matched by the introductionof new pre-accession and neighbourhood policy instruments of the EuropeanUnion.Business and export support services do not always adequately match enterpriseneeds, facilitate export diversification or provide an appropriate interface betweenthe private sector and the government on trade issues. Trade promotion organisa-tions do not exist or have been created only recently in several countries. Othershave been quite successful and could serve as examples within the region. Theconsulting industry is growing but still suffers from limited possibilities to supplyquality services and weak demand from enterprises.Most economies in the region still have low value added in their export productsand services compared, for instance, to the EU members having acceded in 2004.Many locally owned exporting firms still have a very narrow market base, oftensupplying a single product to one or just a few foreign clients. These clients alsooften provide raw materials, designs and other inputs, leaving the local enterprisewithout the skills needed for diversifying its product and client range, and alsowithout awareness of the opportunities presented e.g. by global markets, modernmanagement, and e-trade. Typically, in order to become internationally competi-tive, enterprises need to better master business processes like design, sourcing,quality management, packaging, distribution, and marketing. ITC ResponsesMultiplying policy initiatives: ITC will concentrate on measures helping the coun-tries and their enterprises become regular and trusted trading partners, able tomeet market requirements in a profitable and sustainable manner. Through sev-eral activities in the region ITC helps improve exporters’ and policy makers’ accessto reliable and up-to-date market, customs and other trade-related information.Working with trade support institutions: ITC has a number of projects to enhance


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the knowledge and sharpen the ability of service providers, especially consultingfirms and trade support institutions, to assist export-oriented companies. The needto ensure the long-term sustainability of export development services calls for anincreasingly commercial approach, with enterprises learning to appreciate thevalue of quality services, put them to good use, and pay a fair price for them.Service providers will learn to compete for business based on the excellence oftheir work and its benefits for their clients. As a complement, in some countries,ITC would help establish export promotion agencies and enhance their capacitiesin providing trade development services.Integrating SMEs into the global arena: For capacity reasons, ITC’s response tothe needs at enterprise level usually has to be addressed through the engage-ment and the empowerment of trade support institutions. However, ITC mayenvisage to make direct interventions at enterprise level especially in the small-er countries of the region, where the number of enterprises in key sectors forexport development is relatively small. Individual enterprises may also benefitfrom direct ITC inputs when local providers of trade support services are beingcoached by ITC’s experts

Tasko Ermenkov

Executive Director Energy Efficiency Agency, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 98 15 802fax +359 2 981 58 02

Biography

In 1981 Mr Tasko Ermenkov graduated the Moscow International RelationsInstitute, Moscow, USSR, specialty - “International Economic Relations”.From 1982 until 1984 he carried out a specialization “Organization of col-lecting and analysis of strategic information. In 1996 he completed qualifi-cation course on investment and financial analysis of infrastructural projectsin the Institute for Public-Private Partnership, Washington, USA. From 1981until 1982 he was specialist in Foreign Trade Organization“Transimpex”.Between 1984 and 1990 Mr Ermenkov was specialist in theMinistry of Foreign Trade (including the period 1987 - 1990 – vice-consulon research and investigation activities in the West sectors of Berlin). From1990 until 1991 he was Foreign Trade specialist of Seehawk Co. Then from1991 until 1995 was Manager of “Ronimex Associated Group” Ltd.Between 1995 and 1997 he was in the Ministry of Regional Developmentand Construction - Director of PMU “Modernization and restructuring ofWater Supply Companies of Republic of Bulgaria ” through the World Bank.From 1997 until 1999 he was again Manager of “Ronimex AssociatedGroup” Ltd. From 1999 until 2000 he was in the Ministry of Labour andSocial Policy (MLSP) - coordinator of a Project for capacity increasing of thesocial support system in Bulgaria, funded by the Institutional DevelopmentFund (IDF) of the World Bank. From 2000 until 2001 was in the MLSP –coordinator of a Project for logical framework development and rationaleof loan agreement by World Bank in the field of child’s protection, fundedby the Policy and human resources development Fund (PHRD) of the WorldBank. In 2001 he was again in the MLSP – Director of the ProjectManagement Unit “Reform for increasing the welfare of the Bulgarian chil-dren” in its part, funded by a World Bank Loan, as well as a member of theSteering Committee of the whole project, funded also by EU donation. MrTasko Ermenkov has been Executive Director of the Energy Efficiency Agencysince 2003.

Presentation

Trends and measures for Energy efficiency improvement of Bulgarian econ-omy

The given presentation regards the Energy efficiency state of Bulgarian econo-my as well as its change during the last years. The main situations, covered in this part of the presentation, are the following:

1.5

Moving Energy Efficiency Forward

Economic growth Energy consumption by fuels and by sectorsEnergy intensity of economy as general and by sectors Comparison of trends in the change of energy intensity in Bulgaria and EU-25countries.Regarded are the measures for improvement of the Energy efficiency in thismaterial:Acting measures and Energy efficiency programmes by sectors Priorities for new Energy efficiency measures by sectors and fuels.The results achieved by „Estimation and Energy efficiency monitoring in the newEU-25 Member States” project are used within the presentation.

Zdravko Genchev

Executive DirectorEnEffect, Center for Energy Efficiency, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Zdravko Genchev is Executive Director of the Bulgarian Energy Efficiency CenterEnEffect and the Bulgarian Municipal Energy Efficiency Network EcoEnergy. Heis vice-chairman of the Steering Committee of the UNECE “Energy Efficiency21” project, Board member of European Council for Energy Efficient Economy,life-member of the US Association of Energy Engineers, regional coordinator ofthe Regional Network for Efficient Use of Energy and Water Resources(RENEUER) in Southeast Europe. In the last 17 years Mr Genchev has been con-tinuously involved in the development, management and implementation ofvarious energy efficiency programmes of the United Nations, GEF, EuropeanCommission, US AID, REC, JICA, etc. Currently with EnEffect his work is focusedmainly in the area of local (municipal) energy efficiency policies and practicesand energy efficiency in buildings. With EnEffect he has been providing trainingon municipal energy planning and development and financing engineering invarious countries of Southeast Europe. Mr Genchev graduated architecture inSofia in 1967. He passed postgraduate training on housing architecture andhousing policy in Italy, England and Denmark and obtained a PhD degree onhousing in 1980. As leader of research and design teams he has elaboratedand built experimental and demonstration projects for residential and publicbuildings and estates. He has more than 200 publications in national and for-eign editions and presentations at numerous international events in the field ofhousing and energy efficiency. Dr Genchev has been working also as secretaryof the Union of Architects in Bulgaria, editor-in-chief of the Bulgarian architec-tural review “Arhitectura”, head of the “Housing Policy” department of theMinistry of Regional Development and Housing Policy, director general of theNational Center for Regional Development and Housing Policy. He has beenawarded at architectural competitions.

Presentation

New Energy efficiency funds will support climate change mitigation

The Energy Efficiency 21 Project promotes the formation of an energy efficien-cy market in Eastern Europe so that cost-effective investments can provide aself-financing method of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The marketfor projects with a payback period of less than five years is estimated to bebetween EUR 5 and 10 billion. But the capital investment requirements neededto tap this potential are so large that only commercial sector finance on a sig-nificant scale can actually deliver meaningful results. In the last several yearsthe project promotes the development and the introduction of innovative finan-cial instruments for energy efficiency investment projects that have significantimpact to the climate change mitigation. Two of the results of these efforts arethe subject of this presentation. Under a mandate of the UNECE Energy Efficiency 21 Project one of the largestfunds for financing environmentally sound energy technologies in Europe hasbeen recently successfully raised by SwissRe. The EUR 329 million Fund is toprovide capital for clean energy projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissionsin Central, Eastern and Western Europe. It will finance energy efficiency andrenewable energy investment projects that reduce CO2 emissions and generatecarbon credits or tradable certificates.The SwissRe European Clean Energy Fund


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offers attractive returns to institutional investors in Europe, Canada and theUnited States for financing energy efficiency, wind, solar, hydroelectric, geo-thermal projects while providing carbon market services. Mr. Marek Belka,Executive Secretary of the UNECE said, “The SwissRe European Clean EnergyFund was mandated by the Energy Efficiency 21 Project to establish a dedicatedfinancial instrument for the participation of public and private sector investorson a much larger scale than previously possible”. In 2006 the UNECE Energy Efficiency 21 Project (EE21) received approval fromthe Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Council meeting to assist in the develop-ment and launching of an Investment Fund to reduce carbon emissions in theCommonwealth of Independent States and South-East Europe. The US$ 3 millionGEF grant for ‘Financing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Investments forClimate Change Mitigation’ is for technical assistance in the recipient countriesand for development of the Investment Fund. It completes the co-financingrequirements of the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the Fonds Françaispour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM). In June 2004, the UNF Board ofDirectors approved a grant of US$ 2 million conditional on matching pledgesfrom other donors. The FFEM Grants Committee approved the French Ministry ofForeign Affairs co-financing proposal of US$ 2.5 million in March 2005. The GEFgrant completes the funding for a technical assistance project that will launch apublic-private equity Fund together with an international financial institution,assist local experts to develop investment projects for financing and work withlocal authorities on the energy policy reforms to support these investments. TheUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the GEF Co-ImplementingAgency together with an international financial institution and the UNECE is theExecuting Agency for the project. Part of the funding from UNF, FFEM and GEFwill be used to structure the Investment Fund, examine legal and fiscal issues,and solicit public and private sector investors who will select an experienced FundManager. The investment fund will not be managed by UNECE or UNEP but willbe a separate legal entity aligned with Energy Efficiency 21. Investment projectsto reduce carbon emissions have been developed under EE21 with local counter-parts since 2000 in Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation andUkraine. While some US$ 60 million of proposals have been prepared, invest-ment projects of some US$ 9.7 million have been financed amounting to an esti-mated 49,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided per year. The new Investment Fund willprovide the capacity for many more projects to be financed with larger carbonemissions reductions. Current as well as new investment proposals developedunder EE21, with funding from the UNF, FFEM and GEF grants, that meet agreedcriteria will provide a pipeline of projects to the investment fund. The FundManager will have access to these proposals but will also finance projects fromother sources so long as they meet the selection criteria jointly agreed withUNEP/UNECE and the investors in the Investment Fund.The EE21 capacity build-ing activities will be aimed at developing the skills of public and private sectorexperts to identify, develop and finance energy efficiency investment projects forsubmission to the Fund Manager. The project will also work with national admin-istrations and local authorities to introduce economic, institutional and regulato-ry reforms needed to support these investment proposals.

Mario Lazzeri

Business Development ManagerD’Appolonia S.p.A., Italy

Contacts


Biography

Mario Lazzeri leads the Business Development Direction of D’Appolonia, aleading private Italian engineering consultancy firm active in the filed of ener-gy, environment, transport and infrastructure. Mr. Lazzeri has a strong educa-tional background (M.Sc. in Engineering, 1988; M.Sc. EnvironmentalManagement, 1991) and has achieved an extensive professional experience(more than 19 years) in managing engineering projects and operations ofmultinational working groups in international projects funded by major IFIs(EBRD, World Bank, EIB) or within bilateral cooperation, in Central and EasternEurope, North Africa and Asia. Mr. Lazzeri technical experience covers a widevariety of energy and environmental projects for both Governments and indus-try, private and public institutions.

Presentation

Energy Benchmarking: a Tool developed for EBRD for Assessing EnergyEfficiency Performance and Carbon Credit Opportunities

The speech will focus on the overview of a tailored Energy EfficiencyBenchmarking Tool that the EBRD has developed in order to screen and assessthe energy saving potential and related carbon credit opportunities of projectswhich are not subject to detailed Energy Audits. A dedicated software applica-tion has been designed to allow EBRD to assess energy saving potentials ofindustrial projects included in the E/1 category by reference to appropriateindustry benchmarks of energy consumption with an efficient and cost effectivemethod. Up to now this tool is composed of four sector-oriented sections, forthe brewing, milk processing, fruit juice and edible oil production sectors. Thespeech will describe in detail the methodology that has been applied in the elab-oration of the benchmarking tool and the basic principles of the statistical andmathematical analysis performed by this tool on collected data, how real datawill be collected from the industries and how these information will be storedand processed, and the most significant outputs that the benchmarking tool canprovide to the users. Additionally pilot application cases will be showed and thepotentials for increase in the software application power will be described, inparticular for what concern the development of specific sections dedicated tonew industrial sectors and the set up of an adequate sample for the statisticalanalysis. Performed activities could allow the programme to be extended andcould be shared with other IFIs as part of the Investment Framework requestedby the G8 at Gleneagles.

Jacquelin Ligot

Director, Energy Efficiency and Climate ChangeTeamEBRD

Contacts

tel. +44 207 338 7022fax +44 207 338 6942 e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Jacquelin Ligot is Director of the Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Team(EECC) at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This groupformulates EBRD's strategy in the area of sustainable energy (including carbontrading and finance) and co-ordinates its implementation across all bankingteams. EBRD's strategy is reflected in the Sustainable Energy Initiative and inthe new Energy Operations Policy, both from 2006. The overarching objectiveis to maximise the potential for energy savings and greenhouse gas emissionsreductions in Bank investments. EECC has three main roles: a/ to help identifyand develop energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction compo-nents in all relevant Bank projects; b/ to support EBRD’s Financial Institutions(FI) Team in designing and implementing wholesale financing instruments tar-geting energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, chiefly credit lines orequity funds. This entails commissioning market studies to ascertain potentialdemand for the financing scheme; mobilising Technical Assistance and grantco-financing from donors, including the European Commission to fund consult-ants for project preparation and implementation; assisting FI in designing thescheme; and c/ to identify, develop and execute carbon credit transactions inconnection with EBRD-funded projects. EECC also structures carbon fundswhereby the Bank can purchase carbon credits from EBRD- or EIB-funded proj-ects on behalf of third parties, e.g. the Netherlands-EBRD Carbon Fund and theMultilateral Carbon Credit Fund (MCCF, in cooperation with EIB). Prior to his cur-rent position, Mr. Ligot worked as a senior banker in the EBRD’s Municipal andEnvironmental Infrastructure Team (1995-2000), and the EBRD’s Treasury(1994-1995). He joined the EBRD in 1994 following a 5 year stint at theFinance Department of the City of Paris, where he held various positions,including that of Treasurer, in charge of debt management and borrowings ofthe French capital. Jacquelin Ligot studied at the Paris-based Institut d'EtudesPolitiques (Sciences-Po) and Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA). He holdsan MBA from London Business School.


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Presentation

Financing Energy Efficiency in Transition Countries; EBRD’s Experience

The presentation will give an overview of what EBRD does in the area of energyefficiency, and through which instruments. This will be supported by case stud-ies of recent projects signed by the Bank. The key areas covered include:Industry, the energy sector, the municipal sector, dedicated energy efficiencycredit lines, and carbon finance.

Gianpiero Nacci

Senior EngineerEuropean Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment (EBRD), United Kingdom

Contacts


Biography

Energy efficiency specialist holding a MSc in Mechanical Engineering(Politecnico of Turin, Italy) and a MSc in Renewable Energy (University ofOldenburg, Germany). Before joining the EBRD, he worked in Italy as a processengineer and project engineer in large combined heat and power projects asso-ciated to industrial operations (mainly pulp and paper and automotive).Afterwards, he has been involved as project engineer in the development of anumber of industrial manufacturing facilities in India and then in UK as indus-trial energy efficiency consultant. At the EBRD he is a Senior Engineer in theEnergy Efficiency and Climate Change Team providing technical support to sus-tainable energy projects of the Bank ranging from stand alone rational energyutilisation projects in energy intensive industries to emission reduction projectsin the energy sector to dedicated sustainable energy credit lines in the corpo-rate and residential sectors.

Presentation

EBRD approach to energy efficiency in the industrial sectors: stand aloneprojects and credit lines

The presentation will provide an outline of the various products the EBRD hasdeveloped to finance energy efficiency projects in the industrial sector. It willreview results achieved in a broad range of projects from stand alone projects inenergy intensive industries to dedicated credit lines targeting the SME sector.

Kostadinka Todorova

Director, Energy Efficiency and EnvironmentalProtection DirectorateMinistry of Economy and Energy, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Kostadinka Todorova was born on 5th August 1956. Mrs. Todorova has a mas-ter’s degree in “Electric power generation and electrical equipment”. She startsher career as and energy balances and prognoses expert in “Energy strategy,forecasting and planning” department in the State energy and energy resourcesagency. In 2001 she becomes a head of “Energy analyses and prognoses”. InOctober 2002, after a competition was made, Mrs. Todorova is chosen for direc-tor of “Energy strategy” directorate in the Ministry of energy and energyresources. Since 2005 till now, after the unification of the Ministry of energyand energy resources with the Ministry of Economy, Mrs. Todorova is appointedas a Director of “Energy efficiency and Environmental protection” Directorate inthe Ministry of Economy and Energy. Mrs. Todorova has specialized in Denmark,

Italy and Netherlands in the field of strategic forecasting and planning, climatechange problems, project management, energy efficiency, renewable energysources and others. Mrs. Todorova was a national coordinator of two alreadysuccessfully finished projects of the World Bank – “Sustainable utilization of thegeothermal resources in Bulgaria” and “Establishment of Bulgarian EnergyEfficiency Fund”. Also she was the Bulgarian coordinator for the TwinningProject with the federal government of Hessen “Elaboration of National strate-gy for supporting the industry in its compliance with the environmental legis-lation”. Currently Mrs. Todorova is Bulgarian coordinator in the Dutch-Bulgarianproject “Voluntary Agreements for Energy Efficiency Improvement in Industry”.Also Mrs. Todorova participates in the elaboration of many legislative and sec-ondary legislation acts: Energy Law, Energy Efficiency Law and their lastamendments and additions, Law on Regional Development, Law on renewableand alternative energy sources and biofuels.

Presentation

Energy efficiency in Bulgaria – present situation, legal framework, meas-ures for energy efficiency increase

Energy efficiency has a key role in Bulgarian energy policy and is a national pri-ority for achieving the goals set up during the process of assessment to EU. AlsoEnergy efficiency and RES are priorities for EU. Moreover the last decisionstaken at the EU summit in the beginning of 2007 support decreasing of 20 %of energy consumption compared to forecast for 2020. The Bulgarian policy inthis field can not be different than the European one. At present the energyintensity in GDP in Bulgaria is approximately two times higher than this in theother EU countries. Considering the current situation, the measures for energyefficiency in industry are crucial for decreasing the energy intensity of Bulgarianeconomy and for increasing its competitiveness. The policy of the Ministry ofEconomy and Energy in the field of energy efficiency is set up in the EnergyEfficiency Law. The two years experience with the two energy laws gave us a newvision and we have made amendment in the legislation framework for ensuringa favorable environment for the Bulgarian business. European legislation in thefield of energy efficiency is transposed into Bulgarian one. Bulgarian govern-ment has ensured the necessary conditions for investments. As complementarypromotion of the market of energy efficiency services we have amended theEnergy efficiency Law. Currently a secondary legislation is being elaborated.Taking into account the achievement of fast practical results as well as fulfillingthe taken engagements, the Ministry of Economy and Energy has elaborated theFirst National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, according to the Directive2006/32/ÖC on energy end-use efficiency and energy services. This ActionPlan has been adopted by the Council of Ministers at the beginning of October2007. According to the First Action Plan Bulgaria placed an indicative goal forenergy saving from 3 % for the period 2008-2010.

Paul Waide

Senior Policy AnalystInternational Energy Agency

Contacts


Biography

Paul Waide has been a Senior Policy Analyst in the Energy Efficiency andEnvironment Division of the International Energy Agency since March 2004where he has a prominent role in the agency’s work on energy efficiency, whichincludes supporting the G8 countries in developing their plan of action address-ing Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development. He providesanalysis for the agency’s influential long-range energy scenarios including theWorld Energy Outlook and Energy Technologies Perspectives publications and isalso the principal author of some of the agency’s main publications addressingenergy efficiency policy and technology including: Light’s Labour’s Lost: Policiesfor Energy Efficient Lighting and the previous analysis of the residential electric-ity sector, Cool Appliances: Policy Strategies for Energy-Efficient Homes. Manyof the recommendations deriving from these analyses have been adopted bygovernment and so far the IEA has made sixteen concrete energy-efficiency pol-icy recommendations to the G8 that have subsequently been endorsed in G8


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summits and IEA Energy Ministerial meetings. Prior to joining the IEA he workedas an international energy efficiency consultant for 14 years wherein he wasinvolved in the promulgation of equipment energy efficiency programmes (espe-cially those concerned with standards and labelling) in Europe, China, SouthAfrica and numerous other countries. Mr Waide is on the board of two energyefficiency NGOs (CLASP and IMT) and has a Ph.D in Applied Energy fromCranfield University in the UK, a M.Sc. from Surrey University and a B.Sc. inPhysics from Liverpool University.

Presentation

International energy efficiency developments in the buildings sector:opportunities and issues

Energy consumption in buildings is the largest of any end-use sector and in mosteconomies accounts for around 40% of all energy use. Large and feasible poten-tials for energy efficiency improvements are available in both new and existingbuildings. Energy consumption in buildings could be reduced by more than 50per cent and were this to be fully implemented it would lower the world’s totalfinal energy consumption by 15 - 20 per cent. Implementing effective policiesto realise these savings will save money for building owners and users alike andmake a marked contribution to governments’ stated goals on climate changeand energy security. Such measures would also create jobs in the constructionsector. This presentation summarises the energy, economic and environmentalsavings potentials that could be achieved and discusses the policies and pro-grammes that could help to achieve them. In particular it details the new inter-national policy dynamics in this domain and how these relate to the CEI region.

Georgui Horozov

Director of the Energy and InfrastructureDepartmentBlack Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB)

Contacts


Biography

Georgui Horozov has been with the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank(‘BSTDB’) since before its inauguration in early 1999. He is heading the depart-ment in charge of BSTDB's Corporate and Project Finance activities inInfrastructure, Telecommunications, Energy, Oil and Gas sectors in all BSTDBmember countries. Before joining BSTDB, Mr Horozov was Principal Banker withthe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London wherehe spent more than five years dealing with cross-boarder telecoms and mediainvestments. Prior to focusing his professional activities on the Black Sea region,Mr Horozov has been involved in both private and public sector debt and equitytransactions in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. He is a hold-er of an MBA degree from INSEAD, Fontainebleau in France and CFEP fromLondon Business School in the UK. Mr Horozov is a regular speaker at investmentforums.

Plamen Oresharski

Minister Ministry of Finance, Bulgaria

Contacts


1.6

EBRD Transition Report 2007: People in Transition

Biography

Mr Plamen Oresharski graduated from the University of National and WorldEconomy in 1985. From 1988 until 1992 he specialized in the same universitywhere he became a PhD in Investments and Investment Analysis. Mr Oresharskispecialized in Bank Management – USA and Government Bonds Emission -National Savings, London, UK. He is Vice-Chancellor and a full time reader of theFinance Department in the University of National and World Economy, teachingon Finance Management, Investments, Investment Analysis. Between 1992 and1993, Plamen Oresharski was nominated for Vice-Dean of the FinanceDepartment in the University of National and World Economy. From 1993 until1997 he was Director of the State Treasury and Debt Directorate, GovernmentDebt Policy design and management, Expenditure and Revenue Policy manage-ment in Ministry of Finance. In the period 1997-2001 Mr. Oresharski wasDeputy Minister of Finance, responsible for the Management of the State Debt andBulgarian Bond Market and the Preparation of the Currency Board legislation andintroduction. In 1992-1993 Plamen Oresharski was consultant in Commercialbanks' investment and capital projects and Banks' liability and assets manage-ment. He was Team leader of the Arrangements of the Currency Board legislationand regulation in 1997. From 1997 to 1999 he was Restructuring and negoti-ating Bulgarian foreign debt team leader, as well as Liberalization of Bulgariancurrency regime Working group Manager in 1999. Mr Plamen Oresharski wasmember of several management boards as Bulgarian Consolidation CompanyManagement Board, BULBANK Management Board, Bulgarian Stock ExchangeManagement Board, STATE SAVING BANK Management Board, President of SOFI-ABANK Management Board. From the 17th of August 2005, Plamen Oresharskiwas nominated for Minister of Finance.

Francesca Pissarides

Senior EconomistOffice of the Chief Economist, EBRD

Contacts


Biography

Francesca Pissarides is Senior Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist,European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London. She joinedthe EBRD in 1992 and worked on a number of transition countries (Albania,Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia). She specialises in financial andbusiness environment support to SMEs and is currently working on impact eval-uation of EBRD projects. She studied in Rome where she gained a First Degree inEconomics from the Libera Universita’ degli Studi Sociali (1984) and in Londonwhere she gained an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics(1985). She carried out research training in the Financial Markets Group(1985-87) of the London School of Economics, with Professor Mervyn King, and workedat DRI McGraw Hill (UK) as an economist (1987-88), forecasting small Europeaneconomies.

Presentation

EBRD Transition Report 2007: People in Transition

Christoph B. Rosenberg

Senior Regional RepresentativeInternational Monetary Fund, Poland

Contacts


BiographyChristoph Rosenberg heads the International Monetary Fund’s regional officefor Central Europe and the Baltics in Warsaw since 2005. The office supportsthe IMF’s surveillance of economic and financial policies in the region, espe-cially with regard to preparations for euro adoption. Previously Mr. Rosenberg’


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was a deputy division chief in the IMF’s Policy Development and ReviewDepartment, where he worked on emerging market and vulnerability issues,mainly in Latin American countries and Lebanon. Other assignments at the IMFincluded work on various country desks in Africa, Europe and Central Asia, aswell as resident representative to Uzbekistan (1998-2001). Before joiningthe IMF in 1993, Mr. Rosenberg was a lecturer at the University ofRegensburg. He also worked as a freelance journalist for various German news-papers and business magazines. Mr. Rosenberg earned a Ph.D. from theUniversity of Regensburg, Germany, and a M.A. in Economics from VanderbiltUniversity, USA. He speaks German, English, French, Russian and some Polish.

PresentationEconomic Trends and Challenges in the New Member States

The presentation takes a closer look at recent economic performance and policychallenges in the new member states (NMS) of the EU. Real GDP growth in thesecountries has been rapid, headline fiscal performance good (with some excep-tions), and inflation relatively low—especially if one takes into account theinevitable adjustment of price levels associated with convergence. Financialmarkets have been bought into the NMSs’ convergence story, as evidenced bylarge capital inflows, much of it in bank lending and foreign direct investment.So far, the NMS have weathered the fallout from the US subprime mortgage cri-sis remarkably well.This stellar performance may, however, obscure a worrying build-up vulnerabil-ities in a number of NMS, especially in the Baltics and South-Eastern Europe. Asimple comparison to key macro variables in previous crisis episodes show that,on the face of it, these countries should worry about rapid credit growth and,relatedly, large external imbalances. One may argue that such temporary imbal-ances are only natural in an environment of rapid growth and still evolving insti-tutions. Is there anything that economic policy should or can do to slow downthis process? This points to a policy dilemma: how to reduce vulnerabilities andnot to impede the convergence process. The analytical challenge in this contextis to separate convergence-related demand pressures from overheating. Againstthis background, the presentation identifies four areas of concern identified inthe IMF’s surveillance in the region. Lack of fiscal adjustment: Despite healthy growth, few countries have used thebenign global environment and buoyant revenue to reduce deficits. Fiscal policyis even more procyclical if one accounts for EU funds. As recent IMF research(WEO, October 2007) shows, countercyclical fiscal policy in the form of slowergrowth of government spending can play a decisive role in curtailing harmfulreal appreciation at times of strong capital inflows. This is particularly relevantfor countries with fixed exchange rate regimes. Indeed, primary public spendingin the new member states is high compared to other emerging market countries. Rapid credit growth and currency mismatches: Growth of credit to the privatesector has been brisk, reflecting pent-up demand, expectations of higher futureearnings and, on the supply side, the entry of foreign banks competing for mar-ket share. The level of private sector debt has not yet exceeded equilibrium lev-els, except in some Baltic countries. Nevertheless, the rapid pace of credit growthraises questions about the quality of lending decisions, as recently highlightedin the US subprime mortgage market. In several NMS, especially those withfixed exchange rates, most loans are extended in foreign currencies, often forhousehold mortgages. As a result, large unhedged currency mismatches haveemerged. The risks associated with this behavior present a challenge for bank-ing supervision and, more generally, policies to manage expectations. Large external imbalance and cross-border contagion risks: A lively debate hasemerged whether the deterioration of international investment positions in theNMS should be cause for concern. Optimists point out that EU membership fun-damentally sets these countries apart from previous such episodes, which haveoften ended with sudden stops of capital inflows and deep recessions. It isargued that EU institutions impose discipline, as evidenced by the “EU haloeffect” of borrowing spreads up to 100 bp below comparable emerging markets.Moreover, the structure of external financing--bank loans from EU parent bankswith a strategic stake in the NMS, foreign direct investment, remittances, EUfunds—provides some comfort. Pessimists point out that sudden stops are stillpossible, especially if the fundamental belief in the benefits of EU membership,including euro adoption is shaken. In any event, external sustainability dictatesthat the rapid increase of foreign liabilities will need to be reversed by runningcurrent account surpluses. Also, the exposure to a few regionally operatingbanks creates new risks—a challenge for cross-border financial supervision. Euro adoption and creating flexible economies:. Meeting the Maastricht conver-gence criteria has proven a challenge to euro adoption. While reducing inflationand fiscal deficits this is indeed important, policy makers should not lose sightof structural reforms that are just as important to ensure success in the eurozone. Specifically, labor and product markets need maximum flexibility once theexchange rate and interest rates are no longer available as policy instruments.Some NMS do well on this count, although factor markets are yet to be tested.

Fabrizio Coricelli

Director of Policy StudiesEuropean Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment (EBRD)

Contacts

tel. +44 207 338 7211fax. +44 207 338 6110e-mail: [email protected]

BiographyDirector of Policy Studies, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,London. He is also Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research(CEPR) in London and member of the Advisory Council of CASE, Poland. He isProfessor of Economics, on leave from the University of Siena, Italy. He holdsa Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He hasbeen Economic Adviser at the European Commission in 2001-2002 inBrussels, senior economist at the World Bank (1989-1993) and economist atthe International Monetary Fund (1987-1989), in Washington D.C.. Since1989 he has worked extensively on formerly planned economies and Central-Eastern European countries, focusing on the development of financial markets.

PresentationTransition Report 2007

Stere Farmache

Chief Executive Officer Bucharest Stock Exchange, Romania

Contacts


Biography

Stere Farmache is the CEO of Bucharest Stock Exchange from its opening in1995. He also runs the vice president chair at the Romanian CentralDepository and the Associated Professor desk at the Academy of EconomicStudies in Bucharest. For more than 20 years Mr. Farmache has worked in theRomanian financial environment: starting for the Ministry of Finance, towardsthe creation of the capital market in Romania, and ending as CEO at the insti-tution he created: the Bucharest Stock Exchange. At the stock exchange hemanages an employee team of 68 persons and leads the strategy projects,under the corporate development and growth perspective. As an academicbackground, Mr. Farmache had his bachelor degree at the Academy ofEconomics Studies of Bucharest, followed by master degree at InternationalInstitute of Administration Paris and numerous trainings of GeorgetownUniversity and World Bank.

Presentation

Bucharest Stock Exchange Development and Capital Market Integration

Romania integration into the EU imposed preparations for the capital marketsector in order to face the new European challenges. With this respect, hasdeveloped the Romanian capital market reform. The capital market Law (Law no.297/2004) came into force, preparing the legal framework for EU integrationand fully implementing the EU directives (MIFID, MAD, TD, AMP, etc.). In termsof BVB rule books, a new BVB code was created in order to raise the BVB mar-ket efficiency. The evolution of the capital market indicators comes to reinforcethe development of the Romanian capital market.

2.1

A New Vision of Capital Markets in Central and Southeast Europe - theEuropean Securities Landscape


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Gilbert McCaul

PartnerKPMG in Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Gilbert McCaul is an Audit Partner in KPMG in Bulgaria. In 2006 he becamehead of Audit also for KPMG in Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. Mr McCaul has30 years’ professional experience. He joined Peat Marwick in the UnitedKingdom (the company that later merged with Klynveld Main Goerdeler toform KPMG) in 1977 and worked for KPMG in the UK until 1999 spending thelast nine years as an Audit Partner. Mr Gilbert McCaul has outstanding expert-ise in international auditing and financial reporting standards. Furthermore, hehas led a number of high profile advisory projects in Balkan countries. MrMcCaul is actively involved in the Bulgarian business community. He has beena member of the Board of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum for severalyears, encouraging corporate social responsibility practices among businessesin Bulgaria. Gilbert McCaul has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics andPhysics, followed by a master’s degree in Mathematics from the University ofGlasgow. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1980 and has since beena member of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

Presentation

A Financial Advisor’s Perspective on the Development of Capital Markets

The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) has the purpose of intro-ducing a single market and regulatory regime for investment services in theEuropean Economic Area. This may initially sound quite narrow but is likely tobe a major further factor influencing the greater internationalization of thecapital markets in Europe which will inevitably have an impact on the situationin Central and South East Europe. Until now, the capital markets in most of theSE Europe countries have generally been small in scale compared with certainof the much longer established securities exchanges in Western Europe. Asprofessional advisors, we have seen the gradual development of IPOs of com-panies based in SE Europe take place in other countries – particularly in theUK and to a lesser extent other markets. This development has meant that, asprofessional advisors we have been advising companies on the regulatory andfinancial implications of listing shares in other jurisdictions. Under MiFID themarket for investment advisors is being opened up throughout the EU andrestrictions on doing business anywhere within the EU are largely being elim-inated. This means greater competition between investment advisors. For com-panies in this region it is likely that there will be greater opportunities to raisefunds from a wider variety of sources. It may also mean that local SecuritiesExchanges, through locally based investment advisors, can attract greaterfunds and obtain a higher profile. For other professional advisors this gives thetwin challenges of requiring to advise local companies in applying the regula-tions of other jurisdictions and possibly of working with more companies tak-ing advantage of the changes to develop their business through the localexchanges in SE Europe which they may not have considered in the past.Enabling regulated markets to admit transferable securities admitted to trad-ing on another regulated market, even without the consent of the issuer, mayfurther internationalize share trading. Although the effects of this may not yetbe clear it could reduce the relevance of the market on which a share is initial-ly traded. This may also affect the wider professional services market – asadvising companies or market conditions in a greater number of countries maybecome more common. MiFID is likely to widen the competition for investmentservices within the EU and broaden the cross-border activities of the interna-tional financial advisory companies. They also may face greater regulation oftheir activities to the extent that their own business is determined to be theprovision of investment services.

Victor Papazov

Founder & Chairman of the BoardBulgarian Stock Exchange - Sofia JSC, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Victor Papazov is Founder and Chairman of the Board of Bulgarian StockExchange. He is with the institution since its inception in 1991 and served asCEO during the first nine years of its existence. Currently he is representing theinstitution and serves as a liaison with the Government and the Parliament. Heis also responsible for the planning and implementation of the future integra-tion of BSE into European capital market structure. His knowledge in the cap-ital markets field is utilized both by the Parliament where he advises theChairman of the Economic commission and as a professor in UNWE andInternational University in Sofia. He has Masters Degrees in Planning andForeign Trade from UNWE and accomplished programs at GeorgetownUniversity in Washington D.C., Stanford University and Harvard BusinessSchool. For his achievements he was announced Global Leader for Tomorrow bythe World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Presentation

The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) is likely to be one of thegreatest legislative changes seen in Europe's securities markets in more thantwo decades. The intention of MiFID is to raise the standards of the Europeaninvestment markets to a higher level and in particular, focus on best execution,investor protection, and transparency of trading. The Markets in FinancialInstruments Directive comes into effect on 1 November 2007, when it willreplace the existing Investment Services Directive (ISD). The Bulgarian NationalAssembly passed the MiFID regulation, Markets in Financial Instruments Act, inmid-June 2007. The adoption of The Markets in Financial Instruments Act alsoled to some amendments in the Bulgarian Public Offering of Securities Act. Oneof them concerns the restrictions on shareholders of the Bulgarian StockExchange. Previously, no single shareholder of the Bulgarian Stock Exchangemight own more than 5 per cent of the shares therein, except the BulgarianState and foreign stock exchange alliances. The latest amendments lifted thatrestriction, which is an important step towards the demutualization of theBulgarian Stock Exchange. The main aspects of the Markets in FinancialInstruments Act and the expected changes to the Bulgarian capital market canbe summarized as follows:First, according to the Markets in Financial Instruments Act, securities tradingcan be executed both on and outside the regulated market. The amendment islikely to affect the trade on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange to some extent. Onthe one hand, some market participants will probably prefer to trade outside theexchange, especially when they do not want publicity about the respective tradeor when the trade is executed at a price that is far away from the market price.On the other hand, trading on the Bulgarian regulated market has a number ofadvantages. The local regulated market is more secure and transparent for theforeign institutional investors. In addition, capital gains from transactions exe-cuted on the regulated market are not subject to withholding tax.Second, MiFID introduces a new "core" investment service/activity of operatinga Multilateral Trading Facility (MTFs). An MTF is described as a multilateral sys-tem that brings together multiple third party buying and selling interests infinancial instruments, on a non-discretionary basis, in a way that results in acontract, in accordance with MiFID's rules on conduct of business. MTFs providean alternative way for securities trading; they can be organized by one or moreinvestment intermediaries, as well as by an existing regulated market. In thenear future it is hardly probable that the local investment intermediaries willorganize a MTF as an alternative to the Bulgarian Stock Exchange due to the fol-lowing reasons:Considerable costs for establishing, licensing and maintaining a MTF. Even if thelocal investment intermediaries offer lower transaction fees, the total cost forthe investor can be higher due to the smaller number of market participants atthe MTF and the increased buy/sell spread; The operators of MTFs must maintain arrangements to provide sufficient publiclyavailable information to enable the users of a multilateral trading facility oper-


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ated by them to form investment judgments, taking into account both the natureof the users and the types of instrument traded. The disclosure of informationfrom a MTF to the regulated market is considered a huge problem in mostEuropean countries; Multilateral trading facilities within the meaning of the Directive are not consid-ered as regulated markets, so capital gains from transactions are subject to with-holding tax.Third, MiFID will allow investment firms to act as systematic internalizers. A sys-tematic internalizer is an investment firm dealing on its own account to executeclient orders outside a regulated market or a multilateral trading facility (MTF).Previously, most local investment intermediaries could “informally” executeclient orders in such a way, but there were some restrictions concerning the exe-cution price - the execution price had to be the market price.The disclosure of market information is another important point in the Marketsin Financial Instruments Act. On the one hand, the regulated markets shall makepublic on a continuous basis and on reasonable commercial terms informationon current bid and offer prices, as well as the orders given at those prices. Onthe other hand, trades executed through a multilateral trading facility, have to bemade public in due time. Third, an investment intermediary, which concludesoutside of a regulated market and a MTF transactions in shares, admitted to trad-ing on a regulated market, must disclose publicly information in one of the fol-lowing ways: on the web site of the investment intermediary; through technicalfacilities on the regulated market on which the shares are traded, in case thatthe market admits such disclosure or through technical means of the MultilateralTrading Facility on which the shares are traded.In this respect, Markets in Financial Instruments Act deviates from theTransparency Directive, as the Directive allows disclosure of market informationthrough another regulated market, where the shares can even be not admittedfor trading. In other words, according to the Transparency Directive, investmentintermediaries have the right to choose the publisher through which the infor-mation will be made public. The deviation mentioned above will be one of thebiggest challenges in front of the Bulgarian institutions that will apply theTransparency Directive.

Heinrich Schaller

Joint Chief Executive OfficerVienna Stock Exchange, Austria

Contacts


Biography

Mr. Heinrich Schaller is Member of the Board of Vienna Stock Exchange. Mr.Schaller’s expertise spans over twenty years in the banking sector. His careerstarted in Raiffeisen Zentralbank. In October 2000 he became a DeputyChairman of the Management Board of Reiffeisenlandesbank responsible forthe security, treasury, sales and marketing. Mr. Schaller is on his current posi-tion since June 2006 after being a Member of the Managing Board ofReiffeisen Oberosterreich Aktiengesellschaft in the period 2004 – 2006.

Presentation

Vienna Stock Exchange – International Expertise and Know How in theModern Capital Markets

The Vienna Stock Exchange at a glance.Wiener Boerse (the Vienna Stock Exchange), founded in 1771 and one of theworld’s oldest exchanges, today is a modern, customer and service orientedfinancial services company. As the only securities exchange in Austria it playsa pivotal role in the Austrian capital market. The core business of Wiener Börseis to operate cash market trading (equity market, bond market) and a deriva-tives market as well as trading in structured products. The stable ownership –50% are owned by Austrian banks, 50% by its issuers – assures WienerBörse’s independence. Wiener Börse has developed into a dynamically grow-ing international niche player during recent years. The ATX, the leading indexof Wiener Börse, has been on a steep rise since 2002. Market capitalizationand trading volumes multiplicated during the same period of time. A very attractive financial marketplace.

The Wiener Boerse has also become international: on the cash market andderivatives market, in the field of indices, with respect to its consulting activ-ities and with its investors. Many factors confirm its international success: 39international members are trading on Vienna Stock Exchange: The number offoreign investment firms admitted as direct trading members to Vienna StockExchange has more than doubled in the past two years. With 60.3%, interna-tional members now account for more than half of the entire trading volume,while just three years earlier, their share in total trading volume had been onlyaround 20%.Innovative index know-how of Vienna Stock Exchange is in high demand inter-nationally: Vienna Stock Exchange has become successfully established as a global expertfor indices. Today, over 80% of all structured products worldwide relating toCentral, East and Southeast Europe are based on the indices created by ViennaStock Exchange. Currently, Vienna Stock Exchange calculates 29 indices ofwhich 21 replicate the regional, national or sector developments in CEE. Alonein the year 2006, Vienna Stock Exchange acquired 25 new index licenseesfrom 13 different countries. Vienna Stock Exchange boasts about 120 interna-tional banks as index customers.Roadshows at all major financial marketplaces worldwide: Over 300 foreigninstitutional investors are addressed in around eight roadshows carried outjointly with bank partners and listed companies every year. By country, thelargest group of investors in the ATX is US with 30%, followed by the UK with25.2%. Third place is taken by Germany with 14% and fourth by Austria withsome 7.1%.Network of the Wiener Boerse.Some 80% of the companies comprised in the ATX are doing business in theCentral- and Southeast-European region. The economical integration of thisfastest growing region in Europe calls for increasing cooperation among theregional stock exchanges. Wiener Boerse has been active as a consultant in thedesign, the development, and the marketing of financial marketplaces – pre-dominantly in the CEE-countries – already since 1997.Wiener Boerse acquired stakes in the Budapest Stock Exchange in 2004 andhas entered into cooperation agreements with the following Eastern and South-Eastern European stock exchanges: Bucharest, Zagreb, Belgrade, Sarajevo,Sofia, Montenegro, Banja Luka, and Macedonia, as well as with the StateAgency, the National Depositary and PFTS Exchange in the Ukraine. Typicalareas of cooperation to stimulate the regional market include for the mutualbenefit of the exchanges in many instances the calculation and disseminationof a joint index and sometimes the common data vending. E.g. at the end of2004, Vienna Stock Exchange entered into an index cooperation project withthe Bucharest Stock Exchange, and since March 2005, the two partners havebeen calculating and disseminating the ROTX jointly. Since autumn 2006Wiener Boerse has been disseminating the BET, the leading index of theBucharest Stock Exchange, and as of July 2007, financial informationproviders to VSE data can receive data from the Bucharest Stock Exchange viatheir existing datafeed as well.

Maria Velentza

Head, Securities Markets Unit, DG Internal Marketand ServicesEuropean Commission

Contacts


Biography

Maria Velentza is the acting head of unit of the Securities Markets of the EuropeanCommission. She was born in Athens, Greece and has the Greek nationality. She'sa graduate of the German School of Athens and studied law at the University ofAthens. She continued her post-university studies (DEA en Droit Communautaire)in European Law in Paris, Sorbonne (Paris II). She qualified as a lawyer in Greecein 1990. She has been working in the Commission since 1991 as a legal advi-sor in various sectors: enterprise policy (focussing small and medium sizedenterprises); freedom of establishment and free movement of professionals andservices; banking, insurance and payment systems; better regulation, contractlaw, precautionary principle, late payments directive; pharmaceuticals.She has been working in her current unit since October 2002. Her main


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responsibility are institutional and legal aspects of the securities markets,transposition and implementation issues, regulatory policy (for instance in thecontext of the "MIFID" and Prospectus directives), EU-Us relations and supervi-sory convergence. She is fluent in Greek, German, French, English and Spanishand she understands Italian and Portuguese. She has acquired some basicknowledge in Dutch and Swedish.

Valentina Alexandrova

Director, Investment and Legal ServicesDepartmentInvest Bulgaria Agency, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Ms. Valentina Alexandrova from Sofia, Bulgaria currently a Director of“Investment and Legal Services” Dpmt. at InvestBulgaria Agency under theMinistry of Economy and Energy. She has been in this position for six yearsnow. Her current responsibilities include close cooperation with investors inBulgaria and the central and local administration, the local business communi-ty, information and legal services to Bulgarian and foreign investors regard-ing legal structure, investment climate, administrative procedures, taxation,labour, investment marketing, special responsibilities under InvestmentEncouragement Act. Previous experience: investment officer at Bulgarian-American Equity investment fund Caresbac for J/V with SMEs in Bulgaria –funded by USAID and EBRD; University of Delaware in Bulgaria program inmarketing and management consulting, English language training, etc. Privatebusiness for consulting in marketing, business planning for SMEs, PR.Specializations on Foreign investment promotion and practices in:Tokyo – Japan; Vienna – Austria, Chicago – USA, and others.

Presentation

Bulgaria – Unique Investment Location

Stanimir Barzashky

Executive DirectorBulgarian Small and Medium EnterprisesPromotion Agency (BSMEPA), Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Stanimir Barzashky is CEO of Bulgarian Small and Medium EnterprisesPromotion Agency (BSMEPA) since September 2004, when the institution wasestablished with the Ministry of Economy and Energy of Republic of Bulgaria.BSMEPA is in charge of implementing the Bulgarian Government policy in thefield of small and medium enterprises (SME) and entrepreneurship develop-ment by providing to the businesses products and services such as BusinessInformation, Consulting and Training, SME Internationalization and Promotion.BSMEPA is managing the National Innovation Fund and is working on theimplementation of EU and other Donors Support Programmes. These servicesare provided also through the 26 Agency’s Regional Offices. Mr. Barzashky haspreviously occupied leader positions in Business consulting entities – withresponsibilities in the Management and Administration of business develop-

2.2

Internationalisation of SMEs: Support Services and Financing

ment, investment and cooperation projects implementation. Between years 1993 and 1995 Mr. Barzashky was posted as Deputy Ministerof Trade when his responsibilities were focused on the Management,Coordination and Administration of Privatization process; Foreign Investmentsand Business Cooperation. He has qualifications in the Management ofEconomics, Business Development projects, Marketing and Investments.

Presentation

The Government Supporting Programmes for SME sector in Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s full EU membership from 1st of January 2007 is opening up manynew opportunities for Bulgarian enterprises. Now more than ever it is neces-sary to enhance the competitiveness of Bulgarian companies and their capa-bility to withstand the competitive pressure of the market forces. This calls fora targeted and efficient government policy in support of SME sector the role ofwhich in the national economy is steadily increasing. For many years theBulgarian Government strives to pursue a consistent policy for promotion ofenterprises. The Programmes supporting the SME sector in Bulgaria arefocused on: Support to the technological development and innovations aimedat development of knowledge based economy increasing the innovative poten-tial of enterprises; Promotion of Investments in SME sector; Information andConsulting services and SME Training; Promotion of SME Internationalisation.

Raffaele Boldracchi

Principal Manager, Official Co-financing UnitEBRD

Contacts

tel. +44 207338 6629e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Raffaele Boldracchi joined the EBRD’s Official Co-financing Unit in July 2003.He’s managing the TC and Official co-financing funds provided to the Bank bymultilateral donors like the European Union (New members States, EAR andCARDS Countries of operations) and the CEI, as well as by bilateral donors likeItaly, France, Luxemburg and Greece. He’s also responsible for the overall mon-itoring and reconciliation of the EBRD’s Official Co-financing Investments Grantand Loans contributions received from Donors and/or IFIs like EIB, KfW, WB, IFC,etc. Between 1993 and 2003 he assisted the European commission in the for-mulation, management and evaluation of TC projects and programs funded bythe EU under the PHARE, TACIS and MEDA Programs. Between 1989 and 1993he managed the SE Asian activities of a company belonging to the“Mediobanca” Group. Between 1981 and 1988 he provided technical assistanceservices in the frame of TC projects funded by the Italian Government and theUnited Nations. He’s member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs –Chatham House in London and of the Academy of Political Science of New York.

Presentation

Enhancing access to credit and providing innovative services to strengthenthe competitiveness of the Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) sector. Therole of the Donors funded EBRD Technical Cooperation Programme

The EBRD mobilises donor grants to implement technical cooperation assign-ments supporting the Bank’s investments in countries of operations. TheOfficial Co-financing Unit (OCU) is managing the Technical Cooperation (TC)Funds Programme and the co-financing grant contributions and loans providedby donors and IFIs. In 2006, the EBRD’s investments in the countries of oper-ations benefited from Donors’ grant contributions of 80 million EUR aimed atthe implementation of TC assignments as well as by official co-financing grantand/or loans contributions totalling 1.4 billion EUR. The donors contributionproved to be expedient in supporting the EBRD investments aimed at strength-ening the competitiveness of the MSE sector.The EBRD has developed a policy to support banks and financial institutionsthat have a clear institutional commitment to MSEs. Since 1992, more thanEUR11.4 billion has been provided by the EBRD’s small business lending pro-grammes to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. To maximisethe leverage of its funding, the Bank also provides technical assistance whichfocuses in institution building and creating MSE lending expertise. By the end


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of 2006, donor agencies have contributed EUR 336.1 million to the EBRD’sMSEs programmes. Of this, EUR 172.5 million was for ‘technical cooperation’advisers and ?163.6 million was in the form of credit lines, risk-sharing fundsand other direct investments in MSE financial institutions. In May 2006 theEBRD launched its Sustainable Energy Initiative which aims to double EBRDinvestments in sustainable energy in its countries of operation to EUR 1.5 bil-lion in the period 2006-2008.The Initiative has six components including “Sustainable energy financingfacilities (SEFFs)” through financial intermediaries. The SEFFs are credit linesor guarantees provided by the EBRD to local banks in its countries of opera-tions. Those local partner banks then on-lend the funds to borrowers undertak-ing sustainable energy projects in the corporate, municipal and residential sec-tors. Alongside the credit line or guarantee, technical consultants funded bydonors will be engaged to assist prospective borrowers in preparing energyefficiency or renewable energy projects.The EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) aims to promote foreign tradeto, from and within central and eastern Europe and the Commonwealth ofIndependent States. Through the programme, the EBRD provides guarantees tointernational confirming banks, taking the political and commercial paymentrisk of international trade transactions undertaken by banks in the EBRD’scountries of operations (the issuing banks). A wide number of donors financial-ly support the TFP through risk-sharing funds enabling the EBRD to providelonger tenors and take higher exposures in trade transactions.

Francesco D’ Aprile

President Italian Association of Management Consultant(APCO), Partner P&D consulting Srl, Italy

Contacts

tel. +39 080 564 8544 // +39 178 270 1000e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Francesco D’Aprile, partner of P&D Consultant srl, a management consultingfirm based in Bari, Italy, supports Italian and foreign enterprises and organiza-tions in Strategy and Business Development projects, Internationalization ofbusiness in foreign markets, especially in new developing Countries. MrD’Aprile, CMC – Certified Management Consultant, is Vice Chair of ICMCI(International Council of Management Consulting Institute), the only NGO of UNon management Consultancy with 44 Countries involved, President of APCO,Italian Association of Management Consultant, Italian Representative in BESTExpert Group at Enterprise Directorate General Unit E.1 Entrepreneurship ofEuropean Commission, Brussels. From 1989, he has experience with internation-al project on brand strategy, corporate and product placement, new marketsdevelopment, business plan development and implementation support, plan-ning, project management and solution implementation, then assisting and facil-itating firms in raising capital to grow their businesses or to restructure the com-panies. At now he his involved in international projects on business developmentand strategic partners research in China, Russia, Ukraine, Croatia and Bulgaria.Mr D’Aprile gave public seminars, consulted and conducted training programs forsenior executives at various universities (such as Tsinghua University, Beijing,China), industry associations (such as China Enterprise Confederation, CroatianEnterprise Association), Consultants Associations (such as Croatian Associationof Management Consultant) , Chamber of Commerce (such as Bulgarian Chamberof Commerce and Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria) and some State-owned and private enterprises.

Presentation

Managing Internationalization process and win in the global market.Human Capital and SME Internationalization. Case History

Antonio Fanelli

Deputy Head, OECD Investment CompactOrganization for Economic Cooperation andDevelopment, France

Contacts


Biography

Antonio Fanelli is currently Deputy Head of the Investment Compact for SouthEast Europe at the OECD. He joined the Directorate for Enterprise and FiscalAffairs of the OECD in 2001, having previously worked at the EBRD asPrincipal Banker in London and in Albania. Antonio Fanelli holds a B.AEconomics from Universita´ Bocconi, Milan, Italy, and a Master Degree onInternational Economics from the University of Sussex (UK). Areas of work:SME and FDI policies in South East Europe.

Presentation

SME Policy in the Western Balkans: strengths and weaknesses

The presentation will focus the evaluation of the SME policy conducted by theOECD Investment Compact and the EC in the framework of the process ofimplementation of the European Charter for Small Enterprises. In particular itwill look at the role of government agencies in providing guidance and supportservices to exporters and innovative SMEs.

Daniela Fiori

State Aid and Technical Harmonization Attaché Permanent Representation of Italy to theEuropean Union

Contacts


Biography

A graduate in Social Science (University of Rome) and holding a MasterDegree in Small Business Management, Daniela Fiori has made a career ofenterprise creation and SME development in Italy, Europe and numerousdeveloping countries. Her formative assignments included agriculture, infra-structure and enterprise development in Mozambique, Algeria and People’srepublic of China. Between 1992-95 she was the Italian Ministry of ForeignAffairs’ senior expert on enterprise creation and SME development forNicaragua, Mozambique, Colombia and El Salvador. In 1998 she was the sen-ior training expert for AIDDA (Italian Association of Women Entrepreneurs) inBosnia Herzegovina as part of the EU/PHARE’s “Women EntrepreneursDevelopment Program” From 1998-2000 she served as the InternationalLabor Organization’s senior specialist for Enterprise and CooperativeDevelopment, based in Zimbabwe, covering Southern Africa. Since 1994 to2006 she has served at the Italian Ministry Of Industry and Trade Head of theSME Development Unit, representing Italian Government at the EU Brussels,at CEI and as Deputy Chair of the OECD’s Working Party on SMEs andEntrepreneurship. In 2003/04 she has served as CPA-South’s SME develop-ment expert throughout Southern Iraq and in 2006 as senior advisor on SMEDevelopment at UNIDO Vietnam. At present she is attaché State Aid andTechnical Harmonization at the Italian Permanent Representation to theEuropean Union in Brussels.

Presentation

Internationalization of SME, a European strategy in the framework of theCompetitiveness and Innovation Program 2006/2013

Slavica Singer

Board ChairCEPOR – SMEs and Entrepreneurship PolicyCentre, Croatia


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Contacts


Biography

Slavica Singer is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management,and the Director of the Graduate Program in Entrepreneurship (www.pspe-fos.hr) at the J.J. Strossmayer University in Osijek, Croatia. Ms. Singer chairsthe board of the CEPOR – SMEs and Entrepreneurhsip Policy Centre inZagreb, Croatia (www.cepor.hr), which is involved in surveys and advocacyactivities focused on policy issues relevant for entrepreneurship and SMEsector (administrative barriers, access to financial market instruments, train-ing and education focused on needs of people interested in self-employmentand owners of growing SMEs...). Ms. Singer has been engaged in the field ofentrepreneurship and small business development for over thirty years. Herwhole academic career is focused on development issues, ranging fromregional development to the development of individual and institutionalcapacity for entrepreneurship, with excellent experience in micro lendingand lending to SMEs, as being a founder and board member of NOA, microcredit institution – www.noa.hr). In 2003 and 2004 Ms. Singer led the proj-ect on developing a training model for growing SMEs, which was financiallysupported by the Government of Croatia and European Training Foundation.In the period from 2004 to 2007, Ms. Singer participated in several proj-ects focused on SMEs issues in Croatia, financed by European Commissionand OECD. Ms. Singer leads Croatian Global Entrepreneurship Monitor team,from 2002. Ms. Singer is a member of Croatian Competitiveness Council andCroatian Club of Rome.

Presentation

Croatian efforts in internationalization of SMEs: support services andfinancing

Low level of export orientation of Croatian SMEs was identified as a serious prob-lem in all Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Surveys in which Croatia participated(from 2002). Reasons for that were found in low level of innovativeness, lack ofinformation about foreign market, but also in issues of time consuming and highcosts of customs administration, insufficient fulfillment of health, safety and tech-nical standards and inadequate property rights protection. As a result of thosefindings, Croatian government introduced some support services (access to infor-mation, trainings) and financing schemes (for SMEs investing in innovative activ-ities, as well as in clustering). It is a long term process, which requires coordinat-ed and consistent approach in order to boost export orientation of Croatian SMEs.

Daniel Ivarsson

Chief, Office for Arab States, Europe and the CISInternational Trade CentreSwitzerland

Contacts

tel.+ 41 22 730 0390fax. +41 22 730 0811e-mail: [email protected]

Presentation

Export strategies, trade information, and trade support institutions - threemeans for supporting SME internationalisation

Trade challenges for SMEs: SME access to international markets is hampered bya number of factors. Those mentioned by CEI include: shortage of working cap-ital to finance exports; lack or low level of human resources with sufficientknowledge on foreign markets and specific technical skills; weak skills in iden-tifying foreign business opportunities and turning them into profitable ventures;limited information to locate and analyze markets; and inability to contactpotential foreign customers. Others identified by ITC are: inappropriate or con-tradictory trade policies; lack of a strategic framework for trade development;unfavourable conditions for doing business at large, especially for SMEs; regu-latory overload or uncertainty, and weak institutions for certification and accred-itation; lack of harmonisation of policies, rules and practices between neighbour-ing countries; cumbersome and time-consuming procedures for foreign trade,

especially at border crossings; little access to quality services for trade develop-ment; and low skills among SMEs in putting such services to good use. ITC isaddressing most of these challenges in its different programmes.ITC ResponsesExport strategies: ITC deals with strategies for enhancing exports (and, indeed,the international competitiveness at large of SMEs) at sectoral and national level.Sectoral strategies are usually worked out using a value chain approach, with allparties involved contributing to the process. Much of the value chain analysisand the outlining of strategy is done at workshops where the different actors inthe sector work together to get a common understanding of the situation andwhat it requires. The formalisation of the findings and conclusions into a strat-egy document is usually done by local experts representing the sector. High-level, formal adoption of the final strategy is important for ensuring that it willwork, and mechanisms must be in place for its monitoring and updating.National export strategies typically comprise a number of sectoral strategies(which may be worked out as above) but should also cover cross-sectoral issuesand has to include a comprehensive set of agreed measures for implementation.Based on a common vision and commitment of the private and public sector part-ners, the strategy management has to cover different perspectives. The processneeds the active, long term participation by and contributions from a strategysupport network (for institutional and policy backing) and a services deliverynetwork (for achieving results at sector and enterprise level).Trade information: ITC’s work with trade information covers both the informationitself and its management. Several large trade data bases, easily accessible via the Internet, are availableat ITC. They cover e.g. imports and exports; market access conditions, especial-ly tariff levels; and trade treaties. They are regularly and rapidly updated andfeature facilities for easy analysis of the information contained. Trade data arecollected from various sources close to where the information is first generated.They undergo thorough review and enhancement, e.g. using mirror statistics, inorder to increase precision and reliability, before being made available to users.At the same time, good trade information is of little or no utility if it is not prop-erly used. For this reason, ITC offers capacity building in trade information man-agement as well as training in the use of its data bases. One objective is to helppolicy makers use trade information properly for analysing a country’s apparentcompetitiveness and the export potential of various products, identifying thosemost likely to provide opportunities for improved trade. Another objective is tohelp trade support institutions and individual enterprises take operational deci-sions about which product to sell in which market, as a function of demand andcompetition.In ITC’s countries of operations, trade information is usually provided from manydifferent sources through a variety of channels. ITC advises these trade informa-tion providers on their policies, organisation and operations, and promotes net-working between them.Trade support institutions: From ITC’s point of view, trade support institutions(“TSIs”) are essential means for helping SMEs become and remain internation-ally competitive. Among the TSIs one finds not only the official trade promotionagencies but also e.g. chambers of commerce, trade associations, certificationand accreditation bodies, and the consulting industry at large.ITC advises on the organisation and operations of TSIs in a country and providescapacity building building for their staff, both on the delivery of trade supportservices and on the key functional skills needed by enterprises in fields likemarketing, management, quality control, packaging, legal aspects of trade, etc.ITC also has specialists for training TSIs on key sectors and products, includingcommodities, manufactured goods, and services.

Asen Gagauzov

MinisterMinistry of Regional Development and PublicWorks, Bulgaria

Contacts


2.3

Roundtable on Freight Services: Supporting Business throughTransport Infrastructure Development


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Biography

Mr Asen Gagauzov studied at the Higher Institute of National Economy(presently University of Economics), Varna and majored in accountancy. Laterhe has further specialized in Economics and investment management at theUniversity of National and World Economy, Sofia. Mr Gagauzov started his pro-fessional career with the District People’s Council in Sliven in 1980, where, upto 1993, he took the position of a senior expert and, consequently Head of theInvestment Planning Division. From 1993 to 1995 he worked as a Seniorinspector at the Regional Tax Office in Sliven. In 1995 Mr. Gagauzov becamea deputy mayor of the city of Sliven up until 1997 when he became a Memberof Parliament in the 38th National Assembly. In 1999, Mr. Gagauzov waselected a mayor of the city of Sliven. In 2001 he started his second term as anMP in the 39th National Assembly. During that time he was a Deputy Chairmanof the Standing Local Self-Government and Regional Policy Committee and hewas also a member of the Standing Budget Committee. He is also a formermember of the Board of the National Association of Municipalities in theRepublic of Bulgaria. In August 2005, Asen Gaguzov was nominated forMinister of Regional Development and Public Works.

Presentation

Development of regional road infrastructure to provide for traffic of people,goods and services

Existing problemsA great number of roads have not been repaired for more than 20 years. It isrequired however that a periodic maintenance is planned for every 5 to 7 years,and an overall maintenance and repairs is done every 12 years. Most of thethird-class roads need reconstruction in order to reach the standards set for suchroads. Horizontal policiesThe implementation of EU Structural funds shall be in compliance with theCommunity’s horizontal policies as required by the European regulations. In par-ticular, the objectives of the funds should be achieved within the framework ofsustainable development, for improvement and protection of the environment asencouraged by the Community. National infrastructure priorities and objectivesThe most important instrument for the implementation of the common “region-al policy” in the period 2007 – 2013 is the European Regional DevelopmentFund (ERDF). The grants from this Fund are mainly used, through the nationalprogrammes, for improvement of the national road infrastructure condition andfor supporting its development. Eligible activities and indicative budgetActivities eligible for funding according to Operation 2.1 of OperationalProgramme Regional Development, are: Rehabilitation, reconstruction, repairingand renovation of second-class roads out of the Trans-European network (TEN),and of third-class roads; Improvement of the transport connections to specificareas and improvement of the infrastructure outside the built-up areas – accessto harbours, airports, dung-hills, etc.; Grant schemes for municipal roads withinthe agglomeration areas of the municipalities, as listed in Annex ? 3 toOperational Programme Regional Development.

Georgi Petarnaichev

Deputy MinisterMinistry of Transport, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Mr Georgi Petarnaichev studied in the National Sport Academy between 1985and 1989. In 1989 he graduated at the academy with two specialities: MotorSport and Pedagogy. Mr Petarnaichev is Honored Master of Motor Sport. From1980 until 1989 he was Head of Sport-Technical Centre, Deputy Director andDirector of the STATE ROAD TRANSPORT ENTERPRISE – PESHTERA. Between1989 and 1992 he was General Director of PESHTERA TRANSPORT. From1992 until 1995 Mr Petarnaichev was Manager of DAFKO TRANS LTD. From1995 until 2005 Georgi Petarnaichev was Mayor of Peshtera City

Municipality. In 2005 Mr Georgi Petarnaichev became Member of Parliamentin the 40th National Assembly, Member of the Committee for Transport andCommunications and Chairman of the Road Transport Hauliers Union. MrGeorgi Petarnaichev has been Minister of transport since 2005, responsible forthe Road Transport.

Presentation

Development of intermodal transport and logistics – priority task in theMinistry of Transport’s schedule.

Paolo Celentani

Marketing Director of the Cargo DivisionTrenitalia S.p.A., Italy

Contacts


Biography

Paolo Celentani was born in Naples on January 1, 1956. He was educated inNaples where he obtained a Degree in Economics and Commerce at the NaplesUniversity. He then took Specialisation courses at the Bocconi SDA in Milan.After that he started his career gaining extensive experience in the fields ofmarketing, economic analysis and later of strategic planning, as a UniversityProfessor, as a Consultant and a professional economist for the Tourist and theFood industry. His work as a Partner in a Consulting firm later brought him toconsult for the Italian Railways FS in Strategic Planning in 1994. Since then hehas been a Manager in FS, while still continuing to be part time StrategyProfessor. In the period 2000 - 2005 years he has been Director of theStrategy Department of Trenitalia, the Italian leading train operator, both pas-sengers and freight. In 2006 he has been manager of the strategic projects ofasset valorization inside the real Estate Company of the group. He is now theMarketing Director of Trenitalia, cargo Division

Presentation

The rail cargo business lifecycle

In 2001 the EU Commission, in his with paper on transport, wrote that rail-ways, after two centuries from its introduction, has still a not expressed poten-tial, and from their performance depends the success of the re-equilibriumbetween the transport modes. Considering western Europe rail systems, it isquite easy to observe a “product life cycle” for the rail mode: the introductionphase in the first half of the nineteen century, the long development phaselasted a full century, a maturity phase started after world war two, and adecline phase started in the eighties of the 20th , that brought almost in everyEuropean country to a deep rail budget crisis and, during the nineties, to num-ber of public decisions, both at national and at EU Commission level, in orderto reform, liberalize and/or privatize the national public owned operator, withthe objective of re-vitalize the railways and to reduce the public spending. Il isparticularly important today, at the beginning of a decision path, that has tocreate the European rail freight corridors, and will involve massive invest-ments, what is the “state of health” of the rail modality, particularly in freight.The most relevant indicators seems to be: the traffic growth rate; the trafficmarket share evolution; the bottom line of the main operators; the expecta-tions of the investors.In the last three year it is under view a clear trend inversion toward a newphase of development, and so the “re-vitalization dilemma “ has more possi-bility to be solved in positive terms. The caused behind a new competitive atti-tude of the railway mode can be found in different domains: the more directcompetitive modes, mainly road and air, have exhausted or reduced the devel-opment potential and have serious problems of congestion; the income elastic-ity of mobility demand put pressure on the demand side; the remotization ofthe production processes bring to a primary role of the logistic services; thesecurity problem and the tension on energy cost reduce the pressure of thejust-in-time and bring to a higher optimal shipping size.The policies for a sustainable transport tend to be more effective. If thesetrends will be confirmed, the train will have to play a more important role, par-ticularly if the new infrastructure corridors will enable it lo deliver more effi-


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cient and more effective services.In fact the scale economies of the train are able to reduce the cost per tonneif the infrastructure will support heavier and longer trains and the reliability ofthe service will be improved if there will be interoperability.

Engelhart Günther

Head, Cargo and LogisticRail Cargo Austria (RCA)

Contacts


Biography

Mr. Engelhart heads the division Cargo & Logistics. His current tasks comprisemanagement functions as well as duties resulting from various boards (ChemFreight, Epsylon Logistics, Express Interfracht, Pro rail, Express Italia). Mr.Engelhart’s professional expertise spans over 25 years. Starting as job train-er and personal coach at Rail Cargo Austria, he became head of the automo-tive division. His tasks comprised key account management (VW, Fiat, BMW,Opel, Magna) and acquisition of new business partners. At the beginning of2000, he was in charge of sales and assistant manager of commercial trans-port. Since 2005, Mr. Engelhart is head of Rail Cargo Austria, a leading com-pany in logistics with a turnover of approximately ? 650 million and 135employees.

Presentation

Cooperation between Trenitalia and RCA to create efficient rail servicesbetween Eastern and Western European hubs

Initially, the presentation starts with a short introduction of the company. Afterthat, Mr. Engelhart is going to describe how RCA and Trenitalia successfully col-laborate in a competitive market environment by providing facts and figures. Hewill talk about the way how RCA provides innovative logistic services for the CEEmarket and how supply chains can be managed effectively on a European scale.The speech is basically divided into the following parts: Brief description ofRCA; Description of sales structure; Supply chains with regard to country rela-tions; Collaboration with Trenitalia; S. Stino warehouse; Question and answersession.

Paul Guitink

Senior Policy Adviser Central and Eastern EuropeCommunity of European Railways andInfrastructure Companies (CER), Belgium

Contacts


Biography

Since June 2007 Paul Guitink, a Dutch national, is the Senior Railways PolicyAdviser for Central and Eastern Europe in the Community of EuropeanRailways and Infrastructure Companies (CER) in Brussels. He has over 30years of experience in the transport sector, working primarily in road andrail transport, but also having managed an airport runway rehabilitationproject in Lima, Peru. Before joining CER, he worked for 15 years as a TaskTeam Leader and Program Team Leader in the World Bank, managing and/oradvising on transport projects in various Latin American, African, and SouthAsian countries. The past 4 years he was based in Skopje, FYROM, asProgram Team Leader for a regional South Eastern European Trade andTransport Facilitation program that focused on the removal of physical andprocedural border crossing bottlenecks to trade and transport. He also rep-resented the Bank in regional Central and Eastern European fora with otherinternational financing institutions and the European Commission, such asthe High Level Group on Extension of the Core Transport Network into

Neighbouring Countries and the Infrastructure Steering Group..He started hiscareer in the Dutch Ministry of Transport, working on the liberalization ofroad freight transport in the EU.

Presentation

Market demand for reliable, high quality transport services: Constraintsand Opportunities for Rail Freight

Shifting focus in European Transport Policy: Environmental concerns; Energyconservation concerns; Globalization causing shifting trading and logisticalpatternsRapidly increasing opportunities for rail transport: High speed rail passengerservices competing with car and regional airlines; Market oriented new railfreight products. Legal framework for railway reforms has been set by EC through Directive91/440 and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Railway Package, providing basic conditionsfor a market oriented, competitive and innovative railway sector. Remaining challenges to create a level playing field for fair competition:Getting the prices right, i.e. internalize external costs for all modes of trans-port; Improve financial stability of railways by eliminating cross-subsidies, ade-quate compensation of public service obligations, and budgetary support formaintenance of infrastructure; Support provision of uninterrupted cross-borderrailway services.

Karl Michael Mohnsen

Chief Executive OfficerTX Logistik AG, Germany

Contacts

tel. +49 222 477 9220fax +49 222 477 914 220e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mr. Mohnsen is CEO of TX Logistik AG, one of the leading European freight rail-ways, founded just 8 years ago. In addition to this function Mr. Mohnsen is alsoDirector of International Development for Trenitalia Cargo since 2004. Prior tohis engagement in Trenitalia Mr. Mohnsen was member of the board of DBCargo where he was responsible for the freight logistic division, which repre-sents 80 % of the DB Cargo (now Railion) turnover. Mr. Mohnsen´s backgroundis strongly connected to international logistics activities and for 12 years hewas managing director of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, one of the leadingprivately owned forwarding companies in Europe and worldwide. With hisstrong logistics background Mr. Mohnsen helps developing TX Logistik from apure railway traction company into a logistics service provider with a core com-petence in railway business.

Presentation

The role of a new comer in the perspective of market liberalization

The presentation will discuss “The role of a new comer in the perspective of mar-ket liberalization”, analyzing the organizational structure and the history of the“TXLogistik”, with a particular focus on the countries of operation and the com-bined network solutions.

Pencho Popov

Director, Central Freight DivisionNational Railway Operator (BDZ), Bulgaria

Contacts



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Biography

Pencho Popov is responsible for commercial activities of the Bulgarian Staterailways and for operation and repair works of the freight wagons fleet. PenchoPopov had finished in 1993 High Transport School in Sofia and after this he isworking in Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ). From 1996 he is working in theCommercial department of the Head office of BDZ and from 2005 he wasappointed as a Director Freight Transports.

Presentation

Perspectives for development of the railway freight transports in Bulgaria

Less than a year since the Bulgaria joined to the EU, railway freight transportis in front of new challenges and meet very high pressure from the competi-tion. Physically and old-fashioned rolling stock and low efficiency of BDZ, con-tinue to give bad influence to the activity and to the financial status of the rail-way company. In 2006 by BDZ are transported 21,2 million tons, which is4,5% increase by comparison with 2005. Favorable tendencies for increase ofthe international railway transports and of the combined transports are accom-panied by negative tendency of transferring to the road transport of the goodsthat are traditionally carried by rail, due to the bad technical condition of therailway infrastructure, lack of freight wagons and bad status of locomotives.Taking into account growing of the inquiries of the customers from metalindustry, EU efforts for encouragement the eco transports and entering in thetransport market of the new private railway carriers, we can get to conclusion,that after 10 years railway transports of freights will be with double volume.Reaching the forecasts for development of the railway freight transportsdepends extremely on successful implementation of the governmental policyin the transport area, by: timely implementation of all strategic projects forimprovement and modernization of the transport infrastructure; investments interminals for combined transports and loading facilities; delivery of newfreight wagons – open top, covered and flat wagons; successful restructuringof BDZ by dividing of the business activities – freight transports, passengertransports, traction and separating of the parallel activities.

Giuseppe Razza

General ManagerPan-European Corridor V Technical Secretariat

Contacts


Biography

Mr. Razza graduated from the University of Trieste (Italy) as Civil Engineer on1986 (110/110 cum laude-with honours). He has a broad experience (21 years)in dealing with programmes and projects managed by international organisa-tions and institutions (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,European Commission, United Nations, World Bank, Central European Initiative,etc.) where he worked as General Manager, Director or Team Leader in Centraland Eastern Europe. He has been the personal assistant of many Ministers(Italian Minister of Environment, Italian Minister of Transport and Navy, ItalianMinister of Foreign Affairs, 2 Prime Ministers and 11 Ministers of Central andEastern European Countries). During his assignments he finalised numerousnational strategies and plan. He is actually the General Manager of the CorridorV Secretariat established to support the Steering Committee of the Ministries ofInfrastructure and Transport of the Corridor V Member States (Italy, Slovenia,Hungary, Ukraine, Slovakia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Presentation

Corridor V Development

In the context of Eastern European countries, there are specific factors that gotowards making the case for transport improvements between the MemberStates in question. For example, for the ten new member states that joined theEU in 2004, cross border traffic is anticipated to grow by 3-4% per year to2015. Freight transport demand is estimated to increase by an average of 7%per year over the same period. Between 1990 and 2005, eastern European

countries experienced major increases in the market share of road transport bothfor passengers and freight. Some research suggests that these increases havebeen even larger than the jump of 50% to 70% for EU15 states (between 1980and the last few years) and 76% to 80% for passenger traffic. The growth ratesfor trade that could typically be expected to pass through Corridor V countrieshave been significantly higher than for the EU 15 region. For example, between1995 and 2001, exports of goods from the EU to eastern Europe Countries(including the Former Soviet Union) increased by around 50% compared to 11%for the EU. In 2001, some 70% of eastern European countries’ imports and60% of exports were to and from western European countries. In this context, inthe last two years the development of key projects regarding the Pan-EuropeanCorridors accelerated. A strong effort should be made to establish an adequateinstitutional framework to support the transferring of transport policies fromnational to international vision and approach. The funds for the cross-borderand transnational cooperation, together with the TEN-T budget that will be avail-able during the 2007-2013 period will represent an incredible opportunity toachieve the ambitious objective concerning the implementation of a moderntransport intermodal network in Europe within 2020.

Luisa Velardi

Trenitalia’s Strategy DirectorFerrovie dello Stato S.p.A., Italy

Contacts


Biography

Luisa Velardi, Italian Railways, is a Transport Engineer, a graduate of MilanPolytechnic. During her career she has worked at the Public Transport (Urbanand Regional) Companies of Milan and Rome, the Italian Railways and theWorld Bank. She began as a consultant in the field of transport planning anddesign for public and private transport companies, prior to joining (1986) theplanning department of the Milan Urban Transport Company (ATM). In 1991,she joined FS (Italian State Railway Company), where she worked in theTransport Strategy, Planning and Control Department. In this role, she partici-pated in the most important phases of the FS restructuring and privatizationprocess and collaborated on the preparation of the business plan for the con-version of FS to a joint-stock Company. During this period she was also second-ed to the Rome Public Transport Companies ATAC and COTRAL where sheworked as Planning Service Manager (1994 to 1995) and to the ItalianMinistry of Transport where she served as Head of Service Planning for 16Railway Franchise Companies (1997 to 1999). From 1999 to 2002 she wasCo-Director for the Centre-North of Italy of the FS Regional Transport Division.In 2002 she joined the World Bank, based in Washington, as Senior TransportSpecialist where she participated in various projects in Africa and East andCentral Europe. In 2004 she returned to FS and was appointed ExecutiveAssistant to the Chairman and CEO. In February 2006 she was appointed ViceDirector of Regional Transport. Since November 2006 she is the Director of theStrategy Department of Trenitalia, the railway undertaking of the FS Group,dealing also with international items and representing the company in sever-al European and international bodies.

Presentation

Roundtable on Freight Services: Supporting Business through TransportInfrastructure Development

The focus of the roundtable will be on the changes necessary in service modelsand organization of railway undertakings to respond to market needs, ratherthan purely on the infrastructural investments in rail networks. The panel willdiscuss how to fill the gap between customer expectations and service provided,to enhance the use of infrastructural assets and, as a consequence, stimulate theinterest of financial and institutional investors on infrastructural development. Inparticular case studies on improving efficiency and effectiveness in the railwaysoffering will be examined, such as: efforts to achieve locomotives interoperabil-ity; need for on board staff and loco drivers interoperability; logic behind theconstruction of a terminal network; development of advanced logistic servicesintegrating rail transport in a door-to-door logic.


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Emilia Maslarova

MinisterMinistry of Labour and Social Policy, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Mrs Emilia Maslarova graduated from the University of National and WorldEconomy in 1972 and specialized in the Economy Institute of the BulgarianAcademy of Sciences in 1983 where she became a PhD in Economy. Mrs.Maslarova was Senior Research Associate with the Tracia University in StaraZagora. Between 1989 and 1990, Emilia Maslarova worked as SeniorResearch Associate and lecturer and head of section in the Ministry of Economyand Planning. From 1990 until 1991 she was Minister of Employment andSocial Affairs and in 1992 became President of the Democratic Union ofWomen. In the period 1995-1997 Emilia Maslarova was Director of theBulgarian Foreign Investment Agency. She was member of the 9th GrandNational Assembly, as well as of the 38th and 39th National Assembly. From2001 to 2005 she was Deputy-Chairperson of the National Assembly’sLabour and Social Policy Committee and member of the Healthcare Committee.In August 2005, Emilia Maslarova was nominated for Minister of Labour andSocial Policy.

Etta Carignani

Secretary GeneralWorld Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM), Italy

Contacts


Biography

Maria Enrichetta Melzi Carignani di Novoli resides in Trieste (Italy) in via G.Murat 1/1. Awarded with the Honour of Knight of Grand Cross to the Orderof Merit of the Italian Republic, ( 2005) by the President of the Republic.Awarded with the Honour of Knight Officer of the Order of the Golden Lion,(2002) by the President Maitre Abdoulaye Wade during her visit in Senegalon account of “her efforts for the development of female entrepreneurialactivity”. Awarded with the Honour of Knight of the National Order of theLegion of Honour for the services provided during the Gulf War as HonoraryConsul of France in Trieste (2001) by the President of the French Republic.Awarded with the Honour of Grand Officer to the Order of Merit of the ItalianRepublic, (1989) by the President of the Italian Republic, on account of: “forthe effort carried out with intelligence and perseverance, and with theremarkable success for the cultural and effective approaching of the compo-nents from the Friuli area and the Giulia area, maintaining a strong respectfor each identity”. She is: president of the Hotel Rex Management Companyof Lignano (Italy); president of G.E.C. Catering Company –Trieste; Secretary-General and Commissioner for Europe of the FCEM - Les Femmes Chefsd’Entreprises Mondiales; Representative of the F.C.E.M. at the U.N. in Viennaand Geneva; Member of the Steering Committee of OECD for Middle East;National Secretariat A.N.D.E. - National Association of Women Voters andPresident of the Association ANDE Trieste; Honorary National President ofA.I.D.D.A. – Association of Women Entrepreneurs and Women CompanyManagers of Italy - President of the Committee for the promotion of femaleentrepreneurial activity, at the Chamber of Commerce of Trieste.

2.4

Women in Action - The Driving Force of the United Europe

Presentation

Women in economic decision-making

The presentation aims to give a brief “gender overview” on the economicdecision-making, where the presence of women is very low and a genderdimension has been absent from macroeconomic policies. The same is truefor the international financial institutions, for the transnational corporationsand for the powerful global and regional multi-lateral institutions, wherewomen have been virtually excluded from key decision-making positions andfrom negotiating roles, as well as national trade policy, where the proportionof women is "insignificant". The 1995 Beijing Platform for Action empha-sized that equality in decision-making is essential to the empowerment ofwomen and that "Women's equal participation in decision-making is not onlya demand for simple justice or democracy but can also be seen as a neces-sary condition for women's interests to be taken into account”. The Platformfor Action called for all employers to build a critical mass of women man-agers and executives in decision-making positions. It also directed its atten-tion to international financial institutions and transnational corporations,recognizing their potential role for the advancement of women. Nevertheless,it has been recognized that these organizations do not make full use ofwomen's talents as top-level managers, policy-makers and negotiators pre-venting women from having an impact on many key issues. Over the lastyears private sector firms and companies have been at the centre of an accel-erated process of global expansion, leading to the emergence of an interna-tional production system which accounts for a significant share of interna-tional flows of capital, technology, skills and trade. Broad societal changes,including women's access to education and employment, have helped a grow-ing number of women enter economic and financial institutions. Increasingnumbers women are found in management, but at the lower levels and it isestimated that it will take years for natural progression to significantly alternumbers at the top, assuming that there are no gender-specific barriers alongthe way. Today, the challenge is to define the ways and means necessary tomatch broader societal changes affecting women's lives with the interestsand dynamics of international financial institutions and transnational corpo-rations. The main objective should be to define measures that will increase,in a sustainable way, the participation of women as decision-makers in eco-nomic institutions and in private companies at all levels. The qualitativeimpact of women entrepreneurs and managers on economic culture and per-formance should be also recognized. The presentation wants also to stressthe role of non-profit organizations in building partnerships and economicopportunities. Among these, FCEM (World Association of WomenEntrepreneurs) promotes activities at the national and international levelaimed at promoting women’s entrepreneurial initiative and reinforcingnational associations of women business owners.FCEM: Actions for “Empowering Women’s Entrepreneurship”FCEM: Priority ICT ... FCEM is the international economic NGO leader in thedevelopment of Information and Communication Technology, for associationand enterprise reinforcement and globalisation by means of the FCEM-CandGo Internet Platforms.FCEM: WEWIN… “Windows of Opportunity, Women Entrepreneurs Initiative”,programme for capacity-building through training, equipping and linking ofnational associations and women entrepreneurs.FCEM: Access Finance, programme for financing enterprise creation anddevelopment including FCEM micro-credit partner AEMfe and BIO financingof SME in 120 eligible countries.FCEM: Partners for Progress, Lobbying, coalition and awareness building, aswell as reinforcing the visibility of women entrepreneurs throughCelebrations, Prizes...It is critical that women become better represented in places where men priv-ilege tend to become institutionalised. It is recognized that society is theloser if the talents of women are under-utilized as a result of discrimination.The main objectives are: to raise and increase awareness with all economicinstitutions and their business members throughout the world of the benefitsof the full inclusion of women in the economy - and the balanced participa-tion and representation of women and men in decision-making processes;and to create a positive environment for women that enables them to effi-ciently tackle the problems they are facing in their day-to-day professionallife, be it with regard to the family, the possibilities for promotion, etc., andto take part in decision-making processes, be it at corporate level, or aswomen entrepreneurs in economic interest representations; women entrepre-neurs are the acceleration engine from developing and in transitioneconomies to consolidated economies and therefore have great responsibili-ties in Digital Divide.


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Jasminka Keser

Head, Project Preparation and ImplementationSection, SME DirectorateMinistry of Economy, Labour andEntrepreneurship, Croatia

Contacts


Biography

Jasminka Keser is the Head of Project Preparation and Implementation Sectionin the SME Directorate, Project Manager for CARDS 2004 Project “ImprovingInformation to the Croatian Business Community” and coordinator to theDepartment for preparation and implementation of EU programmes and proj-ects (IPA). Her current tasks include SME operational planning and projectspreparation and appraisal, SME macro analysis, international cooperation andprojects of SME promotion. Ms. Keser’s expertise spans over 31 years of pro-fessional experience in ICT development of payment system, finances andaccounting, financial analysis and statistics, IT implementation and evaluation,IS project management and project portfolio management in telecommunica-tions. As former Assistant Minister of Finance and Project Director of theCroatian Government Treasury System, she has direct experience in all phasesof the project from project identification and appraisal to implementation, sys-tem operations and organizational changes. Ms. Keser is especially well versedin systemic approach to economic and SME development and strategies, longterm planning and budgeting and project management. As a skilled practition-er and expert, she joined project teams in appraising of National ClearingHouse, Croatian Banking Credit Commitments Register, Environmental Fundand projects of new Financial Laws. She is a member of the Croatian Society ofTranslators for Science and Technology and author of published articles/co-author of specialized books. She won a master’s degree on Postgraduate study“Accounting, auditing and finances” on Faculty of Economics - Zagreb in thescientific filed of entrepreneurial economics.

Presentation

Croatian women in business

Within the development of SME sector in Croatia, woman entrepreneurship hasbeen one of the strong moving forces for overall economic and social develop-ment. Along with laws and bylaws, strategies and other systematic documents,there is the SME Development Program of Croatian Government which empha-sized areas of SME encouragement as follows: competitiveness, favorablefinancing, entrepreneurial education and business infrastructure. In this pres-entation the system of projects and measures which are in the scope of namedareas will be presented from the woman in entrepreneurship stand point, withrelevant information, analysis of results and practical experience of projectsimplementation. Presentation will also provide a wider picture on woman inbusiness in Croatia.

Ewa Ruminska - Zimny

Senior Social Affairs OfficerOffice of the Executive Secretary, UnitedNations Economic Commission for Europe(UNECE)

Contacts


Biography

Ewa Ruminska-Zimny is a senior staff at the Office of the Executive Secretary.She coordinates and initiates new projects related to gender and social issuesin the context of regional reviews of the Beijing, MDGs and other UN globalprocesses. Gender activities focus on support to mainstreaming gender into

macroeconomic and sectoral policies, including SMEs development and ITC.Their objective is to raise awareness that gender equality is also an economicasset in improving country’s competitiveness and development prospects.Recently, she launched a new programme in gender and economy area forcountries in Central Asia and the Caucasus within the UN Special Programmefor central Asia (SPECA). www.unece.org/oes/gender. Ms. Ruminska-Zimnyhas PhD in international economics from the Warsaw School of Economics,Poland, where she moved up the academic ladder from lecturer to AssociateProfessor. She was also a visiting professor at the Georgetown University,Washington DC. She has extensive experience in policy- oriented research insocio-economic aspects of development and technical cooperation within theUN system, which includes work for the UN Secretariat (New York, DESA),UNDP (senior economist Human Development Report) and ILO. She has alsofield experience advising UN country offices in transition countries and civilsociety organizations. She is the author and editor of a number of papers andpublications related to human development and gender issues, includingAccess to financing and ICT for women entrepreneurs (UNECE 2004).

Presentation

Gender Gap and Economic Policy

Radka Stamenova

Managing DirectorMeridian 22 - Company for Education and Training, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Radka Stamenova is the owner and Managing Director of Meridian 22 Ltd. andInterbusiness Co. Both her companies were established in the early nineties ofthe past century as one of the first private enterprises in Bulgaria. Over theyears Mrs. Stamenova gained experience in the management of various proj-ects, the organization of seminars, workshops and exhibitions, and in the fieldof consultancy services. Mrs. Stamenova is the founder of five educational pri-vate establishments – a primary school, an English and German Language highschool, a vocational business school, a vocational college in hospitality man-agement, as well as of a vocational centre training specialists in various fieldsof business and life. Radka Stamenova is a master of science in the field ofpower engineering. She has worked for many years as a research associate inthe Energoproekt Enterprise. She has specialized in Imperial College, London,and at the University of Leeds, UK. Mrs. Stamenova is a member of the Boardof directors of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the NationalChamber for Business Development, the National Association for IndependentEductaion, the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training with theCouncil of Ministers, and the Bulgarian-Italian Cooperation Forum. She is alsoa member of the Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, the Club of theBulgarian Women-Entrepreneurs and Managers and the Rotary Club SofiaInternational. In 2000 she was elected Lady Manager of the Year by theMinistry of Economy, The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry andthe Nie Zhenite newspaper.

Presentation

Lifelong Education - Challenge and Reality for Women

With its admission to the European Union, Bulgaria joins the efforts of theEuropean countries for achievement of the strategic goal of EU – the transfor-mation of Europe into the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in theworld. For the development of a successful economy it is necessary to createconditions for the realization of the process of life-long education, for theachievement of a highly competitive society based on knowledge. Life-longeducation is a process of a permanent acquirement of knowledge and skills ina conscious or unconscious way. The process of life-long education is realizedat several levels – formal and informal training and education, and self-educa-tion. The conception of life-long education is defined in the European Strategyof Employment and accepted by the Memorandum of EC for Life-long Education(2000). With the support of the PHARE programme, a national strategy proj-ect of life-long education for the period 2007-2013 was worked out. Themain objective of the Lifelong education strategy is related to the improvement


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of competitiveness of labour force in the country, as well as of the nationaleconomy competitiveness by: Increase of human adaptation to the economicand social changes; Encouragement of equality and participation in all formsof professional and personal development. In the Project on the National Strategy for Life-long Education the definitionincludes the six key messages presented in the Life-long EducationMemorandum: Comprehensive and permanent access to education aiming atmastering and updating the skills necessary for the active participation in aknowledge-based society; Increase of in human resources’ investments;Efficient methods of teaching; Participation in informal and self-education;High quality of the information and consultancy services; Bringing educationmost closely to the trainees’ home. Life-long education is based on two groups of interrelated skills which can bemastered separately and together. T he first group is connected with professional knowledge and skills;The second group includes the so-called portable (major) skills.The major priorities of life-long education in Bulgaria can be defined as fol-lows: Access to life-long education; Opportunities for the acquisition and improve-ment of key competencies; Validation of knowledge acquired by informal andself-education; High quality and access to information; Support for social inte-gration; Training of trainers.The following steps should be taken to achieve these priorities: Working out arelevant legal framework of life-long education; Improvement of the resourcesfor life-long education; Adaptation of the good practice example.The following instruments should be applied: Definition of the needs of adulttraining; Guarantees of the quality of education; Applicability of the educationresults.The European Union declared 2007 for the year of equal opportunities for allpeople. On July 3, 2007, the National Conference “Bulgarian Women in EU”was carried out in Bulgaria. It discussed the necessary actions aiming at equal-ity of men and women in all spheres and at all levels of life. It was underlinedthat life-long education and the continuous increase of qualification and accu-mulation of new knowledge and skills is a necessary condition for the success-ful realization of women at the labour market.Statistics indicate that women inEurope are more educated but less paid than men and they have less leisuretime. In spite of their higher education women’s chances in finding a job intheir field of education are smaller. Smaller are their opportunities for risingin their profession and career, as well as for participation in taking politicaland economic decisions. The number of women–entrepreneurs and managersin the small and medium business is steadily growing. According to theNational Statistics Institute, as of 2003 the relative share of women-entrepre-neurs in Bulgaria is approximately 1/3 of the investigated small and mediumenterprises. Women-entrepreneurs in Bulgaria manage mainly small compa-nies in the field of trade and services. The number of consultant companiesmanaged by women significantly increases. A key element of the policy forencouragement of the establishment and development of small and mediumenterprises in EU is the education and training in entrepreneurship.

Nikolay Vassilev

Minister Ministry of State Administration andAdministrative Reform, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 02 940 11 80fax +359 02 940 11 81e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Following the general election in June 2005, Nikolay Vassilev was appointedas Minister of State Administration and Administrative Reform on 16th August2005. Minister Vassilev is responsible for the state administration, e-govern-ment, and human resources management. From July 2003 to August 2005Nikolay Vassilev was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and

2.5

ICT in SEE: Strategic Issues in Research, Technology and Deployment

Communications. Prior to that, from July 2001 until July 2003 he was DeputyPrime Minister and Minister of Economy. From 2000 to 2004, as financialadviser he worked for leading multinational companies – LAZARD CAPITALMARKETS, UBS WARBURG and COOPERS & LYBRAND. Born in Varna, Bulgariaon 28 November 1969. Minister Vassilev has a M.A. in InternationalEconomics and Finance from the Brandeis University, Tokyo, Japan, B.S. inBusiness Administration, Finance and Economics from the State University ofNew York and B.A. in Economics and General Management from the BudapestUniversity of Economic Sciences.

Presentation

With our Face to the People

The presentation entitled “With our Face to the People” is making an overviewon the recent developments of the E-Government in Bulgaria. The main partsof the presentation are as follows: The Bulgarian traditions in the IT sector; R& D capacity; Improved IT environment; E-Government current situation;Indicative Services of e-Government.The intervention will highlight certain good practices in the Bulgarian IT sector:“i-Bulgaria Initiative”: i-Center, i-University, i-Class, i-Net, ESi@Center.

Despina Anastasiadou

DirectorSouth Eastern Europe Telecommunications &Informatics Research Institute S.A., Greece

Biography

Dr. Despina Anastasiadou is the Director of the Southeastern EuropeTelecommunications & Informatics Research Institute (INA) in Thessaloniki,Greece. She is responsible for the Institute’s strategic planning, overall scien-tific and administrative management and coordination of educational/trainingactivities performed within the scope of the INA Academy, the educational armof INA. She received her Diploma and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and electron-ics engineering from the Department of Electrical Engineering, University ofPatras, Greece, in 1998 and 2004, respectively. Dr. Anastasiadou was workedas a teaching assistant at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Universityof Patras, Greece until 2003 and as a research engineer at the ResearchAcademic Computer Technology Institute, in Patras, from October 2000 untilJuly 2004. Her research fields include digital signal processing, embeddedcommunications systems design and telecommunications networking, whileher Ph.D. is focused on broadband Power-line communications. She joined INAin November 2004 as Head of INA’s Research and Analysis Unit, coordinatingresearch projects and analysing the developments in the Information andCommunications Technologies sector in Southeastern Europe. Since January2006, she is the Institute’s Director. Dr. Anastasiadou is also a lecturer since2005 at CITY College, Thessaloniki, Greece, an affiliated Institution of theUniversity of Sheffield, UK. She teaches two Advanced TelecommunicationsNetworking courses (MSc level). She has served as technical reviewer forInternational Scientific Journals and Conferences (IEEE Transactions, ACM, etc)and has authored several scientific papers. She has served as an expert review-er for the European Commission in FP6 and FP7 programmes and as an ICTtechnical consultant in Southeast Europe Regional Initiatives of the StabilityPact and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). She is a memberof the IEEE and the Technical Chamber of Greece.

Presentation

Insights and Recommendations on IST Research & Development Policies inEastern Europe - The GREAT-IST project perspective

The presentation provides a brief insight into the work of the GREAT-IST proj-ect, highlighting in particular the policy recommendations formulated as aresult of this work for the target region. The GREAT-IST is a strategic projectof the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme involvingthe countries of Central and Eastern Europe as targets, namely the WesternBalkans, the Newly Independent States, the Associated Candidate Countriesand the two recently added Member States. Its main objective was to formu-late concrete and clear recommendations for the development of Researchand Technological Development policies (RTD policies) for the IST sector on anational and on a regional level. Considering that the support of RTD activi-ties is a task falling under the responsibility of different governmental bod-


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ies, the presented policy recommendations are directed towards authoritieson all levels and shareholders in the sector. The document is based on thefindings of the three Working Groups, establishedwithin the project, whichworked in parallel and produced a set of conclusions, which were integratedinto one final document, the GREAT-IST Final Report. The presentation sum-marizes shared visions in the target region for enlarged co-operation and willhighlight the importance of challenging and innovative policies for the mostpromising economic sector in Europe. Effective measures and policy instru-ments, available to regional and national authorities, have been identifiedand are proposed.

Sasha Bezuhanova

General ManagerHewlett-Packard Bulgaria Ltd.

Contacts


Biography

Sasha started her career in Hewlett-Packard in 1994, initially as a manager ofComputer System Organization, and since 1995 - General Manager of S&TBulgaria Ltd. In 1998. When Hewlett-Packard opened its direct office inBulgaria, Sasha Bezuhanova was invited to be the General Manager of HPBulgaria. Since than, she has been leading Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria to achiev-ing and maintaining its position as the most successful IT company in Bulgaria.Due to it, Sasha Bezuhanova is also the General Manager of Hewlett-PackardGlobal Delivery Center in Bulgaria. She’s broadly involved in different presti-gious social activities in Bulgaria. Sasha Bezuhanova is long term President ofBIBA, continuously a Deputy-chairman of CEIBG (Confederation of theEmployers and Industrialists in Bulgaria), Member of the Board of the BulgarianOpen Society Institute, founder - Chair Person of Bulgaria ICT Cluster,Chairman of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievements Bulgaria, Memberof the Board of Trustees of the American University in Bulgaria. Sasha is anhonorary consul of Luxembourg for Bulgaria. For her outstanding achievementsshe has won a lot of prestigious corporate, ICT business community and socialawards: Best Sales Manager for East Central Europe - 1993 HELLIGE, BestYoung Manager in Bulgaria - 1997 Foundation EVRICA, HP EuropeanAchievers Club - 1999, several times she won the IDG award IT manager of theyear (1996, 2001, 2002) and Business lady of the decade (1991-1999),T he Highest Reputation and Achievement in the Area of CorporateManagement in Bulgaria of year 2003, HP Winners Summit 2006 forExcellence, Business Face of 2006 etc.

Presentation

Economic Growth Based on Innovation

Joze Gricar

Chairman, Department of InformaticsUniversity of Maribor, Slovenia

Contacts


Biography

Joze Gricar (http://eCenter.FOV.Uni-Mb.si/Gricar) is Professor of InformationSystems and Chairman, Department of Informatics & Director, eCenter, Facultyof Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor. He received Ph.D. degree inbusiness & information systems from the University of Ljubljana in 1984.Prior to joining the University of Maribor in 1977, he was holding various

managerial positions in Commerce Ljubljana, Representative of Foreign Firmsfor eleven years. His current research includes eCommerce and innovativecross-border eRegion development in the Living Labs environment. Since thebeginning in 1988, he is the Committee Chair of the annual Bled eConference(http://www.BledConference.org). Currently he is a member of the SteeringGroup (International organizations and e-business experts) of the eBSN,European eBusiness Support Network for SMEs, E-business, ICT industry andservices, Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General, European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/e-bsn). As a representative of the Slovenia gov-ernment, he is a member of the Central European Initiative - CEI Task Force onICT (http://www.CEInet.org). In the eRegion Central Europe development he isactive in ALADIN – ALpe ADria INitiative Universities’ Network ("http://www.ALADIN-Net.eu). In recent time he is engaged in the PortfolioLeadership Group of European Network of Living Labs,(http://www.OpenLivingLabs.eu) and in a country wide initiative of Slovenia“Innovation for Life Quality - Slovenia Living Lab”(http://SloveniaLivingLab.org).

Presentation

Innovative eRegion Development: Opportunities for the Cross-borderCollaboration

The eRegion is a totality of organizations – linked by eTechnologies – of nearbycountries in a circle of 200 to 500 kilometers surrounding the observation pointaiming at increasing the competitiveness of each of the participating countriesand the eRegion as a whole. The level of implemented telecommunication tech-nologies and eSolutions and eServices offers the opportunities for an accelerat-ed development and intensified links with the neighbors.

Aleksandra Rakovic

Expert, Working Table II - EconomyStability Pact for South Eastern Europe

Contacts


Biography

Aleksandra Rakovic is an expert in Working Table II of Stability Pact for SEE.Her main areas of expertise are investment promotion, SME and ICT develop-ment. Among her current tasks are coordination of various initiatives and proj-ects in the ICT sector in the SEE region. Prior to her engagement within theStability Pact she was in charge of the coordination of projects for publicadministration reforms within Serbian Government. Ms.Rakovic also spenteight years working within the Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations ofSerbia and Montenegro being responsible for the cooperation with the WorldTrade Organization and UN Agencies. Her work focused on multilateral tradeissues, services, agriculture, investment and competitiveness in the context ofthe WTO Agreements. Within the SM European Integration Office she was incharge of the coordination of the translation of the Acquis Communautaire andinvolved in the technical and official rounds of negotiations on the SAA. Shespecialized in diplomatic affairs (Diplomatic Academy, Belgrade) and holds aM.Sc in International Economics from the Faculty of Economics, University ofBelgrade.

Presentation

Policy and Regulatory Challenges for the ICT Sector in South Eastern Europe

The South Eastern European countries have a common interest in advancing thegrowth of ICT investments in forming joint ventures and initiatives and foster-ing technology development. Advances in communications technology andhigh-speed data networks are continuously increasing the possibilities forcountries with economies in transition to participate in the global market forICT enabled services on the basis of their comparative advantage. Legislativeand institutional capacity is lacking and resources are often insufficient tocarry through ambitious reforms on national and local level. The role of theStability Pact eSEE Initiative is to integrate SEE countries into the globalknowledge-based economy by supporting the region in developing strategy for


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the Information Society, including benchmarking, best practices and the trans-fer of knowledge. Through regional cooperation countries are more successfulin addressing and solving common problems and barriers to the faster infra-structure development. The implementation of eSEE Agenda will help theregion to stimulate innovation, exploit the technological and economic poten-tial of e-business and expand the impact of IT on SME development. Securingpolitical support for the fully implementation of eSEE Agenda+ forDevelopment of Information Society and through the bSEE Initiative and bSEETask Force, stimulating innovation and investment in ICT research and educa-tion through creation of the e-Governance Centre as well as further strength-ening public-private partnerships will undoubtedly lead to the faster economicgrowth and competitiveness, job creation and better government efficiencyand transparency in the region.

Richard Shearer

Chief Executive Officervivatel, Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 2 94 94 648fax +359 2 85 24 955

Presentation

The Business Perspective: The Telecommunication Market in SEE

Current status of the Bulgarian telecommunication market. Mobile service pene-trations at Telecommunication Market in South-East Europe – comparison toBulgarian parameters. Mobile operators offering converged services - new busi-ness opportunities. Become leading data service provider at Bulgarian telecom-munications market.

Plamen Vatchkov

ChairmanState Agency for Information Technology andCommunication, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Dr. Vatchkov obtained a M.Sc. in Industrial Electronics and PhD in TechnicalSciences at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute at 1977. He is AssociateProfessor in Technical Sciences at the Higher Commission for Attestation. Dr.Vatchkov has specialisations in Microprocessor Devices, Management andQuality Management. Dr. Vatchkov started his career in 1973 as engineer atthe Central Computing Institute in Sofia. He has gained his wide professionalexperience both in the public and private ICT sector. His professional and per-sonal qualities have allowed him to hold a number of highly responsible posi-tions, like Assistant Professor at the Technical University in Moscow; DeputyDirector of the Institute for Technical Cybernetics and Robotics of the BulgarianAcademy of Sciences; General Director of Micro Processing Systems; ManagingDirector of Bulvar Electronics, Ltd; Director of Information Technology, OvergasHolding; Deputy Director Operations of Cabletel. From 1985 until 1992 Dr.Vatchkov was a member of the Scientific Council of the Institute for TechnicalCybernetics and Robotics. Now he is a member of the Academic Council of theInternational University and a member of the Balkan Academy of Sciences. Dr.Vatchkov is a member of the Federation of the Scientific and Technical Unionsin Bulgaria and the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria. From 2005 up to now Dr.Vatchkov is Chairman of State Agency for Information Technology andCommunications. From 2007 he is a member of Managing a Budget Group(MBG) of the Internetional Telecommunication Union (ITU) and he was chosenfor a Chairman of ITU for the oncoming year (2008).

Presentation

State Policy for ICT Development – an instrument for fostering R&D

This presentation aims to outline the capacity, opportunities and perspectivesin front of the Republic of Bulgaria to create economic growth and more jobsin a sustainable way through information and communication technology (ICT)development as a vehicle for creation of knowledge and its dissemination tocitizens and enterprises. Competitiveness issues and the capability of our econ-omy to withstand the competitive pressures of the Single Market have been theone of highlights of the pre-accession process. Concerns about productivity,technical change, innovation and R&D in Bulgaria underpin these reflections.In order to establish a knowledge-based economy in our country and the com-petitiveness of the national economy it is necessary to be extended ICT inno-vation capacity (thus the economic development) organizationally and spatial-ly, to be made ICT innovation wide-spread, and to be channeled the informa-tion, technologies and other innovative market knowledge directly to the dif-ferent players of the economy. An approach for a purposeful and active statepolicy in relation to the ICT competitiveness of Bulgarian enterprises is need-ed with emphasis on the convergence of ICTs, electronic content, public servic-es and an improved quality of life. In addition, today the responsibilities of theinstitutions in our country are being considerably changed, as the emphasis isnot so much on the already concluded fundamental restructuring of economy,but on its quality characteristics and challenges that our membership in the EUimpose. In compliance with the principles of sustainable development, equalopportunities and non-discrimination, the awareness and confidence of busi-nesses in the field of ICT need to be enhanced, and support is needed for thedevelopment of relevant skills and widespread network literacy. SMEs, in par-ticular, need to be encouraged to adopt new business methods, techniques andinnovations through ICT. In light of the extraordinary productivity increases inthe ICT sector, overall productivity growth can partly be explained by thedegree of specialisation of countries in ICT production. However, substantialproductivity gains and new business opportunities can also result from the useof ICT in other sectors, notably in services. This is our first year as a full EUmember. In fact, this creates more opportunities for ICT development and coop-eration, but in an increasingly global world, our country has to set out theattributes of a successful and competitive science and innovation system inBulgaria to which Government and other stakeholders are committed. This canbe achieved by gathering the Government and other funders and investors inBulgaria-based science and technology education, research and application atone place.

Anne Burrill

Deputy Head of Unit, Enlargement & Neighbouring CountriesDG Environment, European Commission

Contacts


Biography

Anne Burrill is presently Deputy Head of the Unit "Enlargement andNeighbouring Countries" in the European Commission's Directorate General forEnvironment. Previous responsibilities in the Commission have includedresponsibility for environmental cooperation with Romania, development ofthe EU Recommendation on Integrated Coastal Zone Management, and under-taking prospective studies related to water management. Prior to joining theCommission in 1992, Anne Burrill worked in Europe and Africa as a consult-ant on environmental information systems. She holds a Master's degree inGeography (Columbia University), and also a post-graduate diploma inEconomic Principles (U. of London).

Presentation

Environment Policy -- Motor for a Better Future

2.6

Mobilising Actors for Environmental Governance


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Giangioacchino Catalano

Managing Director Environmental Control SystemsSouthern EuropeAlstom Power, Italy

Contacts


Biography

Giangioacchino Catalano is Deputy Managing Director of the EnvironmentalControl System, Southern Europe Unit of Alstom Power. He is based in Milan,where the headquarter of the unit is located and from where the other loca-tions, France, Romania, Portugal and Germany are managed. Mr. Catalanoholds a Master in Chemical Engineering from the Politecnico of Milan; hisexpertise spans over 30 years in the areas of engineering,project managementand sales/tendering with major engineering companies in the oil and gas,petrochemical and environmental control fields. Mr. Catalano through the dif-ferent positions gained experience in all the phases of turn-key projects. Inparticular after few years spent as process manager, he worked as engineeringmanager as well as project manager in international Consortia in differentCountries. Most recently he acquired specific expertise in Desulphurizationplants as Application Manager and Sales Manager for the EMEA Region.

Presentation

Maritza East 1 - Desulphurization Plants for a Better Environment

The Maritza East 1 project is the development of a 670 MW gross and 600MW net (2 units 335 MW each) lignite-fired power plant, to be realized adja-cent to the site of the existing Maritza East 1 power plant. The site is 40 kilo-metres (km) south-east of Stara Zagora and 250 km south-east of Sofia,Bulgaria. The new power plant will be a base-load facility that will operate 24hours per day and 7 days per week firing local lignite having a high sulphurcontent. The proposed facility will use state-of-the-art technology, in pollutioncontrol equipment to meet World Bank, European Union and Bulgarian air andwater pollution control standards. The content of this article will deal mainlywith the Wet Limestone Desulphurization Plant (WFGD Plant) , that will reducethe emission of SO2 by more that 95%. Alstom technology is based on morethan 45000 MW of WFGD plants installed all over the world.

Teia Catana

Head of UnitMinistry of Environment and SustainableDevelopment, Romania

Contacts

tel. +402 131 94 600e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Teia Catana is Head of Unit within MINISTRY of Environment and SustainableDevelopment, Romania. Her main responsibility is the coordination of theNational Sustainable Development Strategy revision, approval and implemen-tation monitoring, as well as sustainability principles promotion and integra-tion in other public policies and strategies. Before this position, she has beenworking 3 years on integrating environmental and social considerations in theBUSINESS operations of ABN AMRO Bank (at headquarter and in Romania asSustainable Development coordinator). In Amsterdam she was responsible fora pilot project on sustainable behaviors among employees which now is imple-mented world-wide part of a global reduction target of 10% for energy useand was nominated for the Financial Time sustainable banking awards in2006. In Romania she created the sustainable development strategy and facil-itated its implementation: employee education, risk management, productdevelopment, eco-efficiency, regional co-operation. Ms Catana has also over 7years of NGO experience at different management levels in Romania, Belgium,Germany and Costa Rica with AIESEC, SOS Childrenvillages and ViitorPlus. Shehas been training and facilitating all over the world at more than 70 confer-

ences and workshops on personal and organizational development. She grad-uated Academy of Economics Bucharest.

Presentation

Sustainable Development and the business sector – the Romanian perspective

The presentation will cover the following topics:Mobilizing actors from a BUSINESS perspective – getting the LICENSE TO OPERATECompanies need a ‘license to operate’. Governmental authorities have the mostdirect control over a company’s ‘license to operate’, but also other stakehold-ers issue their own ‘license’ and can sanction the company for ‘bad behavior’– real or perceived. Mobilizing actors for ROMANIA’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGYImportance, development process, partners and stakeholders involved forRomania’s Sustainable Development Strategy. EU commitments and develop-ment framework. Implications for the business sector.Today’s leadership challenges for businesses: HOW TO BALANCE? sharehold-er value creation and a wider economic, social and environmental valueinvestors and other stakeholders short term profitability and long term sus-tainability, commercial confidentiality and greater transparency Business RISKS and OPPORTUNITIES linked to sustainable developmentThe need to proactively address the risks and opportunities of sustainabledevelopment is becoming an issue for the boardroom. Positive relationshipbetween environmental governance and financial performance (strong evi-dence found by leading banks and financial institutions and consultancies).

Henry Richard Jackelen

UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator forBulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Assumed the position of UNDP Resident Representative and UN ResidentCoordinator for Bulgaria in October 2007. Prior to it he worked since 2003 ashead of UNDP Country Office and UN Resident coordinator in Paraguay, andbetween 2000 and 2003 as UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Brazil.Henry Jackelen held the position of UNDP Director, Private Sector DevelopmentProgramme and led the Special Unit for Micro finance (1994-2000). During thisperiod he designed and implemented the project phase of the Global SustainableDevelopment Facility involving 12 of the leading Global Corporations. It result-ed in the creation of a joint UN/Private Sector entity to certify and promote pri-vate investments with demonstrable short term and sustainable positiveimpacts. Starting in 1996 Jackelen conceptualized, designed and launched theMicroStart programme that evolved into mobilizing +$ 40 million for an initia-tive which operates in +25 countries under a unique partnership with more than30 of the leading micro finance institutions. As Senior Technical Advisor withthe United Nations Capital Development Fund -UNCDF (1989-93), he designed,monitored and evaluated new initiatives to financial institutions/NGOs andGovernments in Bolivia, Nicaragua, West Africa, Lesotho, Uganda, Mozambique,Yemen, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Nepal. Jackelen worked as consultantwith the World Bank, USAID, IADB and others on a wide range of credit andenterprise development activities. Of particular note were multiple missionswith the WB in Bangladesh related to work with Grameen and other leadingMicro finance Institutions and multiple Missions with USAID to design the firstmicro credit programme in South Africa. Henry Jackjelen holds MA in Economyand International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, (School of AdvancedInternational Studies, Washington, DC. He is member of the Council on ForeignRelations since 1999, Advisor, Micro Enterprise Promotion Programme(UNRWA/Palestine), since 2000, Advisor, Finmark Trust (DFID/South Africa),Founding Member, Board of Directors, World Computer Exchange, since 2000.

Augusto Pretner

Managing DirectorSGI Studio Galli Ingegneria S.p.A., Italy


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Contacts


Biography

Augusto Pretner is Managing Director of SGI, a leading Italian consultant spe-cialised in environment and water engineering, as well as Chairman of DFSEngineering, a consulting group of 450 staff operating in the water, environ-ment, energy and construction sectors. Graduated at Padua University in 1970with a master degree in Hydraulic Engineering, Mr. Pretner has worked exten-sively in the design, maintenance and optimisation of water and wastewaternetworks all across Italy and worldwide. He has also consolidated experiencein the co-ordination of multidisciplinary projects funded by internationalorganizations such as EBRD, European Commission, UNEP, UNOPS, UNESCO,the World Bank, and the Italian ministries of environment and foreign affairs.As technical advisor on water related issues to the Italian Ministry ofEnvironment, Land and Sea (IMELS) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairshe was appointed as official member of the Italian delegation in internationalconferences including the World Water Forum in Mexico (March 2006) and inKyoto (March 2003), the UN Conference on sustainable development (NewYork, April 2004 and April 2005) and OCSE – World Bank Meeting on Public-Private and Public-Public Transactions in Europe and Central Asia (Paris, April2002). Mr. Pretner is Member of the Board of Directors of International WaterAssociation in Italy.

Presentation

Environmental Governance in the Water Sector

SGI SpA is an Italian leading consultancy specialized in water, environment,energy, landscape management and civil and infrastructure engineering.Since its establishment in 1920, SGI has expanded into a joint stock compa-ny that currently employs over 120 staff in offices throughout Italy andabroad. One of the main objectives of SGI is to improve people's lives andthe environment through integrated and sustainable projects, with a for-ward-looking vision and a commitment to developing local economies. In thewater sector, ever more stringent European environmental directives compelto search for innovative solutions reflecting integrated water resource man-agement principle. In Europe SGI has developed a number of projects toassist in adopting this approach according to requirements set forth in theWater Framework Directive. Among them there are Water Management atRiver Basin Scale (WAMARIBAS) – implemented in three Italian Regions(Marche, Sardinia and Sicily) and Adriatic Sea Integrated Coastal Areas andRiver Basin Management System (ADRICOSM) – carried out in Croatia,Bosnia and Herzegovina and recently also Albania and Montenegro. Theprojects focused on development and validation of tools for integrated waterresources management in the selected river catchments and coastal zones.The key step towards the integration was to connect catchment hydrology,wastewater facilities and coastal hydraulics modelling simultaneously ensur-ing practicality of the developed tools so that they are understood by non-experts - decision makers, regulators and managers. Both projects involvedwide group of stakeholders - education and research centers, water authori-ties and operators, consultancies. The projects also comprised a strongcapacity building and dissemination component – knowledge was trans-ferred through numerous workshops, conferences, information materials andwebsites. As regards water infrastructure SGI developed survey and analysismethodologies for the optimisation of water supply systems through thereduction of water leakages. The resulting calibrated models were used in anumber of applications both in Italy and abroad (including water systems ofAthens, Amman and Tirana). The knowledge developed and experiencegained during this process served as an input for implementation of anEuropean Commission funded research and demonstration project ‘Tool forIntegrated Leakage Detection’ (TILDE). TILDE aimed at optimising perform-ance of water supply networks by addressing the problem of water losses; itwas implemented in collaboration with a group of water operators, localadministrations, water authorities and consultancies from several Europeancountries. The project resulted in development of a set of practical, opera-tional tools supporting operators in identifying cost effective technologiesto assess, reduce and manage leakages. The specific TILDE instrumentsincluded: decision support tool - TILDE DTS (on line manual that helps ingaining insight into the operation of the network and adopting the leakagemanagement solution that best suits specific needs), data management sys-tem - TILDE DTM (database that provides a method to identify critical areasin terms of leakage thus helping prioritise actions for water loss manage-

ment), benchmarking and econometric tools (manuals to aid in comparingperformance or technical data within or between companies and in optimis-ing investment) and TILDE leakage check-up (quick analysis tool extremelyuseful in assessing system’s performance, challenges and opportunities).TILDE technologies have been tested and validated in four European pilotsites - in Italy (Bari and Sassari), Cyprus (Nicosia) and Norway (Bergen).Fora wider dissemination of the project results all TILDE tools, project resultsand background information were made available through a dedicated inter-net website – Water Portal. In the context of improving operation and main-tenance of water and wastewater systems, SGI has been working towardsreorganization of services provision both in Italy and abroad. This workfocussed on due diligence of water and sanitation services for the Italianwater districts (ATO), assistance in bids to participate in the concession con-tracts and advice on the procedures for transforming utilities corporate sta-tus from public into private. Recently, within this area SGI is providing assis-tance to the Water and Wastewater Company of Karlovac (Croatia) in theirefforts to achieve operational and financial efficiency, strengthen the capac-ity to manage a large investment project aimed at WWTP and accompany-ing facilities construction, and repay the related EBRD loan while providinghigh quality water and sewerage services. Specifically, the project is imple-mented through five tasks comprising: identification of areas for company’sperformance improvement; development of financial and operationalimprovement programme and assistance in its implementation; preparationof a public service agreement between the company and the town; and eval-uation of the potential for private sector participation in company’s opera-tions.

Marcello Rinaldi

Chief Operating OfficerENEL S.p.A.

Contacts

e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Mr. Rinaldi is Chief Operating Officer at ENEL Maritza East 3 in Bulgaria. He hasbeen working for ENEL since 1990, when he started as head of MaintenanceService in a lignite-thermal Power Plant, to became in 1997 head of budget andreporting Department of a Regional Business Unit including 5 power plants andin 1999 head of Safety Department in a thermal Power Plant. In 2000 hebecame manager of oil thermal Power plant while in 2002 he was responsiblefor two coal power plants refurbishment and oprtimization, and in 2004 he wasmanager of S. Barbara Business Unit during the transformation of the pre-exist-ing fuel oil Power Plant to a combined Cycled.

Philippe Rombaut

Chairman of the Board of DirectorsEcobulpack JSC, Bulgaria

Biography

Philippe Rombaut is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ECOBULPACKJSC, the largest waste recovery organization in Bulgaria. Mr. Rombaut isresponsible for the management, the development and the effective perform-ance of the Board of Directors of the company. Philippe Rombaut is a Partnerand Executive Director of Acid & Fertilizers LLC, USA, Executive Director ofthe largest fertilizer manufacturer in Bulgaria Agropolychim AD. He also isMember of the Board of Solideal Ltd., Hong Kong, an important industrialtires and wheels and tracks manufacturer with plants in Sri Lanka, Serbia andCanada. Executive Director and Member of the Board of Decaphos Ad,Director of Lanka Ood, Bulgaria, Member of the Board of Liberty FoodServices, Bulgaria, as well as Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian RailwayCompany. In 2000-2002 he was Senior Regional Executive of the Sofiabased 150 mio USD fund Soros Southeast Europe Equity Fund. Prior to join-


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ing the Fund Mr. Rombaut was Executive Director Union Minière PirdopCopper, Bulgaria (formerly MDK). In 1995-1997 he was BusinessDevelopment Senior Executive at Union Miniere (now UMICORE), Belgium. In1994-1995 Mr. Rombaut was President of Altenberg Gitterrost GmbH, Esen,Germany. Prior to this he worked as Head of Corporate Finance UM Group,Belgium, Assistant Corporate Finance Officer and Assistant to the Head ofthe International Representations Department at SociétéGénérale de Belgiqueat Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Rombaut holds B.A. in Economics from KatholiekeUniversiteit Leuven (Belgium) and MBA from Keio University.

Presentation

Separate Waste Collection Management

Implementation of sustainable systems for separate waste collection and therecovery of packaging. Problems. Resolutions. Trends.

Atanas Garov

Managing DirectorColliers International, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Atanas Garov holds a BA in Economics from the Colorado College and an MBAin International Business from Thunderbird, AGSIM, USA. Before joiningColliers, he worked at Jones Lang LaSalle’s Capital Markets Group in New York,USA. Atanas Garov joined Colliers in 2002 as Director of CommercialBrokerage Services and Investment and Corporate Advisory Services. He wasinstrumental in the development of both areas of business. During that time,Mr. Garov also participated in a number of projects in Southeast Europe. Afterone and a half years, he was promoted to Managing Director of ColliersInternational Bulgaria. Under his management, the company has continued togrow and sustained its position as leader on the Bulgarian market.

Strahil Ivanov

ManagerYavlena Ltd., Bulgaria

Contacts

tel. +359 88 7 731 006fax +359 2 81 05 009e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Strahil Ivanov is the Manager of YAVLENA Real Estate Agency. Despite from head-ing the company, he is also participating in the Management of YAVLENA IMPACT– the Apprizers structure of the firm and at the same time implements invest-ment projects in all the country. Graduated Engineer and Research associate, for15 years Mr Ivanov had been engaged in scientific and research work. Afterfounding YAVLENA in 1992, he had gained experience in all aspects of the RealEstate business. That certainly reflected the Agency's structure and activities –presently YAVLENA covers all segments of the Real Estate market and deals withsales and rentals, evaluation, management and consulting. Mr. Ivanov, memberof the Management board of the National Real Property Association (NRPA) inBulgaria, is also one of its founders. He had been Chairman of the Association for

IBA 01

Real Estate Market and Infrastructure. The bust of the Real EstateBoom or Imminent Surprises?

the period 1996-1997. Since 1994 to April 1999 Strahil Ivanov had beenChairman of the National Association of the Appraisers for Real Estate and amember of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Association of BusinessAppraisers /BABA/. In 1996 as Chairman of NRPA, Mr Ivanov took part in theannual conference of NAR /National Association of Realtors/ in San Francisco,USA and signed a contract between the two organizations. In 1996 he wasaccepted as a member of NAR. Mr Ivanov has also participated in many interna-tional conferences and events as the integration of EVROVAL and TEGOVOFA, thetwo biggest international appraisers organizations in Europe, which took place inLisbon and Kan in 1997, as the new name of the organization is TEGoVA.

Presentation

Outlines of the Bulgarian Real Estate market

YAVLENA's presentation shall refer to a number of important aspects of the pres-ent situation on the Bulgarian Real Estate market. It will include the followingissues, supported with data and particular numbers: General trends on the Real;Estate market; Salability of different types of properties; Degree of effectivenesswith rental properties; Balance of supply and demand for various types of prop-erties; Trends in some towns of the country.

Plamen Russev

Chief Executive Officer, Managing PartnerBalkan Consultancy Center, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Mr. Plamen Russev is currently holding the position of the Managing Partner ofthe Balkan Consultancy center Ltd. BCC is a Bulgarian consultancy company,specialized in the provision of marketing information for the real estate andinvestment market, promotion and presentation of Bulgarian real estate on for-eign markets. The activity of BCC focuses on six main directions: provision ofservices and solutions in the field of real estate, maintenance of the detailedinformation database for new-build and renovated properties in Bulgaria-BCC.BG, presentation of Bulgarian real estate projects on foreign markets, pub-lishing of the yearbook „WHO IS WHO- investment and real estate - Bulgaria“,provision of market research, analysis and consultancy, co-organization of theBalkan Real Estate Conference – the regional event, which focuses on the busi-ness opportunities on the property market in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia Mr.Russev holds a Management degree from the Delaware university. In 1999 heestablished DESIGN.BG - a company for internet consulting, e-marketing andprovision for online-based software, business solutions with offices in Bulgaria,Switzerland, UK and Czech republic.

Vladimir Sobolev

Counsellor, Foreign Economic CooperationBelarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,

Contacts


Biography

Vladimir Sobolev is the counselor of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerceand Industry (BelCCI). He is responsible for FDI promotion and related activi-ties within the framework of BelCCI . He worked as Project Management Officer(PMO) in the United Nations Secretariat in New York and as the commercialcounselor for foreign trade in the Belarus Embassy in Brussels. He has substan-


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tial industrial experience as an engineer at the big Belarus factory producingdomestic refrigerators. Mr.Sobolev is a member of Foreign Investors AdvisoryCouncil (FIAC) in Belarus, which includes a number of major foreign investorsand is acting in close contact with the Council of Ministers of Belarus. FIAC islobbing the interests of foreign investors in Belarus.

Oksana Tsedrik

Deputy DirectorEnvironment company Ecokomplex, Belarus

Contacts


Biography

Oksana Tsedrik has graduated from Vitebsk Light Industry in 1991 and is aneconomist. She was employed by Housing Communal Servises of Soligorsk citysince 1991. As of 2004 she is a deputy director of Environment companyEcokomplex andis dealing with wa.ste collection and treatment. The companyEcokomplex started separate collection of domestic waste in Soligorsk city. Aspecial publicity program in schools and for local population was fulfilled,more than 100 refuse bins were installed in Soligorsk city. Mrs. Tsedrik is theorganizer of all activities connected with the creation of system for separatecollection and processing of solid domestic waste.

Presentation

Organization of the Modern System for Separate Collection and Processingof Solid Domestic Waiste

The Project has been elaborated for the purpose of creating the modern systemfor separate collection and processing of solid domestic waste (SDW) in accor-dance with the Programme for handling the Solid Domestic Waste as approvedby the decision of the Soligorsk Town Executive Committee No.425 dated June11, 2004. The main tasks of the elaborated project are as follows: 1)Organization of separate collection, treatment and recycling of solid domesticwaste present on the territory of the town of Soligorsk and Soligorsk District;2) Organization of taking the nature-conservative, sanitary and fire-preventionmeasures for preventing the adverse effect on the environment and humanhealth when handling the solid domestic waste; 3) Creating the conditionsstimulating the separate collection of solid domestic waste; 4) Organization ofseparate collection of solid domestic waste for the purpose of ecologically andeconomically grounded use of them as secondary raw materials. The projectinclude purchase of modern equipment, creation of special shop to separatewaste and processing of separated waste.Project cost - 5.1 mln US dollarsBackground: The existing system for handling the waste in the town is buryingthe waste at the solid domestic waste burial ground in the village of Dubei. Thisburial ground has exhausted its resources. The burying method of treatment ofsolid domestic waste is simple, but it requires large land plots, considerableinvestments as well as operational and transport costs. The burial ground is asource of spreading odor nuisances in spite of hydraulic protection, increasedrisk of contamination of ground waters with poisonous filtrates. At the burialground there is no weight accounting of solid domestic waste. Therefore, thetown needs a new sorting and treatment complex for solid domestic wastecomplying with today’s technological norms and local conditions and takinginto account the landscape and hydrological peculiarities of the town.Environmental impact summary: Accumulation and concentration of soliddomestic waste in large quantities is one of serious factors of pollution of theenvironment and can cause, under certain circumstances, unpredictable conse-quences. It is especially significant for the town of Soligorsk.

Miroslav Yazov

Financial ManagerYazov Ltd., Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Miroslav Yazov is a Financial Manager and co-owner of the company Yazov Ltd,Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He has a BD in Macroeconomics from the University ofPlovdiv “P. Hilendarski” and a MD in Financial Management from the same uni-versity. Mr. Yazov expertise spans over 7 years in areas such as accounting,financial management and real estate mediation with companies from Israel,Italy and Bulgaria. Mr. Yazov career began in 1999 when he worked, still as astudent, for the company Yazov SLtd – Israel, a company owned by his fatherand partner in Yazov Ltd. – Mr. Dimitar Yazov, as an interpreter and mediatorin negotiations between the company and its Israeli partners. In 2001 hejoined a prestige Plovdiv auditing company where he worked as an assistantaccountant for companies from Belgium and Italy. In September 2002 he wasappointed General Manager in an Israeli owned real estate agency based inSwitzerland, with offices in Genève, Tel Aviv and Plovdiv. In the autumn of2004 he became a partner in Yazov Ltd and its Financial Manager. One yearlater Mr. Yazov found another company which bought off the real estate agencyhe worked in and which company now is also working in the field of real estatemediation and investing in properties.

Presentation

Sky Buildings - the New Face of Business and Living in Plovdiv

Why Plovdiv? Plovdiv is situated on the banks of the Maritza River. It is thesecond biggest city in Bulgaria. Its unique location at this ancient crossroadcontributed for the strong cultural and political influence of the East andWest civilizations on its development. Nevertheless the city has saved itsexceptional cultural identity. Plovdiv is one of the most ancient cities notonly in Bulgaria but in Europe as well. The city is an intersection of differentcultures and epochs, religions and traditions, a conjunction of roads connect-ing countries and continents. Plovdiv is a picturesque city with many gar-dens and parks, museums and archeological monuments, a city with uniqueatmosphere which combines and interesting past with lively present, a citywhich has become the home of various festivals, cultural events and tradefairs each year. Some of the main advantages of the city are: the populationof the district is 700 000 people, which is the second biggest in the coun-try; Plovdiv is near the international E79 highway and close to Greece; theacceptance of the new city plan and the expansion of the city to the board-ers of its ring road; Plovdiv has its own airport with brand new cargo zonefor it; The International Plovdiv fair which holds more than 40 exhibitionsper year, one of which the Autumn Technical Fair is the biggest on theBalkans with more than 3600 exhibitors; the construction of 3 new indus-trial and logistic parks.Sky Buildings. This is a new investment project of “Yazov” Ltd. The complex issituated near park “Lauta”, near “Locomotive” stadium in district 1, 2, and 3according to the plan of VSI – MO – city of Plovdiv. The area of the plot is 32000 sq. m., total constructed area of 129 000 sq. Ï. The complex is withmixed functions – residential and public. Its composition is made by a diago-nal pedestrian area cutting through the plot, with a lot of green areas and pub-lic services, which leads directly to the main entrance of “Locomotive” stadi-um and includes stores, fast-food restaurants, SPA centers, cinemas, etc. Inboth ends – north and south, three thirty three floors administrative buildingsare situated for public services. Their ground-floor levels are two and threefloors trading bodies, which are planned in such manner as to allow combiningof different in type and area premises into large showrooms. Trading areas arevast, bright and strategically situated, which ensures successful trading activi-ties. The office buildings are approximately 100 meters tall with communica-tions in the center and free planning of the floors. Ten residential structures –3 to 9 floors tall, are situated in the complex, which are subordinated to a com-mon composition idea. The areas which are not to be build on will be greenedwith tall and short vegetation, as the parking which will serve the complex aresituated in basement levels.A lot of gardens and alleys are to be built in order to ensure the necessarycalmness in a fast moving life. Wood vegetation will be mainly concentrat-ed around the street which passes through the complex and alongside thepedestrian area. “Sky Buildings” receives a unique and interesting characterfor its residents as well as for developing a successful business.


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Dana Armean Denis-Smith

Managing DirectorMarker Global Ltd., United Kingdom

Contacts

tel. +44 77 8 88 34 335e-mail : [email protected]

Dana Denis-Smith is the Managing Director of Marker Global Ltd, a London-based business consultancy. Dana is an English-qualified lawyer and experi-enced analyst of the economic transition in Eastern Europe. She spent twoyears working as a lawyer with global law firm Linklaters, specialising infinance law. Previous to her role as a lawyer, she worked for The EconomistGroup as a Balkans writer and anayst for The Economist Intelligence Unit andother Group companies. Dana worked as an economics journalist for the BBCWorld Service in London, Reuters in Romania and the Russia Journal in Moscowas well as for a number of other London-based economic forecasters such asWMRC (now Global Insight). Dana holds an MSc in Political Economy ofTransition and a BSc in International History and Relations from the LondonSchool of Economics as well as postgraduate studies in Law.

Presentation

Making the Small Count – SMEs, Regulation and Economic Reform in South- East Europe

This presentation focuses on the following: a) the practical aspects of setting up and running a small/medium size enterprisein South East Europe: how does the regulatory framework of various countries inthe region stimulate the growth of SMEs. It will discuss the effects of overregu-lation on the success of SMEs; b) it considers to what extent the success of the SME sector feeds into the coun-tries’ economic growth and analyses to what extent there is a link between over-regulation, failure to establish a successful SME sector and economic indicators; c) it considers other barriers to developing a successful SME sector and weighsthe various options to increase the impact of SMEs to the overall economic per-formance of the countries in the region.

Eugenio Bettella

Lawyer - PartnerRödl & Partner, Italy

Contacts


Biography

Eugenio Bettella is an Italian lawyer, member of the Padua Bar since 1997.He is the partner of law and accountancy firm Rödl & Partner, a Germaninternational firm with head office in Nuremberg having more than 2000professionals operating in 72 offices in Germany and around the world.Eugenio Bettella graduated in law in 1994 at the Padua University. After aperiod of training in an Italian law firm he joined - in 1997 - the leadingEnglish law firm Clifford Chance where he specialized manly in non con-tentious matters such as corporate law (company law, merger & acquisitions,privatisations) and international law but also in contentious matters such asnational and international arbitrations. Eugenio Bettella’s activities are par-ticularly focused on emerging countries in Eastern Europe and Middle East.Eugenio Bettella, throughout the years, had the opportunity of making a

IBA 02

OECD Workshop: How to Implement the Next Wave of EconomicReforms in South Eastern Europe

number of conferences aimed to entrepreneurs and other legal professionalin Italy and abroad mainly dedicated to the legal aspects of how doing busi-ness in foreign countries.

Presentation

CEI countries’ legal framework changes to West European standards

1.Brief overviews of CEI countries (classified in 3 groups):1.A The EU consolidated countries: AUSTRIA and ITALY1.B The EU eastern countries:(i) which adhered to EU in 2004: CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, POLAND, SLO-VAKIA, SLOVENIA(ii) which adhered to EU in 2007: BULGARIA and ROMANIA1.C The extra EU countries: ALBANIA, BELARUS, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA,CROATIA, MACEDONIA, MOLDOVA, MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, UKRAINEData of interest:Population, population growth rate / GDP, GDP real growth rate, GDP per capi-ta, GDP per sector / Inflation rate / Foreign direct investments / Current accountbalance / Labor force, labor force by occupation in sectorsUnemployment rate2. Geopolitical situation and respect of fundamental human rightsWith a particular regard to 1C group’s countries:Analysis of the major factors of geopolitical tensions in the region /Governments’ stabilityAdherence to the main european conventions regarding the human rights andfundamental freedoms, in particular, adherence to the European Convention ofthe Human Rights.Brief analysis of some particular cases.CORE ANALYSISSlides with presentation of the countries.Every slide contains a brief presentation of the legislation of every CEI coun-try, in particular regarding following aspects:Company lawProtection of the intellectual property rights / Labor legislationReal estate / Antitrust / Fiscal system / Custom’s laws / Finance / Other aspectsWith reference to the 1.C group’s countries, there will be analysis of the pro-ceedings of adherence to the Community’s legal framework.With reference to the 1.B group’s countries, there will be analysis of the tran-sitions regimes and safeguard.

Fadi Farra

Principal AdministratorOECD

Contacts

e-mail: [email protected]

Biography

Fadi Farra is a Principal Administrator with the OECD. Fadi is an expert on pri-vate sector development issues and policies. The studies he led recently focusedon private sector competitiveness and policy barriers in South East Europe. Priorto joining the OECD Fadi worked for 15 years in management and policy advi-sory with the Boston Consulting Group and AT Kearney. He is the author of sev-eral publications related to business climate, competitiveness and globalization.His latest publication in collaboration with Harvard Business School focuses onforeign direct investments. He is a regular commentator on CNN, BBC, CNBC andthe Financial Times on globalization and FDI issues. Fadi is a graduate from theLondon School of Economics (M.Sc. Management Economics), HEC Paris /Community of European Management Schools (M.Sc. International Management)and the Institut D’Etudes Politiques (M.A. Government).

Presentation

Targeting Reforms through a Sector Specific Approach

Marie-Laurence Guy

Projects OfficerGlobal Corporate Governance Forum, IFCWashington DC / Bulgaria Country Office


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Contacts


Biography

Marie-Laurence Guy is a projects officer and task team leader at the IFC - GlobalCorporate Governance Forum. She is in charge of the Forum’s activities in theMiddle East and North Africa and Southeast Europe. She furthermore works ondeveloping global corporate governance reform tools to help implement good cor-porate governance practices. Ms. Guy has recently co-authored and coordinated theproduction of two toolkits on building director training organizations and develop-ing corporate governance codes of best practice. She is currently leading a newproject on corporate governance and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.Ms. Guy previously worked as a project manager in the Corporate Affairs Divisionof the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and theFrench Ministry of Finance, Economy and Industry. Ms. Guy received a Bachelor’sdegree in Political Sciences from the University of Paris Pantheon-Assas, andMasters’ degrees in International Economic Relations and Defence Economy fromthe University of Paris Pantheon-Sorbonne and Paris Pantheon-Assas.

Presentation

Corporate Governance Reform Efforts in Southeast Europe

The processes by which companies are directed and controlled are subject torules and standards embedded in countries’ corporate governance frameworksand companies’ by-laws. These processes are intended to help companies avoidtrouble, outperform their peers, and reduce the costs of capital by assuringshareholders and bondholders that they can obtain a fair return on their invest-ment. If the rules are to fulfil these purposes, investors must rely on the adher-ence of company’s officers and directors to the rules. In SEE to attract investors,improve corporate performance and compete in the European and Internationalmarkets it is essential to:- Improve the corporate governance framework (Regulations; best practice codes)- Improve director professionalism and board practices- Improve disclosure and transparency- Provide avenues for better dealing with conflicts and disputes- Improve the media’s understanding of good corporate practices

Anthony O’Sullivan

HeadOECD Investment Compact for South East Europe

Contacts


Biography

Anthony O’Sullivan is the Head of the Investment Compact for South EastEurope. The Investment Compact, under the Stability Pact for South EasternEurope (Working Table II on Economic Reconstruction, Development and Co-operation) and the OECD (Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs) is aleading programme designed to improve the investment climate and encour-age private sector development in South East Europe (SEE). Head office islocated in Paris, France with regional offices in Bucharest, Romania andBelgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. (www.investmentcompact.org). MrO’Sullivan has a background as a strategy consultant with the firms Accenture,Monitor Company and A.T. Kearney. His academic credentials include a firstclass Honours Degree in Economics at McGill University and a Masters inDevelopment Economics at the LSE in London.

Presentation

How to implement the next wave of economic reform in SEE

Gian Piero Cigna

Principal Counsel of Corporate Governance, LegalTransition TeamEuropean Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment (EBRD)

Contacts


Biography

Gian Piero Cigna is Counsel with the European Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment (EBRD). He is in charge of corporate governance and capital mar-kets legal reform projects in central and eastern Europe and the CIS. Prior tojoining the EBRD he worked in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Albania,Romania, Serbia and Montenegro (Kosovo) and the Czech Republic both as alawyer in an international law firm and as consultant to international organi-sations and various state institutions and ministries. In the Czech Republic GianPiero worked as “Pre-Accession Advisor” to the Ministry of Justice and theCzech Securities Commission for the approximation of the Czech legislationwith EU standards. He graduated in law in Italy and pursued postgraduate stud-ies in the Netherlands and US focusing on European and international businesslaw. Publications include several essays on corporate governance, capital mar-kets and banking law, most recently with a focus on emerging markets inEastern Europe and Central Asia.

Svenja Bartels

AssociateRödl & Partner, Attorneys-at-Law, CertifiedAccountants and Tax Consultants, Italy

Contacts

tel. +39 049 8046911fax +39 049 8046920e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Svenja Bartels is an Attorney-at-Law at Rödl & Partner, a German internation-al Law Firm with its head office in Nuremburg and Associate in the Padovaoffice in Italy. She received her law degree from the University of Bonn“Rheinische-Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität” in 1998, and studied further-more at the University UNIL in Lausanne (CH) and the German University ofAdministrative Sciences in Speyer (D). Prior to joining Rödl & Partner inPadova, Svenja joined the Milan office of Rödl & Partner and other primary lawfirms in Milan. She specialises in commercial, corporate, energy and renewableenergies sector. In particular as to the latter, she is assisting specifically for-eign clients in the execution of projects for wind farms, hydroelectric and pho-tovoltaic plants in Italy. Svenja Bartels is admitted to practice in Germany(Düsseldorf bar) and is fluent in Italian, English, French and German (mothertongue).

Pierpaolo Dettori

Industrial Area ManagerConser sccpa, Italy

IBA 03

Eco-innovation and Alternative Sources of Energy: Opportunities forSMEs


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Contacts


Biography

In 1975 Pierpaolo Dettori promoted the realization of a new industrial areaknown as First Macrolotto of Prato (Italy), where over 350 micro and smallenterprises (mSE) work and over 3.000 people are employed. In 1982 MrDettori promoted the foundation of a no-profit consortium –CONSER- whosemembers are all the firms of the First Macrolotto. CONSER aims at providingits members with centralized services that can produce scale economies alsofor the mSE and can improve the social and environment of the whole indus-trial area. Since 1982 Mr Dettori has been managing the First Macrolotto. Toachieve CONSER aims, Mr Dettori shifted the focus of his activity from the sin-gle enterprises to the whole industrial area. He also obtained the cooperationof the mSE, suggesting initiatives that do not require any preliminary invest-ment while provide immediate savings for the single enterprises. The initia-tives promoted by Mr Dettori range from the water management (industrialaqueduct fed by a centralized plant for recycling waste water) to energy, fromthe management of the sustainable mobility to safety, from the balance ofworking and family time to the centralized services in favour of the workers.Mr Dettori’s activity was awarded by EU and Italian public institutions. 2003:EU included CONSER among the 23 best projects for SME; 2004: CONSER wasawarded the First Prize SODALITAS for its actions of Corporate SocialResponsibility; 2005: CONSER was awarded the First Prize Eco-efficientTuscany; 2006: EU included CONSER among the 3 best practices realizedwithin the EQUAL European projects. Since in Europe it is not diffused thecareer brief of a planner and manager of industrial areas ecologically andsocially equipped, Mr Dettori together with the University of Venice is promot-ing a Master to form this career brief.

Presentation

Energetically self-sufficient industrial areas: economic and environmentalsustainability. The case study of Prato (Italy)

Micro and small enterprises (mSE) –i.e. enterprises with less than 250employees- represent more than 98% of the European enterprises. Theseenterprises produce more than 70% of pollution in Europe. Anyway the mSEhave no organization, economic and cultural strength to be engaged singu-larly in programmes for the environmental and social improvement.Particularly they are unable to face programmes for the production of ther-mical and electrical energy from renewable sources. In addition the acts pro-moting the environmental protection generally deal with the behaviour ofthe single enterprises and not of the whole areas where they work. As a con-sequence it derives the actual impossibility to involve over 98% of theEuropean enterprises in programmes for the environmental improvementand especially for the production and use of clean energy. With no innova-tive solution it is therefore impossible to reduce significantly the 70% of thepollution produced by the mSE. The experience of the case study of the FirstMacrolotto of Prato shows that it is possible to involve also the mSE in sig-nificant programmes for the environmental improvement, if the focus isshifted from the single firms to the industrial areas where they work. Theparticipation of the mSE in these complex programmes was obtained byavoiding to involve them in onerous preliminary investments and makingthem benefit by immediate and consistent savings. Particularly to realizeinterventions for the production of clean energy and to make the whole FirstMacrolotto energetically self-sufficient, the manager of this area found someimportant ESCo (Energy Saving Companies). They are engaged to realize attheir own expenses the necessary investments and to sell to the mSE work-ing in this area thermical and electrical energy produced by their plants atlower costs than market’s. The intervention of these ESCo provide integrat-ed solutions for distributed cogeneration, thermical and photovoltaic solarplants, small aeolian plants and heat pumps to use the calories of the liq-uids which flow underneath the First Macrolotto. At the end of the period offinancial amortization, the plants realized and managed by the ESCo will beowned by a consortium (CONSER) which represents all the mSE working inthe First Macrolotto. Since CONSER is a no-profit consortium at the end ofthe period of financial amortization the costs of thermical and electricalenergy will be more competitive, because there will not be any financial bur-den. The role of the area manager is crucial for the accomplishment of theseprogrammes. Anyway the European industrial areas provided with a manag-er are still rare. For this reason the case study of Prato was included by theEU among the best practices for its social and environmental initiatives.

Vittorio Ghinassi

General SecretaryAssociation for Italian-Moldavian Trade (ACIM),Italy

Biography

Vittorio Ghinassi is General Secretary of A.C.I.M Association for the Italian-Moldovan Trade. He heads the ACIM headquarters located in Faenza, Italy andcoordinates the activity carried out by the ACIM branch based in Chisinau,Moldova. Among his current tasks are a series of commercial and industrial ini-tiatives such as the management of the project “In Moldova” that aims at cre-ating commercial liaisons between Italian SMEs and Moldovan companies. Mr.Ghinassi’s expertise spans over 20 years in international cooperation projectscarried out in the frame of programs supported by major Italian Institutions andother private organizations, particularly devoted to the development of Eastern-European Countries. Mr Ghinassi gained direct experience in managing all phas-es of a project cycle and greatly improved his capabilities in monitoring and exe-cuting problem-solving actions within international projects. Since the begin-ning of the 90s Mr. Ghinassi worked as Responsible for the Foreign Affairs ofConfartigianato Emilia-Romagna. In 1999 he also served as a Consultant for theproject “Libia Tech” carried out by Confartigianato Italy. In 2003 he was hired byUNIDO for a project dealing with the development of handicraft ceramic actvitiesin Morocco. Then he managed the project “B.R.I.D.G.E. Business ResearchInnovation Generating Enterrises in Tuzla, BiH” from 2004 till 2005 for theRegion Emilia-Romagna and the Association Cosmopolite.

Presentation

The Republic of Moldova presents an energy situation strongly dependent onoutside sources, in particular Moldova acquires natural gas and oil from Russiaand other small percentages from Romania and Ukraine. In particular, regardingthe heating system, both for home-dwellings and industrial buildings, hasremained the same since the Soviet regime; this means that it is based on bigenergy plants of natural gas, diesel gas or coal, that through a vast pipe-linesystem brings hot-water to the buildings. In recent times the use of private heat-ing systems, for one’s own house, has been increasing notably. Strategic objectives The Government of Moldova has set two strategic targets to achieve: the firstaims at increasing the energy produced within the country in the coming tenyears and in doing so Moldova intends to enhance the energy production derivedfrom renewable energy sources (biomass, hydroelectric, etc…); the second targetaims at reducing significantly the energy consumption through the applicationof norms and directives and increasing the citizens’ awareness on this matter aswell as implementing new eco-technologies.Project S.E.E.M. (Systems for Energy Efficiency in Moldova) The project named S.E.E. in Moldova intends to operate within two areas: (i) Thefirst is the eco-innovation which means finding solutions that are sustainableand efficient reducing the domestic and industrial consumption – In particularwe foresee to carry out a monitoring action by taking some areas as study-case(highly populated blocks, villages, countryside spots, industrial districts), then,on the basis of the results obtained, we intend to define the best eco-strategies.In addition we aim at setting up enterprises and/or professional centres special-ized in energy-saving technologies by means of educational programs and tutor-ing offered by Italian companies already active in this field. (ii) The second maintarget of the project is the creation of a biomass pilot-plant, of medium size (20-25 mega) producing alternative energy. This latter is an initiative that will beperformed under the agreement and with the support of the Government ofMoldova.

Fausto Santangelo

Representative of the Italian Ministry of EconomicDevelopment, BEST Groups to the EuropeanCommissionItaly

Contacts



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Biography

Fausto Santangelo is an Environmental System Manager enrolled in theEuropean register (Personnel Registration Scheme) managed by the EuropeanOrganization for Quality. He takes part on behalf of Italian Ministry of EconomicDevelopment to European Projects in Best Expert environmental Groups inEuropean Commission- Enterprise Directorate General (DG enterprise). [TheBusiness Environment Simplification Task Force (BEST) involves representativesfrom the business community and public authorities in the Member States. TheBEST Procedure provides a framework to support Member States’ efforts toimprove their performance by learning from best practices]. Mr Santangelo is anengineer with experience in managing all phases of the environmental compli-ance for SMEs. He supports SMEs in the different stages in the regulatory cyclefrom the design to the government of the processes: permitting. monitoring,reporting, assistance during inspection. He is an environmental auditor in theapplication of Environmental Management Systems (such as ISO 14001 andEmas); an auditor in the energetic certification of buildings; a consultant in envi-ronment, quality, safety and security for SMEs. He supports also privates andSMEs in applications of some alternative energy sources available, above allsolar (photovoltaic) and wind energy: from design to installation.

Andrea Valcada

Chief Coordinator, Environment and InnovationProject,ENEL S.p.A., Italy

Contacts


Biography

Andrea Valcalda is the Chief Coordinator of the Environment and InnovationProject of Enel S.p.A., an investment program for research, innovation, renew-able energy sources and environmental communication. He coordinates theproject implementation, the development of innovative solutions in coopera-tion with Enel’s Research Department. Born in Genoa in 1965, he was gradu-ated at the the Università degli Studi di Genova and joined Enel in 1996 asthe Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Board.

Presentation

Gaining technological and environmental leadership: Enel’s “Environmentand Innovation Project”

Climate change is a global problem, which is already affecting our society, theway we conduct business and live our lives. It is an enormous challenge that wecannot ignore, and which is becoming increasingly important. In particular webelieve that the risk of climate change requires the use of the best technologiesand research for the development of new and friendly solutions for the environ-ment. Technological and environmental leadership is one of Enel’s strategic tar-gets. In our vision, we will be able to produce the necessary amount of energyat reasonable costs and zero emissions. We believe that, in order to be leadersin the energy sector, one has to be a leader in environment and innovation Forthis reason Enel has decided to launch a new project, called “Environment &Innovation Project”: over 4 billion Euros in five years for research, renewableenergies, development and application of the most advanced technologies. Theplan, which is unprecedented at Enel and almost unequalled in global terms, willadd focus to our day-to-day attention regarding efficiency and continuousimprovement. Our final goal is zero-emission power generation. The Project dou-bles our financial efforts for developing generation from renewable sources(from 1.6 billion in the 2001-2005 period to 3.3 billion in 2007-2011). Wewill invest another 800 million Euros in the study of innovative renewable-ener-gy concepts, in research projects on CO2 capture and storage, on the hydrogenfrontier and in encouraging and promoting energy savings, i.e. the foremost andsimplest way of protecting our environment. The speech will give some detailsabout the main projects, focusing on some concrete examples of “intelligentenergy” and new technologies. Environmental sustainability continues to be akey focus of our activities. As a global energy player, we have to work to the bestof our abilities to deliver a better world to future generations and disseminateenvironmental awareness, so as to respond to the challenge of not changing theworld: that’s the real revolution

Riccardo Honorati BianchiExpert - Resident Twinning Adviser, Developmentand Cohesion Policies DepartmentMinistry of Economic Development Italy

Contacts


Biography

Riccardo Honorati Bianchi is Senior Expert within the Ministry of the EconomicDevelopment Department for Development and Cohesion Policies (till May2006 within the Ministry of Economy and Finance), Directorate EU StructuralFunds Policies, General Directorate Relations with Third Countries with morethan 12 years of professional experience in Structural Funds in Italy andabroad. In all his postings, Mr. Honorati Bianchi has gained extensive experience ininstitutional building and technical assistance of Structural Funds (SF) co-financed project, both in Italy and abroad, with particular reference to theentire Project Cycle Management as follows: o Planning;o Management and implementation;o Financial management, and audit;o Payment and financial control;o Monitoring and reporting;o Programme evaluation; Furthermore, Mr. Honorati Bianchi has acquired a deep knowledge of EU regu-lations, procedures and guidelines on SF and extensive experience in benefici-aries’ needs assessment and training in SF management and gained specificcountries experience in Bulgaria, Poland, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece,Ireland.

Presentation

Special focus on Environmental and Competitiveness Programmes (Energy,Innovation Projects) - Overview of the Structural Funds in Bulgaria in theProgramming Period 2007-2013: stakeholders, opportunities for SMEs

Mauro Bianchi

Managing director TESEO Sprl, Belgium

Contacts

tel. +32 02 230 10 90fax +32 0 2 230 13 77e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mr. Mauro BIANCHI holds a BSc from the “Università Cattolica del SacroCuore”, Milan and a MSc from ULB, Brussels. He is fluent in French, English andItalian. He is the Managing Director and co-founder of TESEO Sprl, a partnerand administrator of TRENDESIGN EEIG, former member of the Board ofDirectors of EMF – European Multimedia Forum, an independent ITC organiza-tion based in Brussels, and a consultant on European affairs, on RTD, ITC, train-ing and co-operation policies. In 1988 he worked at the European CommissionDGI in charge for the monitoring of the EU policies towards Poland, Hungaryand Comecon countries, for the US Department for Trade he was in charge of alarge study within the “Uruguay Round” GATT negotiation on the liberalisationof trade in services. From 1989 to 1992 he worked for Price WaterhouseManagement Consultants and he was in charge for the activities within the EU

IBA 04

SME Development Projects co-funded by the EU in the CEI Region


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policy of aid for East and Central Europe. As Managing Director of TESEO Sprl,he has been consultant and representative of several organizations related tocommunication and IT activities and SMEs. We can list that: from 1993 to1996 he represented RCS-Rizzoli Corriere della Sera publishing group inBrussels, from 1995 to 1996 he represented ALI (a reputed industrial associ-ation of North Italy) to the European Commission. From 1995 to 1998 he wasresponsible for the EU department of SACIS Spa (a RAI RadiotelevisioneItaliana the Italian national TV company) in Brussels. Mauro has worked active-ly for local and regional authorities, especially in the strategic planning ofSMEs support schemes in research and innovation. He has contributed to thedesign and implementation of instruments currently used by the LombardiaRegion and has assisted other Italian regions in the “synchronization” of theirinstruments with those adopted at European level.

Presentation

Transferring Government to Business IST Good Practices to EasternEuropean New Member States

Pro-active intelligence and support programme to stimulate European SMEsfaced with research issues in the field of ICT security. Transferring Governmentto Business IST Good Practices to Eastern European New Member States.TRANSFER-EAST is a Specific Support Action, entirely financed by the DGINFSO, within the Sixth Framework Program. The project aims at favouring thetransfer of learning, facilitating the exchange of e-government good practicesand their transfer when appropriate and contributing to enhance the quality ofe-government initiatives across Europe. In particular the project is aiming attransferring innovative eGovernment-to-Business (G2B) approaches and tools,successful practices and transferable cases to Public Administrations (PAs) inthe five following New Member States (NMS): Slovenia, Slovakia, CzechRepublic, Hungary and Poland. The result expected is the transfer to selectedPublic Administrations in 5 targeted NMS, partner of the project, 10 innovativeGovernment-to-Business approaches/tools, successful practices, transferablecases. The first two project phases brought to the final selection, carried out byinvolved Public Administrations in New Member States, of 10 G2B GPs out ofrange of 32 cases initially identified. At present, Transfer-East is in its last andcrucial phase, aiming at the implementation of G2B Good Practices exchangethrough the knowledge transfer activities.

Presentation

Pro-active intelligence and support programme to stimulate European SMEsfaced with research issues in the field of ICT security

Secure Force comprises a network of European partners promoting the partici-pation of small and medium sized companies in the Seventh FrameworkProgramme (FP7), the EU's main instrument for funding research and devel-opment across Europe.Secure Force is an ETI project focused on SECURITY research. SECURE FORCEis of interest of small and medium sized companies with an interest in SECU-RITY-research-related sectors, such as: Secure communication systems andservices; Networked infrastructure security; Trasportation facility security(including aeronautics); Privacy and data protection; Protection against terror-ism & bio-terrorism Crisis prevention and management.SECURE FORCE is also of relevance to Universitie, public research centres andlarge companies in the security fields with a view to integrating small compa-nies with appropriate technologies and expertise in their security related R&Dprojects, funded through FP7.

Hristo Mihailovsky

Chief Executive OfficerBulgarian Credit Rating Agency, Bulgaria

Contacts


Biography

Hristo Mihailovsky is chief executive officer of the Bulgarian Credit RatingAgency (BCRA). He is responsible for entire company’s activity, as his tasksinclude supervising financial condition, presentation and promotion of thecompany on the Bulgarian and international market. He is directly respon-sible for regional development to the company and all the contacts withBulgarian and international partners. Mr Mihailovsky has over 25 yearsexperience in financial and economic sector. He has been Deputy Ministerof Economy and Deputy Minister in Ministry of trade and tourism. In bothcases he has been responsible for Foreign Economic Relations. MrMihailovsky has an experience as chief investment officer and deputy direc-tor of CARESBAC (care small business assistance corporation), a venturecapital fund targeting SMEs. He has been Chairman or Chief of the Boardof Directors in different Bulgarian prestige companies and banks institu-tions. Mr Mihailovsky has a master degree from Technical University inSofia and master degree in Business Administration from University ofMinnesota, with concentration in Finance and International Business.

Presentation

Assessment and transparency of creditworthiness as a tool for enhancingthe competitiveness and support SMEs internationalization

The presentation will cover the following topics: Closed capital market andlack of information as main obstacle for cross-border activities of SMEs -non-transparency in business relations is a synonym of uncertainty andtherefore higher risk for foreign companies entering a domestic market ordealing with domestic counterparties. What does an assessment of credit-worthiness include? – it provides information not only on certain level ofcredit risk but on broader range of risks as well. For example risk arising fromspecifics of respective industry, operating risk, management risk, financialrisk. The assessment includes detailed analysis of company’s strengths,weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Main beneficiaries from assessmentof creditworthiness – banks, investors, other creditors, suppliers, customers,export insurance agencies, government institutions and policy makers. Howto guarantee the transparency and objectiveness of creditworthiness assess-ment? – in order to achieve transparency and objectiveness of the assess-ment it cannot be accomplished by any of the interested parties but by anindependent analyst. This will also accelerate the process of identifyingcross-border partners and business opportunities. The experience of BCRA –we have 5 years of experience in assessing creditworthiness of Bulgariancompanies. We use methodologies of “ICRA” Ltd. (an Associated Moody’sInvestors Service) and carried out so far 85 business and 131 industryanalysis and 256 credit reports. Case studies

Giuseppe Saija

Project ManagerTESEO Sprl, Belgium

Contacts

tel. +32 0 2 230 10 90fax +32 0 2 230 13 77e-mail : [email protected]

Biography

Mr. Giuseppe SAIJA, holds a MA in Asian Studies from the University of NewSouth Wales (Australia) and a BA in Political Science. Formerly a journalist, heworks since six years as a consultant specialised in Innovation and Researchprogrammes for SMEs at European and national level. Giuseppe has worked inseveral ETI projects (Economic Technological Intelligence), guiding severalSMEs of the IT sector into successful participation in research projects (PACT,under FP V, PATENT under FP VI). Giuseppe has a proven track record of servic-es to SMEs in the successful preparation of Exploratory Awards, CRAFT andother typologies of research projects. Giuseppe has a strong expertise both inproject management and communication activities. He has co-ordinated theURBEST project (a City of Tomorrow program of FP V), a network of local TVbroadcasters producing a cycle of programmes on urban innovation themes atEuropean scale and has been the leader of the audiovisual production area ofthe ADOPT-IT project (IST program under FPV) showing the best practices of


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the Interactive Electronic Publishing area in the IST programme. More recently,Giuseppe has been consulted by several international organisations for thelaunch of initiatives aimed at the consolidation of activities for the communi-ty of European SMEs. He has run several workshops on SMEs and research inSpain, Slovenia, Germany and Turkey. He is currently managing the INCITEproject (IST– INCO programme under call 3) for the establishment of an ISTNCP in India. Italian mother tongue, he is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Presentation

Euro India Research Center. INCITE - INDIA MENTOR: Catalyst for Euro-IndiaICT Research

Euro-India Research Center: From charting S&T capacities to forging collabora-tion. The Euro-India Research Center is the result of the combined experience of2 FP6 ICT projects (INCITE and INDIA MENTOR), with the vision to structure per-manently Euro-India cooperation in the IT sector. INCITE supported the creationof a National Contact Point to link the IT community of India to the activities ofthe IST programme and spread awareness about the IST funding programme tothe Indian IT community. Building on the experience and results of the INCITEproject, the India Mentor project looks at increasing significantly the participa-tion of Indian organisations in the FP7 ICT programme. Both these projectsfed/feed into the EIRC, as a way of giving Euro-India cooperation a solid and per-manent support platform. The mission of EIRC is to encourage shared researchinitiatives around the strategic priorities set by the European Research Agenda

Presentation

FASTER – Fostering Alliances for Sustainable Transport in EuropeanResearch

FASTER – “Fostering Alliances for Sustainable Transport in European Research”– was a thirty-month project co-financed by the European Commission within the“Stepping up Economic and Technological Intelligence” (ETI), Sixth FrameworkProgramme (FP6). The European transport system has proved to be one of themost challenging sectors over the last years, due to its complexity and growthboth in terms of people’s mobility and goods’ dislocation. Even though it hasbeen focusing on transport companies’ intervention into big European projects,FASTER has also intended to raise awareness on the necessity to develop a saferand more environmentally-friendly intermodal transport (with a holisticapproach taking into consideration the transport modes, logistics, alternativeenergy, infrastructures, urban mobility, need for companies dealing with theentire supply chain etc) towards companies often reluctant to innovate and con-tribute to a major wellness of the environment and of citizens. Within this con-text, FASTER has provided a platform of orientation services on the Europeanresearch funding for companies of the transport sector, logistics, energy andrelated business areas with the aim of promoting their participation into the EURTD projects under the Sixth and the Seventh Framework Programmes. Main freeof charge services were offered by the FASTER partners to the companies oper-ating in the transport, logistics, energy and related business areas sectors suchas: To inform SMEs about research and innovation opportunities at the Europeanlevel; To evaluate their adequacy for participation into the European fundingopportunities and initiatives; To match partners’ offer and project needs basedon the European Transportation policy. The project went well beyond its initialgoals of introducing 55 SMEs into research projects. At the end of the activity,82 SMEs had entered into research partnerships in European projects with thelarge industry and academia.


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sponsors

United Bulgarian Bank

5, Sveta Sofia Str.1040 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 811 + ext.fax 359 2 988 08 22 e-mail: [email protected]: www.ubb.bg

United Bulgarian Bank (UBB) is established in 1992. Since 2000 itsmain shareholder is the National Bank of Greece (99.9%) - South EastEurope’s biggest financial institution. UBB holds full banking licencefor domestic and overseas banking and financial operations. UBB is aleader in corporate and SME banking and investment banking. It ranksamong the top three Bulgarian banks for personal banking, beingnumber one bank for credit card services and online banking. UBBholds leading position on the domestic consumer and home loan mar-ket. The bank’s 200 branches offer corporate and retail banking serv-ices for over 1.5 million customers. UBB provides direct access to theother NBG Group subsidiary banks in Serbia, Romania, Turkey, FYROM,Cyprus, Greece and Albania. The bank has correspondent relationswith over 700 banks abroad.

Forum Fellows

vivatel

8 Totleben Blvd.1606 Sofia, Bulgariae-mail: [email protected]: www.vivatel.bg

vivatel is the newest mobile operator in Bulgaria, owned 100% byBTC AD, the biggest Bulgarian company with public equity interestand the main telecommunications operator. The successful launch ofvivatel took place in November 2005. The company offers the fullrange of mobile services – attractive proposals for consumer and busi-ness clients. The mobile operator has caused a revolutionary changeon the telecommunications market from its very first day. vivatelbrought real competition on the mobile services market in Bulgariaand was the reason for the prices to drop to the generally acceptedinternational levels in comparison to their former high values. vivatelhas an unprecedented growth and popularity in the Bulgariantelecommunications sector. It reached a market share of 10% foralmost year and a half after its launch and it ranks among the mostsuccessful and fast developing mobile operators in Europe. Moreovervivatel leads the prestigious classification Top 100 of the mostdynamically developing Bulgarian companies. At present vivateloffers some of the most competitive mobile services to consumer andbusiness clients, roaming with more than 110 countries all over theworld as well as third generation services.

KPMG Bulgaria OOD

37 Fridtjof Nansen St.1142 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 9697 300fax +359 2 9805 340e-mail: [email protected]: www.kpmg.bg

KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing audit, taxand advisory services. We operate in 148 countries and have morethan 113,000 professionals. KPMG in Bulgaria was established in1992. The company is a leader in the professional services market inBulgaria with 250 employees in its offices in Sofia and Varna. KPMGoffers its clients high quality service combining understanding of thelocal environment with international know-how. Through its multidis-ciplinary capabilities and deep industry experience KPMG advisesbusinesses on how to exploit new opportunities, improve performance,manage risk and enhance value. KPMG in Bulgaria provides audit andaccounting, tax and legal, corporate finance and transaction services,risk management and IT advisory, as well as people services to inter-national and local clients. The firm is experienced in a wide range ofsectors, including financial services; information, communication andentertainment; industrial and consumer markets; private equity; ener-gy and utilities; infrastructure, government and healthcare.


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Bulgargaz Holding EAD

66 Pancho Vladigerov Blvd.2 Ljulin Housing Estate1336 Sofia, POB 3, Bulgariatel. +359 2 939 62 00fax +359 2 925 04 01e-mail: [email protected]: www.bulgargazholding.bg

Bulgargaz Holding EAD is a single owner joint-stock company being100% state-owned property and having its registered seat in the cityof Sofia. Bulgargaz Holding EAD has as its business object capitalequity and management of companies in the field of the supply, trans-mission, transit, storage and public supply of natural gas, telecommu-nication services, coordination between the companies to implementa uniform policy in the field of natural gas, informational services,analytical and control activities, participation in external investmentprojects and performance of any own production or trading activity.Three daughter companies are included in the structure of Bulgargaz– Holding EAD – Bulgargaz EAD performing the functions of naturalgas public supplier, Bulgartransgaz EAD performing the functions ofcombined operator and Bulgartel EAD, trader in the area of telecom-munication technologies.

Lead Sponsors Co-Sponsors

Natsionalna Electricheska Kompania EAD

5, Veslets Street1040 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 926 3636fax +359 2 987 2550homepage: www.nek.bg

The electric power system of Bulgaria is part of the united system ofContinental Europe (UCTE) composed of the electric power system of23 countries as well as parts of Denmark and Ukraine. Their annualelectricity consumption reaches 2 500 TWh. The annual demandgrowth is about 2%. The closure of Kozloduy nuclear units 3 and 4has resulted in about 6 TWh of reduced generation capability ofBulgaria. A number of prerequisites makes rather likely energy short-fall to be experienced by the Balkan region in the years to come. Thisendangers the security of supply and development of the electricitymarket in the Region. To avoid further aggravation of the problem,Bulgaria is undertaking a set of measures intended to achieve a quickpositive result.

Ecobulpack JSC

Zona B-5Parteniy Nishavski Str.Blue Palace Business Center1303 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 812 86 12 // 812 86 10fax +359 2 821 93 67 // 920 06 98e-mail: [email protected]: www.ecobulpack.com

Ecobulpack is the leading Bulgarian National Packaging WasteRecovery Organization. We provide dependable, reliable and respon-sible waste management solutions. Our team creates and maintainsefficiency in the process of managing packaging waste from the indus-try, commercial facilities, as well as the Bulgarian households throughcollecting, sorting and recycling the packaging waste. This processfacilitates our business partners and provides protection for the envi-ronment. We provide the opportunity for our clients to fulfill their obli-gations for separate waste collection and recovery of packagingreleased on the Bulgarian market while exempting them from environ-mental packaging tax (Product fees). In accordance with the environ-mental regulations we reinvest all our annual profit in sustainableseparate waste collection systems.

ENEL

Viale Regina Margherita 13700198 Rome, Italytel. +39 06 83051homepage: www.enel.it

Enel is Italy’s largest power company, and Europe’s third-largest list-ed utility by market capitalization. Listed on the Milan and New Yorkstock exchanges since 1999, Enel has the largest number of share-holders of any European company, at some 2.3 million. It has a mar-ket capitalisation of about EUR 50 billion at current prices. Enel pro-duces and sells electricity mostly in Europe, North and Latin America.In the power business, Enel has 50,776 Megawatt of generatingcapacity and has 32 million electricity customers. Enel is also the sec-ond-largest Italian distributor and vendor of natural gas, with over 2.3million customers and a 12% market share. The company has 58,548employees and operates a wide range of hydroelectric, thermoelectric,nuclear, geothermal, wind-power, and photovoltaic power stations. In2006, Enel posted revenues of 38.5 billion euros, EBITDA of 8 billioneuros and net income of 3 billion euros. Enel was the first utility in theworld to replace its customers’ traditional electromechanical meterswith modern electronic devices that make it possible to take meterreadings in real time and manage contractual relationships remotely.This innovation has enabled Enel to implement time-of-use electricitycharges, which offer customer savings for evening and weekend elec-tricity use, an initiative that has attracted interest from many utilitiesaround the world.


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OMV Gas International GmbH

Floridsdorfer Hauptstrasse 11210 Vienna, Austriatel. +43 1 27500 - 0fax +43 1 27500 - 28791e-mail: [email protected]: www.omv.com

OMV Gas International is a 100% subsidiary of OMVAktiengesellschaft, one of the leading oil and gas companies inEurope. In the business field Marketing & Trading it sold 14.1 bcmnatural gas in 2006. The sold transportation capacities in transitlines in Austria amounted to approximately 47 bcm. In addition tosupplying gas for Austria, these lines carry gas to Germany, Italy,France, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary. With an exchange volume ofup to 1.7 bcm per month the Central European Gas Hub developedinto one of the most important gas platforms in Europe.

Yazov Ltd.

Blvd. “Hristo Botev” 92C, fl. 4City of Plovdiv, Bulgariatel. +359 32 655 002, 655 200fax: +359 32 655 003e-mail: [email protected]: www.yazov-bg.com

Yazov Ltd offers the highest quality of construction on the markettoday. Since 1991, we have provided superior service to our cus-tomers and have assisted them in achieving their goals. Our 16 yearsof experience and commitment to excellence have earned us the rep-utation as the one of the best in the area both in Israel and in Bulgaria.The company was found on 30.01.1991 by the name of “Yazov” SLtdwith sole-owner eng. Dimitar Yazov. In 2002 it was transformed into“Yazov” Ltd. Since 1995 the company’s activity is mainly focused onIsrael. The company has constructed over 150 projects on the territo-ry of Israel with total construction area of more than 1 million squaremeters. In 2002 the company came back on the Bulgarian market,where currently it is working on 16 projects in Plovdiv and Sofia as aninvestor, general contractor or subcontractor.

Alstom Power Italia S.p.A.

Viale Edison 50 20090 Milano, Italytel. +3902243481 fax +3902243482166homepage: www.alstom.com

SupportersCo-Sponsors

CMS Adonnino Ascoli & Cavasola Scamoni.

Via A. Depretis 86 00184 Rome, Italytel. +39 06 47 81 51homepage: www.cms-aacs.comSofia offices:CMS Cameron McKenna EOODtel. +359 2 921 99 10homepage: www.law-now.comCMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainztel. +359 2 921 99 21homepage: www.cms-rrh.com/sofia

DEVNYA CEMENT, Italcementi Group

9160, Devnya, BulgariaIndustrial Zonetel. +359 5199 2420fax +359 5199 3214homepage: www.devnyacement.bg

EURECNA Srl - Renewable Energy Division

Via della Pila, 3/AI30175 Venezia-Marghera, Italyhomepage: www.eurecna.it


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HEWLETT-PACKARD Bulgaria Ltd.

55, Vaptzarov Blvd.EXPO 2000

1407 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 96 98940fax +359 2 969 8988homepage: www.hp.com/bg

Iride Acqua Gas S.p.A.

Via SS. Giacomo e Filippo 716122 Genova, Italytel. +39 010 558.115fax +39 010 5586.284homepage: www.iride-acquagas.it

Merloni Progetti S.p.A.

Viale Certosa, 24720151 Milano, Italytel. +39 02 30 70 21fax +39 02 30 70 25 42e-mail: [email protected]: www.merloniprogetti.com

SAP Labs Bulgaria Ltd.

136 A, Tsar Boris III Blvd.1618 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 9157-692fax +359 2 9157-691e-mail: [email protected]: www.sap.com

UniCredit Bulbank

Head Office7, Sveta Nedelya Sq.1000 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 9232 111fax +359 2 988 46 36homepage: www.unicreditbulbank.bg

Wiener Börse AG

Wallnerstraße 8 P.O.Box 192 A-1014 Vienna, Austriatel. +43 1 531 65-0 fax +43 1 532 97 40e-mail: [email protected]: www.wienerborse.at

Yavlena Ltd.

76 A “Gen. Gurko” str. fl. 1Sofia 1142, Bulgariatel. +359 2 810 50 fax +359 2 810 50 09e-mail: [email protected] homepage: www.yavlena.com


part

ners

78

International Herald Tribune

Business Development DirectorInternational Herald Tribune / New YorkTimes Media Group6b rue des Graviers92521 Neuilly Cedexoffice +33 (0)1 41 43 93 80cell +33 (0)6 61 84 88 93fax +33 (0)1 41 43 94 40homepage: www.ihtinfo.com

International Media Partner

Media Partner

Investor.bg

205, Al.Stamboliiski blvd, fl.81309 Sofia, Bulgariatel.+359 2 812 98 12e-mail: [email protected]: www.ibg.bg

Media Partners in Bulgaria

Darik Radio

82, Dondukov blvd1504 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 9849 840e-mail: [email protected]: www.darik.net // www.dariknews.bg

Info Radio

1, Alexander Zhendov blvd1113 Sofia, Bulgariae-mail: [email protected]: www.inforadio.bg

Stroitelstvo Gradat

Weekly Newspaper104, Akad. I.E. Geshov bul., fl.1,office 11612 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 958 88 33e-mail: [email protected]: www.stoitelstvo.info

ISI Emerging Markets

a Euromoney InstitutionalInvestor company225 Park Avenue SouthNew York 10003, USAtel. +212 610 2900fax + 212 610 2950homepage: www.securities.com

media partners


part

ners

79

Vagabond

Bulgaria's English Monthly23 Budapest Sttel. +359 2 983 13 27e-mail: [email protected]: www.vagabond-bg.co

Your Business Magazine

42 B, Kiril i Metodii str.1202 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 983 25 08e-mail: [email protected]: www.tbmagazine.net

Business Media Group Pari Daily

11, Industrialna str.Business center “Vasilev Plaza”1000 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 813 34 00e-mail: [email protected] // [email protected]: www.pari.bg // www.ipo.bg

Seenews

16 Ivan Vazov Str1000 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 9376 498e-mail: [email protected]: www.seenews.com

Duma Daily

113 A, Tzarigradsko Shausse Blvd.1000 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 9705 200homepage: www.duma.bg

Corriere Italia Bulgaria

24, Simeonovsko shose blvd.1700 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 961 57 57/56/55e-mail: [email protected]: www.cib.bg

Moite Pari LTD

110 Rakovski str.1000 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 989 9648e-mail: [email protected]: www.moitepari.bg

Finzoom Financial Guide Network

Deyan Vassilev (CEO)110 Rakovski STR.1000 Sofia, Bulgariatel. +359 2 981 8885e-mail: [email protected]: www.finzoom.com


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Documents

01 introduzione 06/11/2007 14.26 Page 1 - CEI · 01_introduzione 06/11/2007 14.26 Page 5. 6 01_introduzione 06/11/2007 14.26 Page 6. 02_logistic 06/11/2007 14.30 Page 7. general information