PROGRAMME

Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Partners in the Global Economy?

26-27 February 2009

Brussels

Thursday 26 February

18.30--19.30 pm

Venue: (Room 6Q1, Jozsef Antall Building )

Brief welcome statements:

•  Mr. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, MEP, Chairman of  the  Foreign Affairs Committee 
• Rt. Hon. Michael Ancram MP, Chairman, Gulf Policy Forum and Global Strategy Forum, London

Keynote addresses:

• Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations
• HE Khalid Bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation

19.30-20.00 pm -Reception

Venue: Outside room 6Q1, (Jozsef Antall Building)

20.00 -22.00 pm-Dinner (by invitation only)

Venue: Members Private Salon (Altiero Spinelli Building)

- Introduction address by Mr. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, MEP, Chairman of  the  Foreign Affairs Committee  

- Remarks by HE Mrs. Amal Al-Hamad, Head, GCC Mission to the EU  on behalf of  HE Abdulrahman Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Secretary General of the GCC

-  Remarks by Sir Gavyn Arthur, 675th Lord Mayor of the City of London

Friday 27 February

Venue: European Parliament

(Room 6Q1, Jozsef Antall Building )

PANEL I

09.15-10.45 am

Prospects for EU-Gulf political, economic and trade cooperation

Chair : Dr Fraser Cameron, Senior Advisor,  Interel Cabinet Stewart, Brussels

• HE Ghazi Said Abdullah Al-Bahar Al Rawas, Head of the Mission of the Sultanate of Oman to the EU (tbc)
• Mr. Tomas Dupla del Moral, Director, Middle East, South Mediterranean, DG External Relations European Commission
• Andrew Parker, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Emirates Airlines

• Dr. Giacomo Luciani, Director, Geneva Office, The Gulf Research Centre (GRC)

10.45-11.00 pm coffee break

PANEL II

11.00-12.45 pm

Prospects for EU-Gulf financial, industrial and energy cooperation

Chair : Mr. Daniel Morler, Executive Director, Arab Financial Forum, London

• Dr. Majid Al Moneef, Chairman of the GCC Energy Team and leader of the GCC¡¯s delegation on energy discussions with the EU

• Rt. Hon. Lord Howell of Guildford, Advisory Board, Kuwait Investment Office
• Mr. Antonio de Lecea, International economic and financial affairs, DG ECOFIN, European Commission  
• Mr. Christian Siebert, Head of Unit for International affairs, DG Enterprise, European Commission

12. 45 pm: Concluding Remarks: Mr. Fredrik Lofthagen, Chief Executive Officer,  Interel