On Friday, 17 May 2019, the European Institute of Romania (EIR) and “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will organise a conference titled “Europe of Convergence: growth, competitiveness, connectivity”. The event is included in the calendar of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and will take place in the Senate Hall of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University from Iași, between 11:30 – 16:30.
Participation in the event is by invitation only and subject to availability. There is no conference fee, but travel and accommodation costs are to be borne by participants.
If you are interested in the event, please send a request for invitation to evenimente@ier.gov.ro, no later than 25 April 2019.
The main objective of the Conference will be to discuss different issues related to the reform of the next EU Cohesion Policy (after 2021). How should the future EU Cohesion Policy address the new and growing challenges, from migration, terrorism, security to digitalization and cyber security? Which might be the main objectives of the future EUCP: cohesion or competitiveness, urban dimension or rural dimension, transition regions or lagging regions, support of jobs and innovation or infrastructure, etc.? Which must be the most efficient form of support for beneficiaries: grants, financial instruments or, likely, a mix of all of these? And which might be the relation between the EUCP and the European Fund for Strategic Investment (known as Juncker Plan/Instrument)?
The following speakers have been invited: George Ciamba, Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Claudia Țapardel, Committee on Transport and Tourism, European Parliament, Cătălin Sorin Ivan, Vice-Chair, Committee on Budgetary Control, European Parliament, Carsten Rasmussen, Head of Unit – România, DG REGIO, European Commission, Octav-Dan Paxino, Secretary of State, Ministry of European Funds, Tatiana Proskuryakova, Head of the World Bank Office in Bucharest, Country Manager for Romania and Hungary, Valentina Vasile, Scientific Director, Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy, Vasile Asandei, Director-General, North-East Regional Development Agency, Gabriela Carmen Pascariu, PhD, Director of the Centre for European Studies, ”Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Iași, Gabriel Friptu, Deputy Director-General, Ministry of European Funds, Daniela-Luminița Constantin, PhD, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, President of the Romanian Association of Regional Sciences, Cezar Grozavu, Executive Director, Regional Office for Cross Border Cooperation Romania-Ukraine, Gabriela Macoveiu, Director, Directorate for Communication, Innovation and External Cooperation, North-East Regional Development Agency, Cătălin Ploae, Associate professor, Faculty of International Business and Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Nicu Popescu, European Council on Foreign Relations, Cristian Nițoiu, Lecturer, Loughborough University, London, Gabriela Drăgan, PhD, Director-General, European Institute of Romania.
Representatives of the research community and academia, business environment, civil society, students, mass media etc. will also take part in the event.
For further information, please contact Mrs Florentina Costache, Head of the Communication and Marketing Unit, EIR, email florentina.costache@ier.gov.ro.