When: Thursday, 11 April 2019, 15.00-18.00
Where: Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, Rue Caroly 15, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
EaP CSF Brussels Public Event Series marking 10 years anniversary of Eastern Partnership
“The civil society perspective: Taking stocks of achievements and looking beyond 2020 – Environment, Climate Change and Energy Security”
Strengthening energy security and protecting the environment have been integral objectives of the Eastern Partnership and of the cooperation between the EU and EaP countries from the very beginning.
Within the EaP framework, a number of positive developments have taken place during the last 10 years, ranging from progress on the southern gas corridor, to the establishment of a roadmap for the identification of energy interconnectivity projects, to the adoption of new laws on environmental assessment of strategies plans and investment projects.
At the same time, a number of challenges still persist. In the environmental sector, the unregulated construction of hydroelectric power plants is posing an environmental threat to several EaP countries, preventing both equal access to water resources, and the use of transboundary waters in a sustainable, reasonable and equitable way. In the energy sector, EaP countries’ energy security is affected by amendments to the gas directive, inadequate policies, insufficient resources, the influence of disruptive external actors, the grey areas offered by separatist regions for shady deals.
How has the EaP policy delivered in the field of environment, climate change and energy? How far has the region come since the beginning and what challenges lie ahead?
Two studies developed within the EaP CSF re-granting projects on implementation of SEA and EIA tools and on transparent energy trading in secessionist regions, and the study Energy, Russian Influence, and Democratic Backsliding in Central and Eastern Europe will provide initial input for the debate.
You can also browse through the pictures from the event here.
Agenda
14:30 – 15:00 Registration and Welcome Coffee
15:00 – 15:15 Welcoming and Introduction
- Jakub Dürr, Head of the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, Permanent Representative to COREPER II
- Natalia Yerashevich, Director of the Secretariat, EaP CSF
15:15 – 16:30 World Café Style Discussion: “Towards a stronger environmental legislation in EaP countries – from adoption to implementation”
Stakeholder Corner:
- Davor Percan, Head of Unit, Bilateral and Regional Environmental Cooperation, DG Environment, European Commission
- Carsten Wachholz, Civil Society Officer, European Investment Bank (EIB)
Civil Society Corner:
- Ina Coseru, Working Group 3 Coordinator, Steering Committee Member, EaP CSF
- Tamara Malkova, Working Group 3 Member, Director, Information Center “Green Dossier”
16:30 – 18:00 Panel Debate: “Towards a consistent energy security approach: EU vs EaP”
- Ana Otilia Nutu, Working Group 3 Coordinator, Steering Committee Member, EaP CSF
- Colin Cleary, Director, Energy Diplomacy for Europe, US Department of State
- Ewelina Hartstein, International Relations Officer, International Relations and Enlargement, DG Energy, European Commission
Discussants:
- Denis Cenusa, Associated Expert, Think Tank “Expert-Grup”
- Andras Deak, Energy Expert, K-Monitor, Hungary
- Denys Nazarenko, Energy Expert, Dixi Group
- Murman Margvelashvili, Associate Professor, Director of Energy and Sustainability Institute, Ilia State University
Moderator: Sorin Ionita, President, Expert Forum, Romania
