THURSDAY, MAY 8

7:00pm - 8:00pm

Welcome Reception at the Barcelona Bar Association, Mallorca, 283
08037 Barcelona

FRIDAY, MAY 9

9:00-10:00

Registration, breakfast, Annex to Auditorium of Torre Banc Sabadell

10:00-10:15

Welcome by the host

10:15-11:00

Opening session: A new energy and environment policy for Europe?

Main pillars of the global approach adopted by the European Institutions and Governments to reconcile competitiveness, security of supply and sustainability.

Speakers:
María Teresa Costa, President Spanish Regulator, National Energy Commission (CNE), Madrid, Spain

Materials:

11:00-12:30

Panel 1: Surprise - Issues regarding security of supply.

The EU economy with over 250 million consumers is energy-intensive.   It has few carbon sources of energy located within its borders. Community energy resources are limited.  There is a constant warning to the drumbeat that the EU is dependent on external sources of energy.   When there is a dispute between energy producers or suppliers and countries that on the one hand do not pay their energy bills and on the other serve as a conduit of energy to Europe headlines are made. This panel will focus on the priorities of the emerging international energy policy, the realistic solutions available to deal with Europe’ supply problems, and the potential business opportunities.

Chairman:
Hans ten Berge, Secretary General, Eurelectric

Speaker:
Andreas Bierman, Analyst, International Energy Agency, Paris, France

Panelists:
Roland Kobia, Member of Cabinet, Energy Commissioner, Brussels, Belgium
Juan Ruiz, Top Value Consultants
Tatiana Khovanskaya Chief Attorney, Pepeliaev, Goltsblat & Partners, Moscow, Russia

Materials:
ABA EU Energy Security Presentation
ABA Paper
Khovanskaya - Russian Power Market

12:30-12:45

Coffee Break

12:45-14:15

Panel 2: M&A from North America-Are the Americans coming?

Investments by energy companies from North America have come and gone.  There has been rightsizing, reducing downstream operations and accelerating growth in upstream activities.  Positions are being taken to increase supplies as demand increases and local sources go dry.   There are those that think there will be a new wave of investments.   Does the new regulatory framework promise for a wave of M&A from North America?  Panelists will discuss the potential for new deals in the current environment and in the face of further unbundling.

Speaker:
George Bilicic (Chairman and Speaker), Managing Director, Global Power, Energy & Infrastructure, Lazard Frères & Co., New York, NY

Panelists:
John Barquin, Partner, King & Spalding, Houston
Jorge Perez-Vera, Legal Counsel, Total S.A., Paris, France
Jeremy Sheldon, Partner, Fulbright & Jaworski, London

Materials:
Barquin - European Energy Integration
Sheldon - M&A Trends in the Energy Sector - Barcelona Presentation

14:15-15:30

Lunch: - Annex to Auditorium at Torre Banc Sabadell

15:30-17:00

Panel 3: The Current Energy Legal Framework - Will the alternatives proposed be positive?

The energy market is one of the most regulated sectors in the EU. This panel will analyse the main shortcomings of the existing legal framework, and the package of measures proposed by the European Commission to improve the existing situation. The four main areas covered are unbundling, power and independence of national energy regulators, regulatory and network cooperation, security of supply and customer protection. Panelists will debate the pros and cons of the measures proposed, legal difficulties and business opportunities arising under the new legal framework.

Chairman:
Karl-Heinz Feldmann, General Counsel, EO.N, A.G., Dusseldorf, Germany

Speaker:
Mark Van Stiphout, European Commission, DG Energy and Transport

Panelists:
David Johnson, Senior Regulatory Manager, Centrica Energy, Windsor, London, England
Emanuela Lecchi, Partner, Charles Russell, London, England
Alexsandr Stawicki, Partner, Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr, Poznan

Materials:
Stawicki Materials

17:00- 18:30

Panel 4: The take of the authorities on competition issues in the energy market.

The approach of European competition authorities to the most common competition problems in the energy markets needs to be understood by current players and newcomers alike.  The panel will look at the positions taken on actions by dominant players such as contracting a wide portfolio of contracts with customers that may hinder new entrants and other competitors from building up a customer base or use of the networks made by a dominant undertaking to hinder new entrants and other competitors from being able to make competitive offers.  The panel will also analyse the approach to possible market sharing between established energy companies that hesitate to enter neighbouring energy markets, even if they appear well placed to do so, and unfair State subsidies.

Chairman:
Iñigo Igartua, Partner, Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados, S.L., Barcelona, Spain

Panelists:
Duncan Sinclair, Legal Director (Markets) OFGEM, London, England
Manuel García, Gas Natural, Madrid, Spain
Alfonso Gutierrez, Partner, Uría & Menendez, Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Xavier Vives, IESE Business School, Barcelona

Materials:
Duncan Sinclair - Slides for Presentation at ABA conference 90508

18:30 pm

End of the conference

20:30

Dinner Círculo Ecuestre, Balmes 169 bis
*Circulo Ecuestre has a strict dress code that requires men to wear a coat and women to dress appropriately (jeans are not allowed).