European Economic and Social Committee
PRESS RELEASE No. 59/2005 / 23 May 2005
Conference on the Lisbon strategy:
a motor for market reform of network industries
1 and 2 June 2005
EESC, room 62, rue Belliard 99, Brussels
In a bid to assess the stage reached in the market reform of network industries, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau and Belgian Central Economic Council are jointly organising a conference, on 1 and 2 June 2005, on theLisbon strategy: a motor for market reform of network industries.
The market reforms currently under way in the network industries harbour a number of vital economic and social challenges, as they affect key economic sectors (including the electricity market, the railways, postal services and telecommunications) that are among the biggest investors and employers in Belgium and in Europe. Telecommunication reform is already at an advanced stage. For the gas and electricity sectors, no assessment will be possible until the end of the current reform process, while reforms in the post and rail sectors are only expected to kick in over the next few years. Many questions are thus being asked as to the future shape of the reforms and their economic and social impact.
The conference will examine a number of aspects of the issue. The reforms will be looked at within a European context, and in the light of the Lisbon strategy guidelines.
A key issue will also be the economic and social impact of the reforms not only on the network industries, but on the economy as a whole in Europe and in Belgium. The debate will therefore include an evaluation of market performance in network industries from a European perspective, and an economic analysis of reforms introduced in Belgium and their outlook for the future. This session of the conference will end with a discussion of the social impact of the reforms in Europe. As well as looking at these general issues, the conference will also focus specifically on market reforms in network industries in the electricity, rail and postal sectors.
The speakers invited to take part in the discussion represent a large cross-section of stakeholders in the issue, including representatives of the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Belgian government, trade unions, employers' associations, European academia, the European railway agency, the Belgian regulatory authorities, the Belgian post office and Belgian railways.
Having such a wide range of participants will make it possible to consider the issues involved from a variety of angles and viewpoints.
To find out more, please go to:
Further details and a registration form can be found at:
If you need any further information, please contact:
Christian Weger, EESC Press Office
99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels
Tel: 02 546 9396/9586; Mobile: 0475 753 202
Email:
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