INVITATION

The Embassy of Poland in Romania and the European Institute of Romania have the great pleasure to invite you to participate in the

International conference:

The Cohesion Policy from Lisbon Agenda to Europe 2020 Strategy: New Perspectives

The event will take place on Friday, April 30, 2010, at the Intercontinental Hotel (Rapsodia Hall, 1^st floor) and will have as a keynote speaker Mrs. Danuta Hübner, professor, Chairwoman of the Committee on Regional Development in the European Parliament, as well as other important officials and specialists from Romania and Poland.

The conference aims at providing an appropriate framework for debating various points of view offered by Romanian and Polish experts upon the challenges, opportunities and perspectives of the EU Cohesion Policy, in the background of the objectives of the new economic Strategy „Europe 2020". Debating the priorities of this Strategy which aims at overcoming the crisis and preparing the economy of the European Union for the next decade will also be an occasion for drawing conclusions concerning the manner in which the real convergence has been accomplished until present, regarding the absorption capacity, as well as the efficiency of using EU structural funds.

The group of participants will bring together representatives of the government and public administration, of the management authorities, representatives of the academic sector and researchers, businessmen, officials of the member states' embassies in Romania, as well as representatives of the civil society and mass-media.

The working language will be English, simultaneous translation being also provided. Please find attached the draft agenda for this event.

Hoping that you will accept this invitation, we kindly ask you to confirm your participation in the conference until Wednesday, April 28 at the latest, at the following coordinates: Mădălina Paula Magnusson, project coordinator, EIR (e-mail: madalina.magnusson@ier.ro, fax-021/ 314 26 66 or phone-021/ 314 26 96 or 97, ext. 133).

CONFERENCE

The Cohesion Policy from Lisbon Agenda to Europa 2020 Strategy: New Perspectives

April 30^th, 2010, Intercontinental Hotel, Rapsodia Hall

(4, N. Bălcescu Bvd., 1^st floor)

- Draft Agenda -

09.00 - 09.30  Registration of participants. Coffee

09:30 - 09:45   Opening session                       

Welcome address:

Mrs. Gabriela Drăgan, Director General, European Institute of Romania

H.E. Mr. Wojciech Zajączkowski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Romania

09.45 - 11.00  Session I: The Cohesion Policy:  convergence accomplished?

Keynote speakers:

Mrs. Danuta Hübner, professor, Chairwoman of the Committee on Regional Development in the European Parliament

Mr. Bogdan Mazuru, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mrs. Elena Udrea, Romanian Minister for Regional Development and Tourism (tbc)

Representative of the Polish Ministry of Regional Development

Mr. Bogdan Mănoiu, Minister, Head of Department of European Affairs, Romania                        

Comments and discussions

Moderator: Mrs. Gabriela Drăgan, Director General, European Institute of Romania

11.00 - 11.15 Coffee break

11.15 - 12.30  Session II: EU Structural Funds: Absorption Capacity and Effectiveness of their Use                     

Keynote speakers:

Mr. Bogdan Drăgoi, Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Finance, Romania

Mr. Dragoş Pîslaru, Executive Director, GEA Consulting Group, Romania

Mr. Jakub Szymański, Deputy Director, Department for Regional Policy, Marshall Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship

Mr. Zbigniew Palenica, Vicepresident, MPK Kraków - Public Transportation Company in Krakow

Comments and discussions

Moderator: Mrs. Alina Bârgăoanu, professor, National School of Political Studies and Administration

12.30 - 12.45 Coffee break

12.45 -14.00 Session III: Current and Future Challenges and Opportunities for the Cohesion Policy                     

Keynote speakers:

Mrs. Danuta Hübner, professor, Chairwoman of the Committee on Regional Development in the European Parliament

Mr. Leonard Orban, Presidential Counselor, former Member of European Commission

Mr. Daniel Dăianu, professor, former Member of the European Parliament, Romania

Comments and discussions

Moderator: Prof. Grzegorz Gorzelak, Director of the Center for European Regional and Local Studies, University of Warsaw

14.00 - 14.15 Concluding remarks

Prof. Grzegorz Gorzelak, Director of the Center for European Regional and Local Studies, University of Warsaw

14.15 - 15.15 Buffet lunch

Presidential Plane Crash

2010.04.10 It is with the deepest sense of grief that we learned, in the morning hours of April 10th 2010, about one of the most terrible tragedies in the history of Poland. On the way to the commemoration ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Katyń Massacre the President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczyński was killed in a plane crash along with the First Lady Maria Kaczyńska, many senior state officials, members of the Polish delegation and the plane crew. A week of national mourning was declared by the Speaker of the Sejm Bronisław Komorowski.

The victims of the plane crash include eminent members of the Polish foreign service:

Andrzej Kremer, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

 

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Mariusz Handzlik, Undersecretary of State in the Chancellery of the President of Poland;

 

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Stanisław Jerzy Komorowski, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of National Defence;

 

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Mariusz Kazana, Director of Diplomatic Protocol

 

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We would like to offer our deepest sympathies to friends and families of the victims.

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Due to this air crash tragedy the duties of the Head of State has been temporarily assumed by the Speaker of the Sejm Bronisław Komorowski who has declared the national mourning in Poland from 10^th to 16^th of April, 2010.

The Condolence Book will be open for signature at the Embassy of Poland, 23 Al. Alexandru  in Bucharest  Monday April 12 and  Wednesday April 14, from 10.30 am to 3.00 pm. and Thusday, April 13, from 10.30 am to 6.00 pm

Ceremony commemorating
the victims of Smolensk plane crash
and Funeral of the Presidential Couple

 Warsaw - Krakow, April 17-18, 2010

Foreign correspondents are kindly informed that the ceremony commemorating the victims of the Smolensk plane crash will be held on 17^th April in Warsaw. The funeral of the President of the Republic of Poland and the First Lady will be held on 18^th April in Krakow.

Journalists wishing to attend the celebrations are requested to fill in and submit an online accreditation form by 5 pm (Thursday) 15^th April 2010 at the latest.

Due to limited space, the organisers reserve the right to limit the number of journalists. The Saturday ceremony will be subject to the POOL system.

Further information about media service will be sent to you in a separate press release.

INFORMATION FOR MEDIA - WARSAW:
Government Information Center
Aleksandra Wasicka
ph. + 48 0 609 038 736
e-mail: aleksandra.wasicka@kprm.gov.pl

INFORMATION FOR MEDIA - KRAKOW:
Government Information Center
Izabela Morawska
ph. + 48 667 555 581
e-mail: izabela.morawska@kprm.gov.pl

ACCREDITATION INFO:
PAP Press Center
Monika Żak
ph. + 48 0 693 132 530
e-mail: akredytacja@pap.pl

INFORMATION ABOUT CEREMONIES:
Press Office
The Chancellery of the President
tel. +48 22 695 10 70, 695 12 40
e-mail: biuroprasowe@prezydent.pl

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear Net surfers!

Welcome cordially on the website of Polish Embassy in Bucharest.

We hope that the website will make accessible the knowledge

about the activity of our post as well as about the multitude

and diversity of Polish - Romanian relations, which constitute

the special character of the bilateral relationship between our countries.

The website is also an instrument for presenting the most important information

about contemporary Poland and the instrument that approaches issues concerning

 Polish foreign policy.

The website form will allow you to draw information from various, thematically rich

and interesting websites sources, that further shall provide better and more

comprehensive knowledge of Poland.

With kind regards,

Embassy of the Republic of Poland

The European Institute of Romania

and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Romania

are organizing the international conference:

    Almost a year after the economic and financial crisis has exposed the vulnerabilities of EU's financial 

supervision framework, the European Commission has adopted a package of legislative proposals meant 

to significantly strengthen the supervision of EU's financial sector. 

    Against this background, the conference aims to put forward the views of reputable experts, 

representatives of the supervisory authorities from both Poland and Romania and of the business 

and banking environment, as concerns the implications which establishing new supervisory structures 

and strengthening the mechanisms for co-operation and co-ordination in the area of financial 

supervision at European level should bring about for macroeconomic stability, as well as for a healthy 

business sector.

CONFERENCE

Press statement

   Poland fully subscribes to the ambitious climate change goals as identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and endorsed by the EU. Poland expresses its satisfaction at reaching common and comprehensive EU negotiating position at the European Council meeting. We are convinced that the text adopted in Brussels on 30 of October 2009 gives the EU negotiators a strong mandate for the negotiation round in Barcelona and the forthcoming climate change summit in Copenhagen in December this year.

   While preparing for the European Council Poland was paying a special attention to the European Council Conclusions of March 2009 stating that the EU's position on financing should be decided well in advance of the Copenhagen Conference, including also a decision on the principles of internal burden sharing among Member States. We are happy that the compromise has been reached and we can progress further the work on the details, in particular we note with satisfaction that capacity to pay of individual member States will be principal factor for the future burden-sharing.  

   The position that the EU has reached on the global financing actions battling climate change is ready to be taken to Copenhagen as a valuable contribution to the global deal. However, before the end of the year 2012 (the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol), a considerable amount of financial resources is needed, in particular to support urgent adaptation needs of the developing countries with a priority given to Least Developed Parties. In this respect, Poland has decided to support the idea of the so-called fast track even though it is not an Annex II party, and thus is not obliged to provide financial support. Poland is also aware that even bigger efforts will be needed to address the financial challenge of climate change and is actively involved in working towards designing both the operational governance structure and the comprehensive global contribution key. Poland believes that all countries should participate in financing following the principle of their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

   Poland feels that the last Friday's agreement on the overall scale and distribution of financial support needed helps to build trust in relations with parties in the climate change negotiations process. Despite the differences in EU Member States' capabilities and national circumstances, the Council was able to reach a compromise. Poland believes that it proves that even the most difficult issues can be solved if we learn to listen to each others' concerns and address them in a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory manner. This approach should be carried forward into the global level. We hope that in Copenhagen the parties will be able to show as much of good will and commitment to work together as efficient as all the 27 Member States within the EU.

   Poland also appreciates the approach applied to the surplus AAUs. This surplus has resulted from the shift towards the less emitting industry and from implementation of various policies and measures which set Poland and other countries on the right track to fulfill and surpass its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. These surpluses constitute a clear proof of our engagement in the long-term climate protection which inter alia enabled the decoupling of Poland's economic development from GHG emission levels over the last 20 years. Moreover, Poland intends to use these units in a climate friendly manner through the so-called greening mechanism of Green Investment Scheme and has already put forwards concrete proposals in this respect. The revenues from the sale of the surplus AAUs would be used exclusively to support the development and introduction of climate-friendly projects which would in turn lead to further emission reductions.

Poland believes that the EU must maintain its leadership but should be aware that we cannot achieve much if we are left alone with our commitments. To prevent the global temperature rise above 2 degrees Celsius and address the challenges of climate change there must be good will, mutual trust, ambitious goals and serious actions by all parties for now, up to and beyond Copenhagen.