ESPO 2014 Conference: registrations are open!

The ESPO 2014 Conference, which will be organised in cooperation with the port of Gothenburg will assess how the competitiveness of a port can be challenged by different elements on which ports have no leverage and to investigate on the contrary how they can play a role in keeping industry in Europe. In every session, panellists will go in direct dialogue with the ports. In the final debate both ports and European policy makers will discuss the role of policy in enhancing the level playing field and will hopefully answer the basic question of this conference: a level playing field between ports: a must or a myth?

Being held one week before the European elections, the conference will devote some time to allow for a political outlook. The conference will also be the occasion for the European Sea Ports Organisation to present to EU policymakers and election candidates its memorandum for the European elections.

Confirmed speakers already include: Per Bondemark, Chairman of the Swedish Shippers’ Council – Marc Desmons, Engineering Services Manager, TIL – Knut Hansen, Senior Vice President, Stora Enso Logistics – Anneli Maria Hulthén, Chairman of the Gothenburg Municipality Executive Board – Magnus Karestedt, CEO, Port of Gothenburg – Yves Leterme, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD and Belgian Prime Minister in 2008-2011 – Joachim Luecking, European Commission – DG Competition, Head of Unit, State Aids: industrial restructuring – Olivier Onidi, European Commission, DG MOVE, Director European Mobility Network – Tim Power, Director, Head of Maritime Advisors, Drewry – Adriaan Schout, Head of the European Studies Programme, Clingendael – Luc T’Joen, Principal Auditor, European Court of Auditors, Transport and Energy – Thomas Verheye, European Commission, DG Environment, Head of Unit Air & Industrial Emissions.

Participants can register online via the conference website.