8.30 a.m.              Registration

9.00 a.m.              Opening

  • Brenda King, President of the Sustainable Development Observatory, EESC
  • Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, EESC Vice-President

9.10 a.m.              The EU putting the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development into action

Keynote opening session

  • Conversation with Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President, European Commission,
  • moderated by Brenda King

9.50 a.m.              Are European Member States ready?               

Chair:  Dimitris Dimitriadis, Vice-President Europe 2020 Steering Committee, EESC

  • Guido Schmidt-Traub, Executive Director, Sustainable Development Solutions Network
  • Wolfram Tertschnig, Director, Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, co-chair of the European Sustainable Development Network (ESDN)
  • Arnau Queralt i Bassa, ‎Director, Advisory Council for the Sustainable Development of Catalonia and chair of the European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC)
  • Julie Vaillé, Research Fellow, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI)

Q & A

Introduction to the working groups by Brenda King

Coffee Break

11.30 a.m.            Making EU policies a driver for SDG implementation

Two workshops in parallel

Planet: sustainable production and consumption

Chair:  Hajo Wilms, Vice-President of the section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, EESC

  • Patrick ten Brink, Head of Brussels office, Institute for European Environmental Policy
  • Cosima Hufler, Policy Officer, DG ENV, European Commission
  • Pieter De Pous, European Policy Director, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
  • Cillian Lohan, EESC Member, rapporteur on the circular economy

People: social justice and decent work

Chair: Isabel Caño  Aguilar, Vice-President of the EESC's Sustainable Development Observatory

  • Manuela Geleng, Head of Unit , DG EMPL, European Commission
  • Claire Courteille, Director, Office of the International Labour Organisation to the EU
  • Allan Päll, Secretary-General, European Youth Forum, Board Member Social Platform

1.00 p.m.              Lunch Break

2.30 p.m.              Making EU policies a driver for SDG implementation

Two workshops in parallel

Global partnership and peace

Chair: Luca Jahier, President of Group III – Various Interests, EESC

  • Nicoletta Merlo, Deputy Head of Unit, DG DEVCO, European Commission
  • Tanya Cox, Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager, Plan International
  • Louise van Schaik, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael, Netherlands Institute of International Relations
  • Ioannis Vardakastanis, EESC Member, rapporteur on the 2030 Agenda

Prosperity: sustainable business and investment

Chair: Lutz Ribbe, Vice-President of the EESC's Sustainable Development Observatory

  • Edward Bannermann, Adviser to Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, European Commission
  • Beatriz Alonso, Manager for the Services, CSR Europe
  • Jan Tytgat, Director Government Affairs EU-Benelux, UMICORE
  • Hugues Chenet, Scientific Director, 2° Investing Initiative
  • Tellervo Kylä-Harakka-Ruonala, EESC Member, rapporteur on the Road from Paris

Coffee break

4.15 p.m.              Wrapping up and outlining the EU policy framework for Sustainable Development

Chair: Brenda King, President of the Sustainable Development Observatory, EESC

Reporting back from the four workshops

  • Karl Falkenberg, Hors Classe Senior Adviser - Sustainable Development, EPSC
  • Strengthening Sustainable Development in the EU
  • Debate with audience
  • Closing Brenda King

Interpretation EN - FR - DE

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