DRAFT PROGRAMME

(exact timings to be confirmed) 

EESC Plenary Institutional debate on the Blue Deal

10h45 – 12h00: High level debate on a Call for an EU Blue Deal – a comprehensive water strategy for Europe

(linked to the adoption of the CCMI/209 Umbrella opinion: A Call for an EU Blue Deal and the President's Declaration on the EU Blue Deal).

• Introduction by Oliver Röpke, President of the EESC
• Video message by Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries
• Statement by Pernille Weiss, Chair of the MEP Water Group, Member of the European Parliament
• Statement Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to water and sanitation
• Statement by Prof Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water
• Statement by Pietro Francesco De Lotto, President of CCMI
• Concluding remarks by Oliver Röpke, EESC President

EESC high-level conference: "Call for an EU Blue Deal"

Moderator: Chris Burns
Visual facilitator: Kristof Braekeleire

12:00 - 12:05 Opening of high-level conference: Why a call for an EU Blue Deal?

• Pietro Francesco De Lotto, President of Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI)

12:05 - 13:00 Panel 1: Securing access to water and resilient water infrastructures

Introduction to the topic: Kinga Joó, Member of the EESC and rapporteur on the Blue Deal

• Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to water and sanitation
• Hasmik Barseghyan, President of European Youth Parliament for Water
• Bernard Van Nuffel, President of Aqua Publica Europea 

13:00 - 14:15 Lunch break

14.15– 14.30 Presentation of film "Until the last drop" by documentary filmmaker Ewa Ewart

14:30 - 15:30 Panel 2: Sustainable consumption of water and fostering new opportunities

Introduction to the topic: Monika Sitárová, Co-President of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) of the EESC

• Lifeng Li, Director of the Land and Water Division (NSL), Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
• Geoff Townsend, Water Vision Leadership Team Leader, Water Smart Industries, Water Europe
• Michele Falcone, Chair of SGI Europe Water Task Force

15:30 - 16:30 Panel 3: Blue Deal financing and Blue Diplomacy

Introduction to the topic: Milena Angelova, Member of the EESC and rapporteur on the Blue Deal

• Almotaz Abadi, Deputy Secretary, General for Water, Environment and Blue Economy, Union for the Mediterranean
• Phoebe Koundouri, Professor Athens University of Economics and Business & Technical University of Denmark, President EAERE, Chair SDSN Global Climate Hub, Co-chair SDSN Europe 
• Patricia Calderon, Global Associate Director for Water, CDP Europe

16:30 - 16:45 Closing

• Oliver Röpke, President of the EESC