Programme

9.30 a.m. – 10.30 a.m. | Opening session: Better regulation – what's in it for consumers?

  • Georges Dassis, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Vĕra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality (video message)
  • Jean-Eric Paquet, Deputy Secretary-General, European Commission
  • Petra De Groene, Director, Competition and Consumers, Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs
  • Karl-Heinz Lambertz, Vice-President, Committee of the Regions

10.30 a.m. – 10.45 a.m. | Keynote speech

  • Monique Goyens, Director-General, BEUC (European Consumer Organisation)

10.45 a.m. – 12.15 p.m. | Panel 1: Consumers' legislation REFIT

Moderator: Evangelia Kekeleki, Member of the Various Interests Group, EESC

  • Despina Spanou, Director for Consumers Affairs at the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
  • Stephan Huber, Head of Unit, Policy Cycle Unit, European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS)
  • Paulo Fonseca, Head of Legal Department, DECO (Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection)
  • Jacek Barankiewicz, Chair of the Consumer/Marketing Working Group, BUSINESSEUROPE

=          Discussion    

12.30 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Lunch

2 p.m. – 2.45 p.m. | Interactive debate: Who's watching whom?

Moderator: Detlef Fechtner, Journalist

  • Paul de Clerck, Better Regulation Watchdog
  • Kasper Ernest, Director, EU & International Department, Confederation of Danish Entreprise

2.45 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Panel 2: Assessing the impact of EU legislation on consumers

Moderator: Bernd Dittmann, Member of the Employers' Group, EESC

  • Mona Bjorklund, Head of Unit, Impact Assessments, Secretariat General, European Commission
  • Alexia Maniaki, Acting Head of Unit , Ex-Ante Impact Assessment, European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS)
  • Evangelia Kekeleki, Member of the Various Interests Group, EESC
  • Marlene ten Ham, Secretary-General, Ecommerce Europe

=           Discussion

4 p.m. | Closing remarks

  • Martin Siecker, President of the Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption, EESC