European Economic
and Social Committee
Programme
Forum is held in English.
08:30 – 09:00 | Registration and welcome coffee
Participant arrival and networking.
09:00 – 09:05 | Opening remarks
Welcome address by Armands GŪTMANIS, Chairman, the Latvian Association "Sustainability Cluster"
09:05 – 10:00 | Keynote session: The Future of European Mobility
High-level keynote addresses outlining the strategic direction for sustainable mobility, European transport policy, and regional cooperation in the Baltic region.
Moderator: Armands GŪTMANIS, Chairman, the Latvian Association "Sustainability Cluster"
Speakers:
- Rihards KOZLOVSKIS, Latvian Minister of Transport
- Airis RIKVEILIS, State Secretary, Latvian Ministry of Defence
- Marcin NOWACKI, President of Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, European Economic and Social Committee
- Viesturs KLEINBERGS, Chairman of the Riga City Council
- Andris KUŽNIEKS, Head of the European Commission Representation in Latvia
- Sami MOISIO, Professor of Spatial Planning and Policy, Vice-Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki
10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee break and networking
10:15 – 11:30 | Panel 1: Security, Infrastructure and European Mobility Policy
Theme: Strategic foundations of mobility systems in Europe
Discussion topics:
- Military mobility and dual-use infrastructure
- Cross-border infrastructure coordination
- Infrastructure bottlenecks and regulatory alignment
- Investment priorities for resilient European transport systems
Moderator: Baiba MILTOVIČA, President of Permanent Group on Transport, European Economic and Social Committee
Introduction: Roberts ZĪLE, Vice-President of European Parliament (video message)
Panellists:
- Armīns MAČIŅŠ, Director of the Crisis Management and Resilience Department, Latvian Ministry of Defence
- Giuseppe DELLO STRITTO, Head of Unit - Land and Logistics, European Defence Agency
- Aleksandrs BUCENS, Officer, Defence Enablement and Logistics, Defence Policy and Planning Division, NATO
- Florent MORETTI, Policy Officer, Unit on Transport Networks and Military Mobility, DG Mobility and Transport, European Commission (online)
Audience Q&A
11:30 – 11:45 | Coffee break and networking
11:45 – 13:00 | Panel 2: Electrification and Alternative Fuels – Powering the Mobility Transition
Discussion topics:
- Expansion of electromobility infrastructure
- Grid integration and renewable energy supply
- Corporate fleet electrification
- Role of alternative fuels in mobility transition
- Financing models for sustainable mobility investments
Moderator: Sara SEKUND, Communications Strategist, Swedish 2030 Secretariat
Panellists:
- Lucie MATTERA, Secretary General, ChargeUp Europe
- Kristaps MUZIKANTS, CEO, Ignitis Latvija
- Jonas ERRAIA, Partner specialising in the green transition of businesses and international trade, Menon Economics
- Raivo BALE, Head of Sub-Department Leasing Vendor Management, Swedbank Baltics AS
Audience Q&A
13:00 – 14:15 | Networking Lunch
Opportunity for informal discussions among policymakers, industry leaders and experts.
14:15 – 15:30 | Panel 3: Decarbonising Logistics and Freight Transport
Discussion topics:
- Emission reduction strategies in freight transport
- Electrification and alternative fuels for heavy duty vehicles
- Sustainable logistics and supply chain efficiency
- Role of manufacturers and logistics operators
Moderator: Elīna SALAVA, Head of Department Large Corporate, Swedbank AS
Panellists:
- Egidijus SKRODENIS, Member of the Board of Transporto Inovacijų Asociacija and Partner at MC Mobility Consultants
- Erik KANERVA, Sales Director, Northern Europe Kempower
- Janno KARU, Managing Director, Scania Baltics
- Tomas ARVIDSSON, Member of European Economic and Social Committee
Audience Q&A
15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee break and networking
16.00 – 17:15 | Panel 4: Smarter Mobility: Urban Sustainable Mobility Vision
Discussion topics:
- Transforming Urban Mobility Systems – low-emission zones, electrification of transport, infrastructure planning for long-term sustainability
- Public Transport & Multimodal Integration
- Governance, Innovation & Community Engagement – data-driven monitoring and management, policy tools – incentives, regulations and pricing mechanisms
- Role of smart technologies and digital mobility solutions
Moderator: Jānis BEKERS, Member of the Board of Latvian Electric Vehicle Association
Panellists:
- Willem-Frederik METZELAAR, Regional Director West & North UKI, Benelux, Nordics & Baltics, IS, EIT Urban Mobility
- Kristaps KAULIŅŠ, Director of the Outdoor Space and Mobility Department, Riga City Council
- Mateusz SZYMAŃSKI, Member of European Economic and Social Committee
- Gunta ANČA, President at European Disability Forum
Audience Q&A
17:15 – 17:30 | Closing discussion: Key takeaways for the Baltic Region
Speakers:
- Marcin NOWACKI, President of Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, European Economic and Social Committee
- Armands GŪTMANIS, Chairman, the Latvian Association "Sustainability Cluster"
Summary of the main insights and policy recommendations emerging from the Forum.