The largest debate on the economy of Eastern Poland is closed

Białystok/Katowice, 19 September 2014 – the Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok, a two-day series of debates, meetings and accompanying events concerning the issues of the utmost importance to the economy of Eastern Poland, is ended.

The Guest of Honour of the largest debate on the economy of Eastern Poland was Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland. The attendees of the event also included: Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik – Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Poland; Jerzy Buzek – Member of the European Parliament, President of the European Parliament between 2009-2012, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland between 1997-2001; Stanisław Ciosek – Chairman, Polsko-Rosyjska Izba Handlowo-Przemysłowa (Polish-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Member of the Council of Ambassadors, European Academy of Diplomacy, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Moscow between 1989-1996; Olgierd Dziekoński – Secretary of State, Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland; Jacek Kapica – Undersecretary of State, Head of Customs Service, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland; Erich Kieck – Director, Capacity Building, World Customs Organization; Anatoliy Makarenko – Head, State Customs Service of Ukraine; Jaroslav Neverovič – Minister of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania between 2012-2014; Janusz Steinhoff – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy between 1997-2001; and Antanas Śipavićius – Director-General, Lithuanian Customs Department, Customs of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok attracted over a thousand guests from Poland, as well as from Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, Moldova and other European countries – politicians, business representatives and experts.

‘The interest expressed in the event, as well as the attendance, the quality of debates and their content-related level, reflected a deep need for a discussion on topics which have remained outside the mainstream debate so far. The presence of the Guest of Honour of the Congress – Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland – combined with apt summaries and conclusions drawn by both debate moderators and panellists, hundreds of lobby talks and business meetings: the first edition of the event has become history,’ said Wojciech Kuśpik, Chairman of the Board of PTWP Group, Initiator of the Eastern Economic Congress.

Between 18-19 September 2014, 30 thematic sessions took place with the participation of over 100 speakers.

‘I am very glad of the fact that the Eastern Economic Congress took place in Białystok. We hope next year our city will receive again the participants in such an important debate on economic development and economic relations between Eastern Poland and both the East and the West of Europe,’ said Tadeusz Truskolaski, Mayor of Białystok.

The subject matter of the Eastern Economic Congress covered both a new deal in the European policy and the future of Europe in its relations with the East and the development issues of Eastern Poland, which are related to this background – from large infrastructure investments to the prospects for renewable energy industry, to detailed market analyses – including the agriculture and food market, the medical services market and the hotel property market.

The major subject areas of the two days of the Congress included: economic cooperation and trade between the EU and its eastern neighbours; transport and energy infrastructure in the EU policy; export and expansion of Polish enterprises in the area of countries of Eastern Europe and in the border area between Europe and Asia, as well as expansion to distant markets; the investment potential of Eastern Poland; and self-government versus economic cooperation within the EU and the Eastern Partnership.

Issues concerning the energy industry were also discussed at length, including: infrastructure investments in the energy and fuel sector; renewable energy sources (RES) in Europe and Poland; renewable energy industry in poorly urbanised areas; municipal waste as a source of renewable energy; wind in the energy balance; and photovoltaics and the prosumer energy industry.

The group of persons who shared their knowledge and experience during the Eastern Economic Congress included: Rafał Antczak – Member of the Board, Deloitte Business Consulting SA; Dariusz Blocher – Chairman of the Board, Director-General, Budimex SA; Leszek Gołąbiecki – Chairman of the Board, Unibep; Robert Gwiazdowski – President, Adam Smith Center; Dariusz Kacprzyk – Chairman of the Board, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego; Robert Karczewski – Chairman of the Board, Korczowa Dolina; Bożena Lublińska-Kasprzak – Chairman of the Board, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development; Witold Karczewski – Chairman of the Board, Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Białystok; Henryk Majchrzak – Chairman of the Board, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne SA; Sławomir Majman – Chairman of the Board, Polska Agencja Informacji i Inwestycji Zagranicznych SA (Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency); Mirosław Maliszewski – President, Związek Sadowników RP (Polish Fruit Growers Association); Dariusz Poniewierka – Chairman of the Board, Korporacja Ubezpieczeń Kredytów Eksportowych SA (Export Credits Insurance Corporation); Krzysztof Sadowski – Chairman of the Board, ENEA Wytwarzanie; Monika Siecińska-Jaworowska – Chairman of the Board, Suempol; Artūras Vilimas – Chairman of the Board, LitPol Link; and Dariusz Żuk – Chairman of the Board, Polska Przedsiębiorcza (Entrepreneurial Poland).

An event accompanying the Eastern Economic Congress was the conferring of awards in the contest entitled TOP Municipal Investments of Eastern Poland. The popularity contest indicated municipal investments that have contributed the most to the development of the economy, region and inhabitants of Eastern Poland in the last ten years.

The Eastern Economic Congress in Białystok – a debate on economic and trade relations between the European Union and the East of Europe – provides a logical follow-up to, and a completion of, the subject matter of the previous editions of the European Economic Congress in Katowice held so far. Both business conferences are organised by PTWP Group.

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The Eastern Economic Congress (EEC) in Białystok is a two-day series of debates, meetings and accompanying events with the participation of about a thousand guests, both from Poland and from Europe.

The organiser of the Eastern Economic Congress is PTWP Group SA, the initiator and organiser of the European Economic Congress in Katowice – the largest business conference in Central Europe, which has been organised since 2009 and deemed one of the most representative debates on the future of Europe.

For further information on the Eastern Economic Congress, please visit – www.wschodnikongres.eu/pl/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WschodniKongresGospodarczy 

For further information on the organiser – PTWP Group SA – please visit www.ptwp.pl

Additional information for the media can be obtained from:

Marta Stach, Imago Public Relations,

M. 609 808 119, E. m.stach@imagopr.pl