European economies have been faltering. We look to the business sector to generate the growth on which economic recovery depends. Arguably, better corporate governance - where boards and company shareholders are focussed on ensuring that companies create long term value - is the best way to ensure that listed companies and capital markets contribute to a sustainable recovery. The Action Plan proposes three initiatives in support of this objective: enhancing transparency, engaging shareholders, and supporting companies' growth and competitiveness. This conference will evaluate the likely effectiveness of the Action Plan in contributing to better governance, more successful enterprise and, in turn, a healthier economic recovery in Europe .

13:30: Welcome and coffee

Welcome speech- Susannah Haan, Secretary General, EuropeanIssuers

14:00: General overview of the European Action Plan – Jeroen Hooijer, Head of Unit F2, Corporate Governance and Social Responsability, European Commission

14:15: 1st round table: Corporate governance: on the right road towards better functioning capital markets and economic recovery?

14:15: Introductory session: The contribution of corporate governance codes to better governance

Moderator: Jeroen Hooijer, Head of Unit F2, Corporate Governance and Social Responsability, European Commission

•          Dirk Meeus, Managing partner, Allen & Overy Belgium – Comparative study of governance codes and monitoring of compliance with these codes in different European countries
•          Leena Linnainmaa , Deputy Director General, Finnish Chamber of Commerce - The network on CG Codes
•          Erich Kandler, Partner, Deloitte Austria - Analysis of and assurance on Corporate Governance reports prepared by boards - what is changing?

15:00: Panel: Will the Action Plan help boards and shareholders make companies more valuable over the long term?

Moderator: Lutgart Van den Berghe, Executive Director, GUBERNA/Chairwoman of the Policy Committee, ecoDa

•           Daniel Lebègue, President, Institut français des Administrateurs, IFA - The executive remuneration and the say on pay
•           Mats Isaksson, Head of the Corporate Affairs Division, OECD - Corporate Governance and Value Creation in Today's Equity Markets
•          Roger Barker, Head of Corporate Governance, IoD UK - The EU Action Plan: Help or Hindrance for Directors?
•           Paul Moxey, Head of Corporate Governance and Risk Management, ACCA - The board's annual report on governance: their responsibility for communicating on how they have governed

16:45: 2nd round table: Company law:  paving the way towards real support for European businesses?

Moderator: Susannah Haan, Secretary General, EuropeanIssuers

•   Vanessa Knapp, Principal Consultant, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
•   Christian Stiefel, Swissholdings/Chair of EuropeanIssuers WG on Company Llaw
•   Eric Andrieux, Legal Department, Michelin

Conclusive speech- Patrick Zurstrassen, Chairman, ecoDa

18.00: Cocktail

Registrations: Send your contact details (last name, first name, position, organization and phone number) to amandine.fivet@ecoda.org