30 January 2018, 14.00pm-18.00h - followed by a cocktail reception

Residence Palace, Brussels

ACCA (the association of Chartered Certified Accountants), the EU-Asia Centre, the European Movement International (EMI) and UEAPME are delighted to invite you to their multistakeholder conference on The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) : Reshaping the Global Value Chain, to discuss the implications of China’s grand scheme to link Asia and Europe together via new massive infrastructure projects in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans.

Launched in 2013 as “One Belt, One Road”, the BRI is hugely ambitious and already has the support of the EU, the World Bank, the EBRD and many other financial and economic institutions.

But what is the experience to date? How to secure financing for projects? What are the economic and policy implications of the BRI? This conference will discuss the state of play with leading policy makers and business operators from Europe and China. It will also provide an insight into the opportunities and challenges of the BRI for European business.

Please RSVP to cecile.bonino@accaglobal.com [2] before 15 January 

Draft Agenda

13.45pm Registration and coffee

14.00pm Welcome remarks, Maggie Mc Ghee, Director of Professional Insights, ACCA

14.05pm Opening remarks, Zhang Ming, Chinese Ambassador to the EU, invited

14.15pm Opening remarks, Xavier Coget, Cabinet of Vice President of the European Commission Jyrki Katainen

14.25pm Panel debate on economic and policy implications of the BRI, moderated by Fraser Cameron, Director EU-Asia Centre

• Luc Devigne, Director of EAST — Russia, eastern partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE at the EEAS
• Anna Saarela, European Parliament, DG EXPO, Policy Department
• Natasha Khanjenkova , Managing Director Central Asia & Russia EBRD
• Venerable Ji-jing, Director, People to People Exchanges
• Liina Carr, Confederal Secretary, ETUC

15.40pm Q&As

16.00pm Coffee break

16.20pm Panel on Business experiences, moderated by Ada Leung, Head of ACCA China

• Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, EU-China Business  
• Dilek Aydin, EU representative of Turkonfed at  UEAPME
• Maurice Fermont, Adviser, BusinessEurope
• He Liquin, General Manager, Bank of China Belgium
• Alain Baron, EU-China Connectivity platform,  DG MOVE

17.30pm Q&A

17.50pm Concluding remarks, Jo Leinen, MEP, Head of the EP EU-China Delegation

18.00pm Cocktail reception