Seminar on 6th October 2010 - Electric vehicles, Opportunity for EU companies

CEBRE - Czech Business Representation to the EU, EUAMPE (European Association of Craft) and CEZ a.s. with partners invite you to a seminar titled Electric vehicles – Opportunity for EU companies held at the European Committee of Regions (Room JDE53) on Wednesday 6th October, 2010 from 9:00-10:45

In Europe, more than 80 % of cars journey on average below 20 km. This can be seen as an opportunity for electric vehicles (efficient for short distance) to replace them. Electrification of transport could help EU companies to recover from economic crisis and become world leaders in environment friendly technologies. Numerous projects on electric transport in Europe are already on board. One of them is implemented in the Czech Republic by the CEZ Group. By 2030 majority of new vehicles produced could be electric. However, the development must be coordinated at all levels. There is a need for common (European), integrated approach which will ensure the balance between the demand and supply, effective infrastructure and reachable electricity grids. Electric transport also needs to be tied into an overall mobility concept that provides new links between different means of transport. European initiative Green cars is one of the PPP in the EC package for Economic recovery. Commission has dedicated EUR 5 billion to this initiative - EUR 4 billion will be released via EIB loans and EUR 1 billion through FP7. Projects dedicated to the road transport within the framework of FP 7 will be in 2010 focusing on the electrification of road transport and research for hybrid technologies.

The workshop will be moderated by Andrea BENASSI, Secretary General of UEAPME

Speakers invited to the debate are:

• Antonio TAJANI, European Commissioner responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship (tbc)
• Tomáš CHMELÍK, Head of Service of Clean Technology of the CEZ Group
• Giles CHICHESTER, Member of European Parliament´s ITRE Committee
• Representative of Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU

The event will be held at the Meeting Place which provides facilities for thematic exhibitions, networking opportunities and exchange among representatives from regions, cities and associations and from the private and financial sector. It is the place you can make contacts, have informal meetings and create and develop new and existing partnerships. Our stand will be placed on 5th floor and a prototype of an electric car will be exhibited at the reception.

We kindly invite you to a registration which is open from 5^th July 2010 (until 22^nd September) on www.opendays.europa.eu. Please register here and choose the workshop number 06A39. You will receive a summary of your successful workshop registration. Please bear in mind that the capacity of your workshop is limited and every year the workshops are quickly booked out. Badges for Open Days will be available at one central pick-up point in front of the DG REGIO Building (Avenue de Tervuren 41).

Media partner of the seminar is server EurActiv.cz.

Invitation: