EU Funding and State Aid for Energy

Transcription

1 EU Funding and State Aid for Energy Intensive Workshop EXPERTS Martin Stasek Policy Officer, Environment, Agriculture and Maritime Policy, Health and Food Safety, Climate and Energy, European Commission in Germany, Berlin Ingmar Jürgens Senior Economic Advisor of the European Commission in Germany, Berlin Kurt Bungartz Senior Auditor, European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg Péter Staviczky Attaché for State Aid, Hungarian DAY 1 Funding Mechanisms Investment priorities and funding provisions for in the field of energy European Structural and Investment Funds Financial Instruments and Technical Assistance Key provisions and eligibility criteria for funding from Horizon 2020 DAY 2 State Aid Rules New State aid rules for energy projects General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) and de minimis rules The New Guidelines on State aid for Environmental Protection and Energy Specific State aid provisions for energy efficiency and renewable energy Marek Szczepański Expert in EU funds in Poland, specialising in Financial Instruments, Former Deputy Minister of Economy and Labour, Warsaw Camilla Brovang Special Advisor at Danish Energy Agency, Copenhagen

2 General information Current Challenges for Responsible Authorities In the new programming period the focus is more than ever before done on investments in sustainable energy in order to achieve the EU2020 targets: The shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors as well as a strong emphasis on renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE). The funding instruments will almost lead to a doubling of current investment amounts in sustainable energy over Furthermore, the use of Financial Instruments (FIs) in line with the investment priorities of the EU2020 goals is strengthened to enhance the financial sustainability of ESI Funds by repayable forms of support such as loans, guarantees or equity. Not to forget about the newly created European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), which will mobilise a big amount of additional investments. Of crucial importance for public spending is the compliance with EU State Aid rules that have recently been revised with the new Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines (EEAG) and the new General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), by which a huge number of measures are covered. Methodology The participants will be actively involved in the workshop. The sessions will combine presentations, case studies and discussion on practical problems. You will have ample opportunities to present your own problematic issues and discuss them with the speakers and participants from other Member States. Participants will receive extensive materials: All presentations shown during the workshop (inclusive online access to all presentations after the workshop) Confirmations of Participation Selection of corresponding journals published by Lexxion Who should participate? Managing Authorities and Intermediate Bodies involved in programmes for Energy and Environment Ministries for Energy and Environment Energy Agencies National, Regional and Local Development Agencies Development banks, public and private banks Consultants and lawyers in the Energy and Environment sector Beneficiaries of ESI Funds and/or EU direct programmes Why should you participate? Increase your knowledge on funding possibilities for energy Learn how to make use of Financial Instruments and Technical Assistance for energy efficiency and renewable energy Be aware of NEW funding possibilities for energy in the programming period Get to know how to create synergies between different funding mechanisms Be aware of the latest debates to the upcoming regulations for energy funding Get to know the opinion from the European Court of Auditors on the efficiency of cohesion policy funds in supporting renewable energy generation Have a clear understanding of State aid compliance requirements Improve your knowledge on State aid regulations for energy efficiency and renewable energy Learn how to properly apply GBER and the Guidelines on State aid for Environmental Protection and Energy Benefit from another Member State s experience and learn good practices Have a platform to exchange ideas and challenges within your organisation and receive practical advice on current cases

3 Programme Day 1 Funding Mechanisms 08:30 Registration 09:00 Welcome & Introduction Round of Speakers and Participants 09:15 What Direction is the EU Energy Market Moving? Objectives of the EU Energy Policy and implications for funding Strategy priorities for energy Martin Stasek, Policy Officer, Environment, Agriculture and Maritime Policy, Health and Food Safety, Climate and Energy, European Commission in Germany, Berlin 11:30 Funding for Energy: European Structural and Investment Funds European Structural and Investment Funds general overview regulatory framework thematic objectives and investments priorities eligibility criteria ESIF funding for energy key rules established on the EU level Marek Szczepański, Expert in EU funds in Poland, specialising in Financial Instruments, Former Deputy Minister of Economy and Labour, Warsaw 12:30 Lunch 09:45 New Funding Possibilities for Energy in the Programming Period EU Support to Energy Investments European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) Horizon 2020 Ingmar Jürgens, Senior Economic Advisor of the European Commission in Germany, Berlin 11:00 Coffee Break 13:30 Funding for Energy: ESIF Part II financing energy: grants vs. financial instruments financing energy projects from ESIF Polish cases application of Technical Assistance (ELENA) to support energy policy objectives practical recomendations based on lessons learnt Marek Szczepański, Expert in EU funds in Poland, specialising in Financial Instruments, Former Deputy Minister of Economy and Labour, Warsaw 15:00 Coffee Break 15:30 Opinion from the European Court of Auditors: Special Report 6/2014 Cohesion policy funds support to renewable energy generation has it achieved good results? Kurt Bungartz, Senior Auditor, European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg 17:00 End of Day 1

4 Programme Day 2 Compliance with State Aid Rules 09:00 State Aid Mechanisms: How are Rules and Procedures applied? Introduction into State aid principles and procedures Notification of aid Energy funding in compliance with State aid rules: Scope and compatibility criteria Funding gap 09:45 The New Guidelines on State aid for Environmental Protection and Energy Legal framework for energy and environment projects: Scope of application Notifiable energy and environmental aid Compatibility assessment Recent developments and case-law 14:15 Operational Aid for Renewable Energy Conditions for granting operating aid for RES in EEAG and GBER Practical examples Camilla Brovang, Special Advisor at Danish Energy Agency, Copenhagen 15:00 Coffee Break 15:30 Group Work & Practical Cases: Energy Funding and Compliance with State Aid Rules Discuss your cases! 16:30 End of Workshop & Certificates of Participation Programme may be subject to change 10:45 Coffee Break 11:15 The New General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) Implications for Energy Funding How to properly apply the GBER? Exemption rules for energy and environmental projects 12:30 Lunch Break 13:30 State Aid for Energy Efficiency Just send us your cases and questions in advance! We will forward them to our speakers, who will include your issues in the programme and answer them during the workshop. All information concerning your questions and cases will be treated confidentially. As the number of participants is limited, participants will benefit from a maximum of exchange and discussion of their individual questions. Conditions for investment aid and operating aid for energy efficiency in the EEAG and GBER Practical examples Camilla Brovang, Special Advisor at Danish Energy Agency, Copenhagen

5 Experts Speakers Camilla Brovang Special Advisor at Danish Energy Agency, Copenhagen Camilla Brovang, Master of Laws, is a Special Adviser in the State Aid Team in Legal Services in the Danish Energy Agency. She has been employed in the Danish Energy Agency since 2001 where she has been specialised within different energy fields, e.g. energy efficiency and support schemes for green electricity production. She has since 2013 worked full time on state aid issues within the energy sector and was responsible of coordinating the Danish position on the European Commission Guidelines on state aid for environmental protection and energy Kurt Bungartz Senior Auditor, European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg He joined the European Court of Auditors in 1999 where he devoted the first ten years to conducting performance, compliance and financial audits of EU external action and development cooperation programmes with a special focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as Northern Africa and the Near East. Since 2009, he has been leading various performance audit tasks in the field of EU energy policy and expenditure programmes (mainly co-financed by the Cohesion policy and Structural Funds instruments, TransEuropean Networks, IFI financed programmes, and research programmes (Research Framework programmes and Horizon 2020). Prior to his time as a senior Auditor at the Court, Mr Bungartz commenced his EU career at the European Commission in 1995 and had, previously, worked for the German Ministry of Finance. Mr Bungartz has comprehensive knowledge of and experience with EU policies, procedures and institutions, notably in the area of the budget as well as in the policy areas of external action/development cooperation; cohesion and regional and structural and investment funds (including implementation in the Member States); energy and climate; transport, environment, research as well as customs and fiscal policies. Péter Staviczky Attaché for State Aid, Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels Studied law at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Law ( ) and Comparative Law at the International Faculty of the University Robert Schuman Strasbourg ( ). He did a banking-lawyer postgraduate training ( ) and took part in the common European specialist course of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French École National d Administration in spring He has been working at the State Aid Monitoring Office in Budapest since In 2007, he was appointed as head of the unit. He is a regular speaker at the seminars on State aid. Since January 2011 he is the attaché responsible for State aid at the Permanent Representation of Hungary to the EU in Brussels. Marek Szczepański Expert in EU funds in Poland, specialising in Financial Instruments, Former Deputy Minister of Economy and Labour, Warsaw Marek Szczepański has over 20 years of professional experience including over 17 years in the positions associated with the EU funds programming and distribution. His main area of expertise are financial instruments. Currently he is independent consultant. Previously Deputy CEO at Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A. (Industrial Development Agency JSC the state-owned development company). In years he was Managing Director in Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (the state-owned development bank), responsible for implementation of projects co-financed by EU funds under programming period with total value of approx. EUR 1bn. In years Marek was CEO at PSDB Ltd., a consulting company specializing in advisory services, evaluations and trainings in EU funds area. In years he was the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economy and Labour. He was responsible for supervision of several EU operational programmes He also worked in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and Polish Agency for Enterprise Development as director of units responsible for EU funds. Experienced trainer and lecturer in the area of EU funds.

6 Experts Speakers Martin Stasek Policy Officer, Environment, Agriculture and Maritime Policy, Health and Food Safety, Climate and Energy, European Commission in Germany, Berlin Martin Stasek graduated in 2001 at the Charles University in Prague and the Academy of Performing Arts, where he majored in English studies and Arts Management respectively. He held various posts in public relations and public affairs sector before joining the European Parliament's translation service in Luxembourg in In 2007, Martin Stasek moved back to Prague to work for the European Commission as a press officer and head of press and media relations in the Czech Republic, a post he held until August As of September 2015, he works as a policy officer at the European Commission Representation in Berlin where his responsibilities include environment, agriculture and maritime, health and food safety, climate and energy policies. Ingmar Jürgens Senior Economic Advisor of the European Commission in Germany, Berlin In June 2013, Ingmar Juergens was appointed Senior Economic Advisor of the European Commission in Germany, based at the EU-Representation in Berlin. In 2015, Ingmar was nominated as coordinator of economic and financial policy and also serves as focal point for the EU Investment initiative in Germany. Prior to this, Ingmar spent time advising the interim-secretariat of the Green Climate Fund in Bonn and served as Associate Director of the Germany Office of the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), with a focus on energy finance and the economic analysis of German and EU energy and climate policy. With over fourteen years of experience with climate and energy policy and finance at international organisations, Ingmar has worked for the European Commission, the United Nations, and the OECD. Prior to joining CPI, he served as Coordinator of the EU Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change at the EU Directorate General for Climate Action from 2010 to From 2007 to 2010, he was responsible for the economic analysis of the effects of EU energy and climate policy on the competitiveness of EU industry at the EU Directorate-General for Industry and Enterprise, where he coordinated the EU carbon leakage assessment. Ingmar is married and has three children.

7 Registration Venue Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm Augsburger Straße 5, Berlin Germany Participation fee YES, I would like to participate for the reduced fee for public authorities EUR 1090,00 (excl. VAT). YES, I would like to participate for the regular fee of EUR 1590,00 (excl. VAT). YES, I am EStIF-subscriber (10% discount applicable). The German VAT of 19% will be added where applicable. The participation fees include the workshop material, drinks and snacks during the breaks and lunch. Newsletter subscription Please send me information about Structural and Investment Funds issues for free. I may unsubscribe from this service any time. Cancellations Cancellations should be made in writing per post or fax. Please note that the full fee will be charged for cancellations received after 2 March Nomination of a substitute remains possible. A cancellation arising by reason of too small a number of participants is effected no later than two weeks prior to the seminar. In this case the participation fee will be refunded. A requirement for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses as well as loss of working hours is not possible, unless such costs result from wantonly negligent or deliberate behaviour on the part of the organiser. For more detailed information, scope and conduct of contract as well as cancellation policy, please check the Terms & Conditions on our website. Please register with: Anya Zuschke Lexxion Publisher Güntzelstr Berlin, Germany Phone: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) zuschke@lexxion.de online: Name Position, Department Company Name Address Phone, Fax Customer No. of EStIF-Subscription VAT Reg.-No. Date, Signature Upcoming Events Closure of the Programming Period March 2016 Brussels Intensive Workshop This intensive workshop for public officials from managing, certifying, audit authorities and intermediate bodies will provide you with in-depth knowledge and practical examples on all your individual questions and challenges in regard to the closure process of the programming period Continuous Monitoring of Operational Programmes in order to Ensure Performance April 2016 Brussels Intensive Workshop Two-day intensive workshop focusing on monitoring, evaluation, control and performance audit issues essential for control of the effective and efficient spendings in the programming period