An international conference on energy policy issues to take place in Tallinn

Eesti Pank, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the USA think tank Global Interdependence Center (GIC) organise an international conference "Emerging Energy Markets" in Tallinn on 21 August 2008. The conference focuses on the energy policy issues of the Nordic and Baltic countries and takes place in the conference centre of the Swissôtel.

"Eesti Pank and the GIC have been cooperating in various forms for several years now. The energy policy conference is our joint project, which aims at discussing more thoroughly the changes taking place in the energy market of Europe and the region and their impact on the economic and financial policy," said Governor of Eesti Pank Andres Lipstok.

The main speakers of the conference are the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts, who treats the energy policy challenges in the Nordic and Baltic countries, and Jean-Claude Schwartz from the European Commission, who discusses Europe's changing energy policy.

The presentations are followed by three discussion panels. The first panel provides an overview of the Nordic countries' energy markets and infrastructure. In the second panel, market participants talk about the energy risks arising from the current volatile environment and possible solutions as well as about the main problems related to alternative energy sources. The afternoon panel is dedicated to trying to find answers to the questions how the growing raw material prices affect economic growth and inflation and what kind of economic policies should be pursued in the current situation. The panel discussions participants include both market participants and analysts and experts from the IMF, the USA, EU Member States and the Nordic Investment Bank.

If you wish to attend the conference, please contact Eesti Pank by telephone +372 6680 719 or e-mail Kristi.Suup@epbe.ee by August 18. The number of participants is limited.

Journalists interested in the conference are asked to notify Eesti Pank of their attendance by telephone +372 6680 719 or e-mail Kristi.Suup@epbe.ee.

The working language of the conference is English. The conference is free of charge.

Programme of the conference.