PRESS STATEMENT

Please download here our joint Press statement

SPEAKERS' SLIDES:

- General overview of the European Action Plan – Jeroen Hooijer, Head of Unit F2, Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility, European Commission - Download here Jeroen Hooijer's slides

- Dirk Meeus, Managing partner, Allen & Overy Belgium – Comparative study of governance codes and monitoring of compliance with these codes in different European countries - Download here Dirk Meeus' slides

- Erich Kandler, Partner, Deloitte Austria - Analysis of and assurance on Corporate Governance reports prepared by boards - what is changing? - Download here Erich Kandler's slides

- Mats Isaksson, Head of the Corporate Affairs Division, OECD - Corporate Governance and Value Creation in Today's Equity Markets - Download here Mats Isaaksson's slides

- Daniel Lebègue, President, Institut français des Administrateurs, IFA - The executive remuneration and the say on pay - Download here Daniel Lebègue's slides

- Carmine Di Noia, Deputy Director General, ASSONIME - Download here Carmine Di Noia's slides

- 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 - Download here Paul Moxey's slides

PROGRAMME:

The Action Plan on Corporate Governance and Company Law:

What's in it and Why?

4th February 2013

Goethe Institute, rue Belliard 58, 1040 Brussels

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 Responsibility, 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 Responsibility,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, Finland 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

·      Roger Barker, Head of Corporate Governance, IoD UK - The EU Action Plan: Help or Hindrance for Directors?

·        Mats Isaksson, Head of the Corporate Affairs Division, OECD - Corporate Governance and Value Creation in Today's Equity Markets

·        Daniel Lebègue, President, Institut français des Administrateurs, IFA - The executive remuneration and the say on pay

·        Carmine Di Noia, Deputy Director General, ASSONIME

·        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

16:40: Coffee break

16:50: 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, Director of SwissHoldings, the Federation of large Industrial and Service Groups in Switzerland

•  Eric Andrieux, Senior Legal Counsel - Corporate, stock Exchange, Finance, Michelin Group

Conclusive speech- Patrick Zurstrassen, Chairman, ecoDa

18.00: Cocktail sponsored by