Successful First Groningen-Moscow Conference on EU-Russian Energy Law. Presentations now online

'Nicely balanced programme, great speakers, high quality presentations and good questions and debate.' This is just one of many positive comments on the First Groningen-Moscow Conference on EU-Russian Energy Law, which took place on 30-31 May 2013 at the head office of the Gasunie in Groningen.

There were many delegates from many countries such as Russia, The United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Estonia, Sweden and Finland. The event was organized by the Groningen Centre of Energy Law (University of Groningen) and the Institute of European Studies at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University) in cooperation with the University of Aberdeen.

This conference is part of a programme celebrating the 400 years relationship between the Russian Federation and the Netherlands and was held to analyze the legal aspects of guaranteeing EU-Russian security of energy demand and supply. Russian and European leading lawyers and experts active in the field of energy market regulation in the EU-Russian context exchanged their views on EU-Russian energy relations.

Every topic was presented by both an European and a Russian speaker which led to a lively debate. The debate contributed to renewed forms of collaboration and cooperation between the EU and Russia.

The Power Point presentations used by the speakers are listed below.

Day 1

Institutional Framework and Conceptual Delimitation

Chair: Mr. Ernst-Paul Nas, Director Legislative and Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, The Netherlands

• Security of Supply and Demand under EU and Russian Energy Law
  Presentation of Prof. Martha Roggenkamp, Professor of Energy Law, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
  Presentation of Dr Nikolay Kaveshnikov, Head of Chair of European Integration, MGIMO University, Russia
• The Institutional Aspects of EU-Russia Energy Cooperation
  Presentation of Mr. Johannes Baur, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Energy, EU Commission, Belgium
  Presentation of Mr. Mikhail Savva, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russia
  Presentation of discussant Dr Andrei Belyi, Associate Professor at the University of Tartu, Centre for EU-Russian Studies, Estonia

Sustainable Energy and New Energy Sources

Chair: Professor Marcel Brus, professor of International Law, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

• EU-Russian climate change cooperation: post-2012 scenarios
  Presentation of Dr Yulia Yamineva, University of Eastern Finland, Department of Law, Joensuu, Finland
  Presentation of Dr Anatole Boute, Lecturer, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
  Presentation of discussant Mr. Pieter van Aartsen , Head European Affairs, Department International and Public Affairs, Gasunie, Netherlands
• Energy Developments in the Arctic – EU and Russian Approaches
  Presentation of Prof. Lev Voronkov, Chair of European Integration, MGIMO-University, Russia
  Presentation of Dr Kamrul Hossain, Senior Research Scientist, Arctic Centre, Finland

Day 2

Investment Protection and Liberalization

Chair: Mr. Reinier Nijmeijer, Head of Legal and Managing Counsel Russia, Shell Exploration & Production Services (RF) BV, Moscow

• European and Russian Approaches to the Protection of Energy Investments
  Presentation of Mr. Max Gutbrod, Partner, Baker & McKenzie Moscow, Russia
• Energy investments in the EU and Russia: Investment Regulation under the Third Energy Package and the Russian Law on Foreign Investments in Strategic Sectors
  Presentation of Mr. Jan Gerrit Westerhof, Member of Commission Staff, DG Trade, European Commission, Belgium
  Presentation of Dr Sergey Seliverstov, Russian Electricity System Operator/Associate Professor in Energy Law, MGIMO-University, Russia
  Presentation of discussant Dr Andrey Konoplyanik ,Counselor of the CEO of Gazprom Export/Professor International Oil and Gas Business at Gubkin Russian State University of Oil & Gas.

Trade, Transit and Competition Law

Chair: Dr Andrey Konoplyanik, Counselor of the CEO of Gazprom Export/Professor International Oil and Gas Business at Gubkin Russian State University of Oil & Gas.
Presentation of Dr Andrey Konoplyanik

• EU and Russia Energy Trade: Impact of WTO, Transit and Integrated Economic Areas
  Presentation of Prof. Dmitry Labin, professor of the Chair of International Law MGIMO-University, arbiter of the Arbitration Tribunal of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Russia
  Presentation of Dr Yulia Selivanova, Expert, Energy Charter Treaty Secretariat, Belgium
• EU and Russian perspectives on competition law in the energy sector: TPA, long term agreements and spot markets
  Presentation of Prof. Hans Vedder, Professor in EU and Economic Law, Groningen Centre of Energy Law, RUG, The Netherlands
  Presentation of Dr Ivan Gudkov, Associate professor of MGIMO University, Russia
  Presentation of discussant Dr Andre Belyi