For the seventh year, the Central European Initiative (CEI)  opens its doors to the business and financial community, focusing on the needs of entrepreneurs investing in central and eastern Europe. The event is co-organised with the Slovenian CEI Presidency - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia - and is sponsored by the Italian Government. It is attended by representatives of international organisations as well as by Chambers of Commerce, Euroregions and Investment Promotion Agencies. The OECD LEED Programme will participate in this important event. See practical information .

The 7th CEI Summit Economic Forum (SEF) will address four main areas of interest called “SEF streams”, each one running simultaneously across two days:

1. Portoroz Business Conference: Competitiveness, Social Responsibility and Economic Growth.
2. Infrastructure and Energy: Focus on sustainable development for transport, municipal utilities, energy efficiency and renewable sources
3. Financial Sector: Investment opportunities by country and sector, financing real estate and agriculture, privatisation programmes
4. Entrepreneurship/ SMEs: Internalisation of the small business, specific needs of entrepreneurs in “target areas”, support services and local strategies for employment

In this occasion, the Local Development Network’s (LDN) First Assembly Meeting, will be held on November 23 in connection with the CEI Summit. If you are interested in the LDN's First Assembly Meeting, please complete the LDN's registration form  and send it to Paola.Babos@oecd.org by October 31st. There is no participation fee for the LDN's First Assembly Meeting.

The SEF offers an “Interactive Business Area” where participants can discuss projects, visit stands, business info desks and use the SEF networking/ match-making facilities. It also offers networking receptions and opportunities for the promotion of companies and projects.

The 2004 SEF takes place at the same time and venue as the CEI Summit of 17 Prime Ministers, and includes: the CEI Round Table of 17 Ministers of Economic Sectors the meeting of CEI Chambers of Commerce (CECCI).

Practical Information

1500 participants are expected to attend SEF streams, the Interactive Business Area, and the Summit while 200 journalists will report on the SEF and the Summit

Venue: Grand Hotel Bernardin, Portoroz

Registration : Register NOW

• Fee per delegate: 400 €
• Fee for participants from CEI countries not members of EU: 230 €
• Large discounts available for early bookings and groups

Registration includes : access to all formal sessions and to the Interactive Business Area, “self-promotion” of projects and organisations, many relevant publications and evening receptions for networking. Stands, desks and "virtual stands" (a new SEF concept using interactive computers) can be hired by sponsors in the Interactive Business Area.

For more information, please contact Paola.Babos@oecd.org (telephone + 39.0461.277 612) from the LEED Programme staff based in Trento.

Download official Forum leaflet
Download the CEI Summit Agenda
Download the LDN's Meeting Agenda
Download the LDN's Meeting survey/registration
Visit the official website of the CEI Summit

CONTACTS

CEI in Trieste Via Genova 9, 34121 Trieste - ITALY tel +39 040 7786 777 fax +39 040 7786 766 e-mail: cei.ebrd@cei-es.org www.ceinet.org	CEI at the EBRD One Exchange Square, London EC2A 2JN - UNITED KINGDOM tel +44 20 7338 6152 fax +44 20 7338 6538 e-mail: CalogerV@ebrd.com www.ebrd.com
Portoroz Business Conference Slovenska cesta 55, Ljubljana 1000 - SLOVENIA tel +386 1 3091 588 fax +386 1 3091 505 e-mail: tatjana.pogacnik@finance-on.net www.finance-on.net/pbc	Small Business Development Center ( for SEF Stream on Entrepreneurship/ SMEs ) WTC, Dunajska 156, Ljubljana 1000 - SLOVENIA tel +386 1 5891 896 fax +386 1 5891 885 e-mail: petra.drobne@pcmg.si www.pcmg.si
Ministry of Economy of Slovenia (for Government delegations) Mrs. Mateja Valenci tel +386 1 478 3548 / 3594 fax +386 1 478 3577 e-mail: mateja.valenci@gov.si	LEED Trento Centre for Local Development  Ms. Paola Babos tel +39 0461 277 612 e-mail: paola.babos@oecd.org

CEI MEMBER COUNTRIES : Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine.