Big-name speakers confirm for Brussels spring briefing in Westminster in May

By Ian Hall - 24th March 2011

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A host of big names have confirmed to speak at the Brussels spring briefing 2011, a one-day conference on Tuesday 3 May being held in Westminster.

The conference - which aims to provide insight from policymakers on the Brussels agenda - is being organised by Dods and the Parliament Magazine, in association with the European commission and European parliament information office in London.

Jonathan Evans MP, a former MEP and leader of the Conservatives in the European parliament, will be event chairman.

Andy Lebrecht, the UK's deputy permanent representative to the EU, will deliver the keynote speech, entitled "Why you need to know what's happening in Europe".

Martyn Bond, former head of the office of the European parliament in the UK, and visiting professor of European politics and policy at Royal Holloway, will speak about "tackling the triumvirate: how you can have an impact on the EU decision-making process".

Breakout sessions are also scheduled on topics including the EU and the City, the countryside and technology.

Among the confirmed speakers for these sessions are: European commission principal adviser to the director general for health and consumers Despina Spanou; former Conservative MEP and MP John Bowis; Elisabetta Zanon, director of the NHS European office; Richard Ashworth MEP, a member of the committee on agriculture and rural development; Conservative MP Neil Parish, who is chair of the all-party animal welfare group and member of the select committee on environment, food and rural affairs; and DigitalEurope director general Bridget Cosgrave.

The conference will be held at the Smith Square conference centre and will close with a reception in nearby Europe House, with attendees welcomed by EP information office head Michael Shackleton and commission London office head, Jonathan Scheele.

To find out more, phone Peter Wright on 020 7593 5560 or email peter.wright@dods.eu. Also, check out the event website at www.theparliament.com/springbriefing

Ian Hall is editor of Public Affairs News