Program
BALKAN SME CONFERENCE - Sofia 2018
“Success = Innovations + Markets + Finance + Digitalization”
June 7th, 2018 (Thursday) – Hilton Hotel, Sofia
DAILY PROGRAM
09.00 – 10.00 Registration of participants and guests
“Aleko” and “Vihren” Halls – b2b matchmaking meetings
10.00 – 16.30 Representatives of each company will have the opportunity to meet representatives of another company within 30 minutes at a specified table. In the halls there will be 30 tables with 4 chairs (if necessary there can be added more tables and chairs). The tables will be numbered. Check-in will only be possible upon prior request.
Musala Hall – Discussions
13.30 – 13:45 Opening of the Discussion sessions of the “Balkan SME Conference - Sofia 2018”
* A brief welcoming greeting by Mr. Vesselin Halachev - President of UBC and Board Member of European Small Business Alliance (ESBA) in Brussels
* Welcoming speech by Ms. Monika Panayotova - Deputy Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU
* Welcoming speech by Mr. Damjan Manchevski – Minister of Information Society and Administration of F.Y.R.O.M.
* Welcoming speech by Mr. Stefan Vodenicharov – Ex-President of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
* Welcoming speech by Ms. Gabriela Kozareva - Executive Director of Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency
* Welcoming speech by Mr. Stamen Yanev - Executive Director of Invest Bulgaria Agency
13:45 - 14:15 First Panel - European policies for the development of the small and medium businesses in the Balkans through the prism of Small Business Act (SBA) of the European Commission
* Highlights on the subject, presented by Mr. Vesselin Halachev - President of UBC and Board Member of European Small Business Alliance (ESBA) in Brussels
* Discussion with the participation of Ms. Monika Panayotova - Deputy Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU; Ms. Gabriela Kozareva - Executive Director of BSMEPA; Mr. David Caro - President of European Small Business Alliance; Mr. Vesselin Halachev - President of UBC; Mr. Radu Moldovan – Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Republic of Romania in Sofia
Moderator: Ms. Gabriela Kozareva - Executive Director of BSMEPA
14:15 - 14:45 Second Panel – Balkan partnership for more markets. The Balkan SMEs and the digital market
* Opening speech by Mr. Stamen Yanev - Executive Director of Invest Bulgaria Agency
* Discussion with the participation of Mr. Ermah Sazak – Chief Commercial Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey; trade attaches of the embassies of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, F.Y.R.O.M. and Kosovo
Moderator: Mr. Stamen Yanev - Executive Director of Invest Bulgaria Agency
14:45 - 15:00 Coffee-break
15:00 - 15:30 Third Panel – Digitalization of SMEs. Cybersecurity.
* Presentation of the opportunities for the SMEs in the European cybersecurity eco-system - Mr. Mark Miller - Vice Chairman, European Organisation for Security, CEO of the European Digital Alliance for SMEs (Brussels)
* GDPR – Presentation by "Penkov - Markov & Partners" International Law Firm
* Discussion with Mr Vladimir Penkov – Chief and Senior Partner at "Penkov - Markov & Partners" International Law Firm; Mr. David Caro - President of European Small Business Alliance; Mrs. Ulrike Straka – Commercial Counsellor of the Austrian Embassy
Moderator: Mr. Roman Angelov – Head of Innovation Department at UBC
15:30 - 16:00 Fourth Panel – Access to innovation and skills - a priority for the SME development in the Balkans
* Highlights on the topic by Ms Svetlana Boyanova – President of Institute for Agrostrategies and Innovations
* Discussion Mr. David Caro - President of European Small Business Alliance; Mr. Marco Montecchi – President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria; Mr. Sinisha Naumoski – Director at ABIT Macedonia (FYROM)
Moderator: Mr. Plamen Arbovski - Institute for Agrostrategies and Innovations
16:00 - 16:30 Fifth Panel –European funds and programs for the Balkan SMEs
* Highlights on the topic presented by Mrs. Kremena Dimitrova – Director of Directorate “European Funds” at UBC
* Discussion with Mrs. Larisa Manastirli – EBRD Director for Bulgaria; Mrs. Dimka Mihailova expert of the European Commision in EU funds and programs; INTERREG expert, including Cross-border, Transnational (Danube, Balkan-Mediterranean, Black Sea Basin) and Interregional cooperation.
Moderator: Mrs. Kremena Dimitrova – Director of Directorate “European Funds” at UBC
EVENING PROGRAM
15.30 – 17.00 Registration of participants and guests
16.00 – 17.00 WELCOME DRINK
Musala Hall
17.00 – 17.30 Official greetings to the participants of the “Balkan SME Conference - Sofia 2018”
Greetings to the participants and presentation of the official guests of the event by Mr. Vesselin Halachev - President of UBC and Board Member of ESBA in Brussels
* Greetings by Ms Ekaterina Zaharieva - Deputy Prime Minister for Justice Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
* Greetings by Mr Emil Karanikolov – Minister of Economy of the Republic of Bulgaria
* Greetings by Mr Rumen Porozhanov – Minister of Agriculture, Foods and Forestry of the Republic of Bulgaria
* Greetings by Ms Nikolina Angelkova – Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria
* Greetings by Mr Ognian Zlatev - Head of European Commission Representation in Bulgaria
* Greetings by Mr David Caro - President of European Small Business Alliance (ESBA)
* Greetings by Ms Maria Gabriel - European Commissioner - Digital Economy and Society
* Greetings by Ms Elżbieta Bieńkowska - European Commissioner - Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (written form)
Musala Hall
17.30 – 19.00 United Business Clubs AWARD CEREMONY for Support for the SMEs in Bulgaria
Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: 1. State institutions supporting the SMEs in Bulgaria; 2. Local authorities (municipalities) supporting the SMEs in Bulgaria; 3. Financial institutions supporting the SMEs in Bulgaria; 4. Media supporting the SMEs in Bulgaria; 5. Large companies supporting the SMEs in Bulgaria; 6. Best Innovative Micro-, Small- or Medium-sized Company; 7. The fastest growing Micro-, Small- or Medium-sized company; 8. Socially Responsible Micro-, Small- or Medium-sized Company; 9. Women Entrepreneurship
Central Lounge
19.00 – 22.00 EVENING COCKTAIL “5th ANNIVERSARY OF UBC”
An amazing party featuring popular actors, musicians and other artists.
For further information on the “Balkan SME Conference - Sofia 2018”, you can call +359 895 575 744 or write to events@ubclubs.eu . You may also follow the special cite of the event www.event.ubclubs.eu or the official site of UBC www.ubclubs.eu or the facebook page: United Business Clubs-Bulgaria
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