Euro Adoption in the Accession Countries-Opportunities and Challenges

Monday, February 2
8:00	Registration
9:00	Keynote Addresses Horst Köhler, Managing Director, IMF Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, Member of the Executive Board, ECB
9:45	Session 1-Real Convergence and Euro Adoption Chair: Ivan Mikloš, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Slovak Republic Real Convergence and Euro Adoption in Central and Eastern Europe Jeffrey Frankel, Harpel Chair, Harvard University Discussant: Jean Philippe Cotis, Chief Economist, OECD The Acceding Countries´ Strategies Toward ERM II and the Adoption of the Euro: An Analytical Overview Christian Thimann, Head of Division, DG International and European Relations, ECB Discussant: Sue Owen, Director EMU Policy, HM Treasury U.K., and U.K. Alternate Member of EU Economic and Finance Committee
11:15	Coffee Break
11:30	Session 2-Role of Monetary Independence in the Accession Countries Chair: Zsigmond Járai, President, Magyar Nemzeti Bank Exchange Rate Regimes and Macroeconomic Stability in Central and Eastern Europe Paul De Grauwe, Katholieke Universitet Leuven Discussant: Michael Artis, European University Institute, Milan Real Convergence, Capital Flows, and Monetary Policy Leslie Lipschitz, Director, IMF Institute Discussant: José María Vińals, Director General, International Issues, Banco de Espańa
1:00	Lunch - Carlo IV, Senovazne Namesti 3 Speaker: Pedro Solbes, Commissioner, European Commission for Economic and Monetary Affairs
2:45	Session 3-Preconditions for Successful Euro Adoption: Fiscal Policy and Labor Markets Chair: Wiesław Szczuka, Alternate Executive Director, Office of Executive Directors, IMF Fiscal Positions and Sustainability Jürgen von Hagen, University of Bonn, Indiana University, and CEPR Discussant: Jiri Jonas, Senior Advisor, Office of Executive Directors, IMF Euro Adoption and the Labor Market Tito Boeri, Bocconi University, Milan Discussant: Robert A. Feldman, Assistant Director, European Department, IMF
4:15	Coffee Break
4:30	Session 4-Pre-conditions for Successful Euro Adoption: Financial Markets and Macro Frameworks Chair: John Hurley, Governor, Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland The Euro and the European Financial Industry Francesco Giavazzi, Bocconi University, Milan Discussant: Mr. Uldis Cerps, Chairman, Financial and Capital Markets Commision, Riga, Latvia ERM2 and the Maastricht Criteria Johan Baras, Head of Unit, Monetary Affairs, DG Economic and Financial Affairs, European Commission Discussant: György Szapáry, Deputy Governor, Magyar Nemzeti Bank
7:00	Dinner - Grand Hotel Bohemia, Kralodvorska 4 Speaker: Zdeněk Tůma, Governor, Czech National Bank
Tuesday, February 3
9:00	Session 5-Strategies for Euro Adoption: Key Considerations Chair: Willy Kiekens, Executive Director, Office of Executive Directors, IMF Two Roads to the Euro: The Monetary Experiences of Austria and Greece Eduard Hochreiter, Senior Adviser and Head, Economic Studies, Oesterreichische Nationalbank George Tavlas, Director-Adviser, Economic Research Department, Bank of Greece Discussant: Mitja Gaspari, Governor, Bank of Slovenia Charting a Course to Euro Adoption Susan Schadler, Deputy Director, European Department, IMF Discussant: Helmut Wagner, University of Hagen
10:30	Coffee Break
11:00	Roundtable Discussion Leszek Balcerowicz, Governor, National Bank of Poland Michael Deppler, Director, European Department, IMF Edmond Alphandery, Chairman, Supervisory Board of CNP, France Klaus Regling, Director General, ECFIN, European Commission Peter Garber, Global Risk Strategist, Global Markets Research, Deutsche Bank
1:00	Lunch - Plzeňská Restaurant at the Municipal House