Working with Impact Assessment in the European Union

Target Group
Given the wide range of policy areas for which the European Commission is now applying its approach to Impact Assessment, attendance at the seminar will be important for officials from most Ministries and agencies who have responsibility for following policy dossiers at the EU level.

Description
This two-day training seminar offers participants an intensive and practical introduction to integrated (social, environmental and economic) Impact Assessment in the context of the European Union institutions. This key tool for Better Regulation is becoming increasingly central to the policy-making and legislative processes of the European Union.

Method
A combination of presentations, guest lectures, case studies and group exercises, as well as the sharing of experiences between participants.

Objectives
By the end of the seminar, participants will understand:
- why impact assessment has become an ever more important part of the policy-making and legislative processes in the European Union;
- the key analytical steps followed by the European Commission in preparing an impact assessment;
- the logic and approach of the main quantitative and qualitative techniques and tools for carrying out an impact assessment;
- the opportunities for stakeholder and Member State input into the preparation of the European Commission impact assessment;
- the responsibilities and commitments made by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament to work with European
- Commission impact assessments, and to elaborate their own impact assessments on substantive amendments.

The emphasis of the seminar is very much directed towards offering participants a practical understanding of this increasingly important policy-development tool.

Programme
The programme will commence on Day 1 at 9.00 and will finish on Day 2 around 17.30.

Seminar Venue
The seminar will take place at the Green Conference Room (1.45) of the European Institute of Public Administration, O.L. Vrouweplein 22, NL-6211 HE Maastricht, tel.: +31.43.3296222, fax: +31.43.3296296.

Working language
The seminar will be conducted in English.

Fee
The participation fee is € 825 and includes documentation, 2 lunches and refreshments. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

Hotel
We will be pleased to make hotel reservations for you in Maastricht city centre.

For the seminar on 29-30 March 2010, we have made a block booking at Hotel Beaumont**** (www.beaumont.nl), at the rate of ± € 102 p.p.p.n. incl. breakfast and tourist tax.

For the seminar on 25-26 November 2010, we have made a block booking at Hotel Mabi**** (www.hotelmabi.nl) at a rate of ± € 98,23 p.p.p.n. incl. breakfast and tourist tax.

Both hotels are in the city centre and close to our Institute, ±10 minutes walk. Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please indicate the dates of arrival and departure on the registration form. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel on checking out. Please note that if you register after the closing date, hotel reservations cannot be guaranteed.

Meals
Lunches will take place at the Institute’s restaurant. Dinner will take place at a restaurant in town. Should you require a special menu (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic), please inform the Programme Organiser so that this can be arranged.

Registration
Kindly complete the registration form and return it before the closing date (mentioned on the registration form) to Ms Esther Haenen, Programme Organiser, European Institute of Public Administration, P.O. Box 1229, NL-6201 BE Maastricht. Tel.: +31.43.3296246; fax: +31.43.3296296; e-mail: e.haenen@eipa.eu. You can also submit the on-line registration form on this website. 

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. For cancellations received after the closing date indicated on the registration form we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless a replacement participant is found.