The European Forum brings together business and policy perspectives in a series of unique events that explore strategic orientations for eco-innovation and environmental technologies, in support of the EU Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP).

This third edition of the Forum will be held in Paris and will be devoted to the role of Environmental Performance Verification (EPV) in supporting the market take-up of eco-technologies. EPV systems provide a prior verification of claimed performance of eco-technologies. The objective is to enhance the confidence of investors and potential buyers in promising innovative eco-technologies, thus facilitating their entrance into the EU and international marketplace. Such systems, with various characteristics, have been in place in Northern America for a decade and more recently in several Asian countries. The European Commission, in the framework of ETAP, is preparing the setting-up of an EPV scheme in the European Union.

The present Forum on Eco-Innovation gives the opportunity to find out more about existing systems, to discuss the state-of-play of EU preparation in this field and debate on the main features of the EU scheme under construction. International aspects of EPV will be further debated in a related international conference on 28 November 2007 (see below).

Decision makers and actors from finance, technology development, business, policy development, academia and NGOs will debate and discuss relevant topics.

The programme will include:

* Forum address featuring prominent speakers from politics and business.
* Debates on objectives and needs to be addressed through EPV, lessons from existing systems, international aspects.
* Moderated parallel sessions aiming to arrive at recommendations on specific topics related to the scope and economics of an EU scheme.

Recommendations of the Forum will provide pertinent and timely suggestions for the preparation of the EU EPV scheme and will help stakeholders to prepare and make the best of the future scheme. The European Forum on Eco-Innovation will be followed by the 3rd International Forum on Environmental Performance Verification: engaging the developing world, which will take place in the framework of the Pollutec Trade Fair on 28 November 2007.

Attendance is upon registration only