Benvenuti! I am delighted to welcome you to the 9th International Conference “European Energy Market” in Florence.

The European Energy Market conference (EEM) has achieved a considerable success over the past eight years. It covers electricity and gas market policies, security of supply, climate change and many other developments at a European level, such as a possible Polish and British shale gas revolution.

In 2012 this event is hosted in Florence in Italy by the Florence School of Regulation and the Loyola de Palacio Chair (two linked research units at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute).

Both the Florence School of Regulation and Loyola de Palacio are dedicated to contributing to the creation of a smart European energy regulation and policy through research and knowledge sharing.

The EEM12, held from 10 to 12 May 2012, will start with an outstanding day of lectures and debates. On 10 May it will be held in the historic civic centre of Florence at the Palazzo Vecchio and will be shared with the “State of the (European) Union” annual event. The EEM12 opening day welcomes the highest keynote speakers from European institutions, industry and academia.

On 11 and 12 May, numerous parallel tracks with presentations (80 sessions) will be held in the EUI historical buildings on the beautiful Tuscan hills of Fiesole. We have around 250 participating authors with papers having been selected in a two-step process.

These presentations will involve a wide range of topics and people. I guess that you will have more than just one fruitful discussion both inside and outside the sessions. EEM12 is a privileged arena for debate and networking among experts. It give us all the opportunity to share different views on how to monitor today’s key issues in many ways.

I am delighted to invite you to join our social event on 11 May evening at Palazzo Pitti (the “new” Palace built by the Duke of Florence).

On the behalf of the entire organising team and partner institutions, I wish you a pleasant stay in Florence and a memorable conference!

Jean-Michel Glachant

Chairman of the EEM12

(Director Florence School of Regulation and Holder of the Loyola de Palacio Chair)