Taking place between Tuesday 23 April 2013 and Thursday 25 April 2013, Gas Week 2013 was held in the context of the debates on post-2020 European energy, climate and industrial policy and discussions about how to ensure new energy technologies penetrate the European market.
Gas Week 2013 saw a range of high level speakers from the natural gas sector, technology providers, energy using industries and civil society enter into dialogue with the European institutions to find common solutions to Europe's challenges.
On the second day of Gas Week, Maria da Graça Carvalho hosted the debate Smart Gas for a Smart Future. The event addressed ways of reducing GHG emissions in the medium to long-term by investing in new energy technologies.
During her intervention, Maria da Graça Carvalho spoke on the political priorities of EU research programmes to encourage new energy technologies in the future. Carvalho underlined the importance of improving existing technologies whilst fostering new technologies "if we are to guarantee cheap and readily available energy". She also added that in the process "we must offer industry legislative certainty over a time span that extends beyond 2020".
The panel included Marc Florette, President of MARCOGAZ, Research and Innovation Senior VP, GDF SUEZ; Eva Hennig, Chair of Distribution Committee, Eurogas; Magdalena Andreea Strachinescu-Olteanu, Head of Unit: 'New energy technologies, innovation and clean coal', DG Energy, European Commission; Ankie Janssen, LNG Business Development, Port of Rotterdam. The debate was moderated by Dafydd ab Iago, Brussels correspondent for Argus Media.
During Gas Week an interactive exhibition on the role of natural gas in meeting Europe's energy, climate and industrial policy objectives was situated on the ground floor of the European Parliament's Altiero Spinelli building.