CONSULEGIS
European Regional Meeting 2014

The European Regional Meeting took place on February 21^st - 22^nd 2014 in Rome/Italy. A total of 50 participants, representing 21 CONSULEGIS member firms from 22 cities in 10 different European countries, attended the meeting.

The meeting's host was Marco Mariani from Mariani, Menaldi & Associati (MM&A Law firm) in cooperation with Junge-Schüngeler-Wendland, Bröderman Jahn, Izzi-Toniatti-Pini-Perron-Cabus-Ziliani, Vanden Eynde Legal, Capital Law LLP, HütteLAW AG.

 
The business generation attitude and a very rich agenda were the main features of the meeting. To encourage the members' participation, one week prior to the meeting, additional detailed background information was sent out to all participants, to provide them with the agenda as well as the hot topics featured in the lecture "EU funds 2014-2020".
 
The European Regional Meeting started on Friday 21^st 2014 with a buffet lunch, offered by MM&A in its law office, with local products from the three cities where the law firm is based at: Rome, Florence and Milan. Furthermore a top quality "Parmigiano Reggiano" by Orlandini srl (Parma) was served. Finally, a Chianti wine tasting managed by a Chianti expert (Mr Luca Alves) was the best "fuel" for the following meeting.
 
In the early afternoon, the participants visited the Palazzo Madama, the main Italian Senate office, where a Senate officer showed the group around the whole XV century building, including the Chamber used by the MPs for the official sittings.
 
Then the participants moved to the meeting venue, Palazzo Santa Maria in Aquiro, a branch office of the Senate in a XVI century building standing on the ancient Roman ruins (still visible) dating back to the Nero Regency (I century AD) where a surprise awaited us: Sen. Vincenzo Gibiino welcomed the CONSULEGIS members.
The second session meeting was held on Saturday 22^nd 2014 in the Horti Sallustiani. Dating back to I century B.C., it was a part of a large complex which belonged to the famous Roman Senator and Historian Sallustius as well as Julius Caesar and other Emperors.

The hot topics of the two meeting sessions were both tools to support the growth of business in the credit crunch scenario. To ensure a more hands-on and concrete opportunity approach these sessions were planned in collaboration with the Joint Managing Authority of the ENPI programme (European Neighbourhood Partnership Instruments) and Unioncamere (Italian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Artcrafts). Five motivational speakers analyzed these topics:

• "European funds 2014-2020": Prof. A. Floria (University of Florence), Mrs A. Catte (General Director of ENPI Authority) and Mr. A. Puleo (ENPI Authority) analysed the principles and the main characteristics of the regional and cross-border programmes, highlighting business opportunities for law firms and their international associations.
• "Bonds": Mr. Andrea Muti from Unioncamere and Mr. Filippo Frizzi from Finanza per le infrastrutture Spa (a Financial Advisor Consultancy Company) gave a general overview of the matter.

Following the tradition of the European Meetings, 17 participants had the opportunity to have the floor in such stunning venues to present their chosen “hot” topics:

1. Marco Mariani from MM&A Law firm in Rome-Florence-Milan (Italy): "What is the role of Consulegis in the framework of Public tenters and EU funds"
2. Josep Solsona from BAa Law firm in Barcelona (Spain): "Europe Aid framework contracts"
3. Paolo Orabona from MM&A Law firm in Rome-Florence-Milan (Italy): "Case on Italian bankruptcy law"
4. Ingo Meyer from Mariacher Rechtsanwälte Law firm in Munich (Germany): "How to avoid shortage of credits: Publicly Traded Bonds in Germany"
5. Martin Hütte from HütteLAW Ltd Law firm  in Cham (Switzerland): "The Swiss Banking Secrecy: The past, the present, the future"
6. Christian Fraefel, Thilo Pachmann from Pachmann Rechtsanwälte AG Law firm in Zurich (Switzerland) "Freezing Orders in Switzerland - legal frame for creditors in the EU"
7. Antonius Jonetzki from Brödermann Jahn Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH Law firm in Hamburg (Germany): "Data Protection"
8. Marinus Vromans from VDE-Legal Law firm in Brussels (Belgium): "E-Commerce"
9. Gianmarco Cristiano from MM&A Law firm in Rome-Florence-Milan (Italy): "Financial derivates"
10. Stefanie Mehrens, Alberto Porzio from Izzi-Toniatti-Pini-Perron-Cabus-Ziliani Law firm in Milan (Italy): "Financial class action"
11. Susanne Salerno, Anne-Sophie Barrère from Morvilliers Sentenac Avocats Law firm in Toulouse (France): "Abrupt termination of an established commercial relationship under French law - forum selection clauses an applicable law"
12. David Benedetti from MM&A Law firm in Rome-Florence-Milan (Italy): "Project Financing"
13. Alessia Cerqua from MM&A Law firm in Rome-Florence-Milan (Italy): "Fractioning of public procurements"
14. Francesca Vadi from MM&A Law firm in Rome-Florence-Milan (Italy): "Renewable energies and local public utilities"
15. Pierret Marie-Aline from Charles Sheer Cabinet Law firm in Paris (France): "French present procedure of regularization of undisclosed assets hold abroad"
16. Stelio Campanale from Campanale Law firm in Bari-Rome-Milan (Italy): "Distributorship jurisdiction"
17. Alys Carlton from Capital Law in Cardiff (United Kingdom):"Working together: Analysis of recent English law cases on duty of good faith and what this means for int. lawyers"

Furthermore, the kick-off meeting of the Young Lawyers Group took place on Saturday morning with an overwhelming number of participants - 15 young colleagues discussed the next steps of the group and the hot topic for the upcoming AGM in Edinburgh.

Time was dedicated to leisure activities. The participants did not only visit the Palazzo Madama, the Palazzo Santa Maria in Aquiro and the Horti Sallustiani but also the Pantheon, built by the Emperor Adrian in 126 AD.
Last but not least, on Friday evening the participants enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Pommidoro restaurant, a typical Romanesque place. Prof. Felice Strollo, a Nutritionist and author of the book “Maintain Youthfulness Even in Old Age” shared a friendly chat with the group. All participants enjoyed some traditional Romanesque dishes such as Maccaroni all’Amatriciana, Roman artichokes and Pajata with some lovely Chianti wine.

The meeting ended with the Saturday lunch at Fiaschetteria Marini, where all participants had an Olive oil tasting organized by Olificio Pruneti and a Pasta tasting managed by Pastificio Fabbri. Members tried three different pasta dished and Mr. Giovanni Fabbri explained to the group how to recognize good pasta and gave us some tips on cooking it (especially on the cooking times and the true meaning of “al dente”). Finally Mr. Fabri gave all participants a present: a box of his finest artisanal pasta encouraging everybody to email him for any advice or help on any pasta related topics. As all meeting ambitious goals have been achieved, Anke Brauns awarded all participants with a traditional white chef’s hat. This marked the constitution of the “CONSULEGIS Cooking Group”, which summarizes the spirit of the network: the professional growth and the pursuit of happiness through the enhancement of knowhow and friendship!

For further impressions, please visit the CONSULEGIS website: http://www.consulegis.com/events/european-regional-meeting-2014/
 
You will find several summaries of the speeches and lectures within the next CONSULEGIS Special Edition Newsletter.