Monday 17 September 2001, 0915-1700

The evidence necessary for pricing reform

0915-1000

Opening proceedings

The European Commission’s priority areas for transport pricing reform

- Discussion

Hugh Rees

Head of strategic transport pricing policy development, European Commission

Introduction to the UNITE project on transport infrastructure charging

Chris Nash

Professor, Institute for transport studies, University of Leeds

1000-1300

Session 1:  Transport accounts – what are they and how can they contribute to policy development?

Chair: Chris Nash

International experience of transport accounts

- Discussion

Markus Maibach

Managing director, INFRAS consultancy

Alternative transport account concepts

- Discussion

John Nellthorp

Senior research fellow, University of Leeds

National satellite accounts and their use in cost calculation

- Discussion

Marc Gaudry

Professor, University of Montreal

German pilot accounts – results and potential policy implications

- Discussion

Heike Link

Research leader, German institute for economic research

Policy perspectives offered by the Swiss pilot accounts

- Discussion

Stefan Suter

Director of research, ECOPLAN consultancy

1400-1700

Session 2: The role of marginal costs in pricing policy

Chair: Emile Quinet

Professor, Ecole nationale des ponts et chaussées, Paris

Scope and limits of marginal cost-based infrastructure charging

- Discussion

Jean Tirole

Professor, IDEI-GREMAQ, Toulouse and CERAS, Paris

Developments in the estimation of rail maintenance costs

- Discussion

Jan-Eric Nilsson

Research director of transport economics, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute

Assessing accident costs for road transport

- Discussion

Gunnar Lindberg

Senior researcher, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute

Estimating environmental costs using the

impact pathway approach

- Discussion

Peter Bickel

Research leader, Institute of energy economics,  University of Stuttgart

1730

Cocktail reception hosted by the

Ecole nationale des ponts et chaussées

Tuesday 18 September 2001, 0900-1500

Theme: Combining diverse perspectives to strengthen policy development

0900-1200

Session 3: Integrated use of transport accounts and marginal costs

Chair: Chris Nash

Meeting the challenge of competing European doctrines

- Discussion

Emile Quinet

Professor, Ecole nationale des ponts et chaussées, Paris

Pricing in practice: the Commission’s policy and approach

- Discussion

Tom Howes

Policy officer, strategic pricing policy development, European Commission

Can economic analysis provide the central means of integrating approaches?

- Discussion

Stef Proost

Professor, Centre for economic studies, Catholic University of Leuven

Alternative viewpoints on the combined use of accounts and marginal costs

- Discussion

Werner Rothengatter

Professor,

Institute for economic policy and research, University of Karlsruhe

1300-1500

Session 4: Future directions for a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to charging

Chair: Dominique Schwartz

Professor, Ecole nationale des ponts et chaussées, Paris

A critical review of the UNITE approach, with particular reference to North American experience

Ken Small

Professor, University of California at Irvine

How rapidly can pricing reform be promoted?  A member state’s perspective

- Discussion

Gunnar Eriksson

Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communication, Sweden

Concluding observations from the Commission on the seminar proceedings

- Discussion

Catharina Sikow

Research leader, strategic pricing policy development, European Commission