HE Mr.MOHAMMED BEN YOUSSEFActing Secretary General of the General Council for Islamic banks and financial institutions

Luxembourg is considered as one of the most important Islamic finance centers in European countries where it provides financial services compatible with Islamic Sharia principles. It is known to everyone that Luxembourg is a small country where around 400 thousand people live. It is ranked eighth by Thomson Reuters in terms of investment funds. The size of investment funds under management amount to around 10.64 million USD according to the same index [TR]. It is also considered as the most important center that provides private financial services. Luxembourg is a leading center in reinsurance industry as well.

The state's economy enjoys a high growth, low unemployment and low inflation rates. Accor-ding to the Head of the Central Bank of Luxembourg, the Islamic Financial transactions are important to achieve ethical and Social Justice, which serve Muslims as well as Non-Muslims. France took an initiative in 2008 to declare its intention to make of Paris a new Islamic financial hub in order to attract this fast growing sector. This declaration was taken through the country Parliament discussions.

The step that France took is considered part of the big ambitious plan of French capital in com-petition with London as an international financial hub. The United Kingdom took another initia-tive to declare its intention to become an international center for Islamic finance along with Dubai and Kuala Lampur.

Supporting the blessed European orientation, the General Council for Islamic Banks and Finan-cial Institutions seizes this opportunity to hold its second international forum for Islamic banks and Financial institutions in Luxembourg in order to coordinate efforts, exchange expertise and achieve the desired harmony between the different experiences characterized by similar elements and success factors. Europe has similar environments and cultures that enable it to be effective and influential and become a leader at the global level.

HE Prof.QAISAR HEJAZEENSecretary-General of the Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce

The duchy of Luxemburg which is located in the heart of Europe and it is characterized by its amazing nature and the strength of its economy. It is also considered as an International Finan-cial Center despite its small area not exceeding 2500 sq.km. Luxembourg hosts more than 150 Banks, financial institutions and reinsurance companies, it is also considered as the first finan-cial stock market center in Europe.

Luxemburg has become now an important financial center for Islamic Banks and investment funds working according to the Islamic principles. The Islamic financial services have initiated 35 years ago through amending the relevant laws and regulations in order to host the Islamic financial sector to be integrated within the duchy financial system. Luxemburg is now conside-red as one of the most important International Centers ‘Outside the Muslim world’ that provides Islamic financial instruments, insurance services and Islamic investment funding. Luxemburg occupies the fifth place globally in the Islamic financial sector.

From this perspective, The Arab-Belgian-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce is happy to contri-bute to the Second International Forum for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions with the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions aiming at introducing the Islamic Financial products which have been developing exponentially compared to the conventional financial system that suffers from repeated financial crises in the previous period. This forum aims as well at providing awareness about Islamic financial services to support economies on the global level.

HE ProfessorMOHAMMED ABDELHAQPresident of the Center for Islamic finance at the University of Belton - London

The United Kingdom is considered as the first among European countries to introduce Islamic finance, where Islamic financial services have started in the late seventies and the beginning of the eighties when the British government allowed some Islamic investment companies to work in London. Today we can see the result of intensifying the effort where the United Kingdom has become a leading country in Islamic finance. The UK has witnessed so far the establishment of some Islamic banks and a number of conventional banks with Islamic windows.

The prime minister of the United Kingdom Mr. David Cameron has recently declared last Octo-ber during the ninth session of the international Islamic Economics forum in the Capital London in front of a big crowd of economists, managers, politicians and number of governors and leaders ‘London is the biggest Islamic finance center out of the Islamic world, and we are looking forward today to achieving further than that’ said Cameron

“I don’t want London to become just a big capital of Islamic Finance in the western world; I want London to be along with Dubai and Kuala Lumpur one of the biggest Islamic Finance hubs all over the world”. “A number of Islamic financial instruments [Sukkuk] are being traded now in London stock exchange”. He added

This orientation shows clearly that Britain has taken on itself with the European countries the commitment to consider Islamic Finance as a global financial model from which all the coun-tries can benefit.

The Centre for Islamic Finance at the University of Bolton is keen on cooperating with the Gene-ral Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions to organize the second International forum for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions in Luxemburg in the framework of the MoU signed between both parties.

INTRODUCTIONThe activity of Islamic financial institutions has reached most parts of the world. It has deve-loped hugely in number, kind, results and achievements. Recognition of the Islamic financial system has grown up locally and globally. A lot of conventional institutions have joined to provi-de Islamic financial services, and some of the conventional banks converted to full fledge Isla-mic Banks. Even the international financial institutions have confirmed the viability of the Isla-mic financial model. Central banks in many countries of the world have initiated Islamic finan-cial services through legislations and bylaws allowing the market penetration of this alternative financial system. Competition has risen between countries for each to become a center for Isla-mic finance. Islamic financial services industry has become an integral part of the Global finan-cial System.

The assets of the Islamic financial institutions have reached trillion and half USD in 2013 and the number of Islamic financial institutions has exceeded 600 all over the world. If we add all Islamic finance sectors [Islamic windows, branches and Takaful] the size of the assets will exceed USD 1.8 trillion. According to the expectations, the size of the assets in the industry will reach up to two trillion USD in the year 2015.

The Islamic finance industry has achieved great successes and achievements on the global level. The European countries have expressed recently a lot of attention to this industry seeking to develop their own financial sector to integrate Islamic financial services and products within the national financial issue.

To ensure sound and consistent breakthrough, the supervisory and regulatory authorities should play a major role in identifying challenges and obstacles faced in order to solve the issues raised within the industry, then find alternative plans and set appropriate standards that ensure the success of this industry.

The forum is keen to host the most influential parties to this sector from banks, financial insti-tutions, investment funds, businessmen, Sharia bodies and researchers as well as representa-tives of central banks.

THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE FORUM

• View the successful experiments in the field and make use of it

• Introduce the infrastructure institutions

• Introduce the Islamic finance products

THE SECONDARY OBJECTIVES OF THE FORUM

• Showing the French experience and achieve the desired objectives

• Showing the British experience and take advantage of the achieved objectives

• Showing the Malaysians experience as a successful experience in the Asian East

Countries

• Showing the Gulf experience as a leader experience in the Islamic Finance industry

and take advantage of it.

• Showing the Moroccan experience and its prospects

• Introduce the infrastructure institutions for the Islamic Finance industry: Vision,

functions, goals and achievements

• Introduce the different types of the Islamic Finance Products

• Introduce the essence of Sharia Auditing and statement role in the governance of the

Islamic finance industry

• Introduce the Islamic instruments (Sukkuk) and taking advantage of it

• Introduce the industry of Islamic insurance (Takaful) as a replacement for the

conventional insurance.

FORUM OBJECTIVES

Success Stories

• The Luxemburg experience

• The British experience

• The Gulf experience

• The Maghreb experience

• The Malaysian experience

• The Sudanese experience

Introduction to infrastructure institutions in the Islamic Finance Industry

• General Council For Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI) / [Bahrain]

• The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI)

/ [Bahrain]

• International Islamic Center for Reconciliation and Arbitration (IICRA) / [Dubai]

• The International Islamic Rating Agency (IIRA) / [Bahrain]

• International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) / [Bahrain]

• Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) / [Malaysia]

• The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) / [Malaysia]

Islamic Banking and opportunities in Europe

• Islamic Banking services

• Islamic Instruments [Sukuk] as a funding tool

• Takaful

ALMISHKAH AWARD FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

THE FORUM PROGRAM

Day 1

07:30 - 09:00 Registration09:00 - 09:30 The Opening Session • Opening Speech For CIBAFI • Opening Speech for the official sponsor • Opening Speech for the Sponsors • Announcement • of [Almishkah] Award for Social Responsibility

09:30 - 10:00 Live VIP TV interview show 10:00 - 11:30 First Session [Success Stories in Islamic Finance] • The Luxemburg experience • The British experience • The Gulf experience • The Moroccan experience • The Malaysian experience • The Sudanese experience

11:45 - 12:45 Second Session [Introduction to infrastructure institutions in Islamic Finance Industry] • General Council For Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI) • Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) • International Islamic Center for Reconciliation and Arbitration (IICRA) • The Islamic International Rating Agency (IIRA) • International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) • Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) • The International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) • 15 Minutes for Q/A

01:00 - 02:30 Lunch [Sponsored by] ……………………..

02:30 - 03:30 The Third Session [Islamic Finance and its Prospects in Europe] • Islamic Banking services • Islamic Instruments [Sukuk] as a funding tool

03:30 - 04:00 Tea Break

07:00 – 08:30 Dinner [Sponsored by]……………………..

Day 2

09:00 - 11:00 Takaful : Opportunities and challenges

11:30 - 12:00 Tea Break

12:00 – 13:00 Recommendations and closing of the forum

SPONSORSHIPBENEFITS

50.000 $

Speech at the opening ceremonyChair for the CEO at the first lineA trophy given during the forumA free in-house training program for 20 employeesTwo colored pages at the forum’s brochureRollup Banner size 200x120 cm in the VIP hall in the opening ceremonyShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor in the newspaper advertisementShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor on the registration deskShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor on the VIP invitation cards for the opening ceremonyShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor on the budgesShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor on the note books of the forumShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor on all the banners and billboards of the forumShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor in the forum website with a link to his websiteShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor on the speakers platformShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor through the data show in the forum hall in the breaksShowing the logo of the strategic sponsor through the data show in the forum’s hall during the sessionsTV interview with CNBC Arabiya channel

STRATEGIC SPONSOR

30.000 $

Chair for the CEO at the first lineHonoring from the sponsor of the forumA trophy given during the forum50% discount for CIB Training course for 20 employees Featuring in promotional campaignsOne colored page at the forum’s brochureShowing the logo of the Gold sponsor in the newspaper advertisementsShowing the logo of the Gold sponsor on the invitation cardsShowing the logo of the Gold sponsor on the note books of the forumShowing the logo of the Gold sponsor in the forum website with a link to his websiteShowing the logo of the Gold sponsor through the data show in the forum hall in the breaksShowing the logo of the Gold sponsor through the data show in the forum’s hall during the sessions

GOLD SPONSOR

20.000 $

Chair for the CEO at the first line40% discount for CIB Training course for 20 employees A trophy given during the forumFeaturing in promotional campaignsHalf colored page at the forum’s brochureShowing the logo of the Silver sponsor in the newspaper advertisementShowing the logo of the Silver sponsor on the invitation cardsShowing the logo of the Silver sponsor on the note books of the forumShowing the logo of the Silver sponsor in the forum website with a link to his websiteShowing the logo of the Silver sponsor through the data show in the forum hall in the breaksShowing the logo of the Silver sponsor through the data show in the forum’s hall during the sessions

SILVER SPONSOR

10.000 $

A trophy given during the forumFeaturing in promotional campaignsHalf colored page at the forum’s brochureShowing the logo of the sponsor in the newspaper advertisementShowing the logo of the sponsor on the invitation cardsShowing the logo of the sponsor on the note books of the forumShowing the logo of the sponsor in the forum website with a link to his web-siteShowing the logo of the sponsor through the data show in the forum hall in the breaksShowing the logo of the sponsor through the data show in the forum’s hall during the sessions

PARTICIPANT SPONSOR