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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20181022
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20181024
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200211T184549Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200401T154206Z
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SUMMARY:Leaders Beyond the State: an interview with Enrique Barón Crespo
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Former EP and FMA President\, Enrique Barón Crespo privately recorded his reflections on 22 October 2018 and delivered a public lecture on 23 October 2018.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/e7FacqEc4Os” el_width=”60″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/leaders-beyond-the-state-an-interview-with-enrique-baron-crespo/
CATEGORIES:School of Transnational Governance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Enrique-Barón-Crespo-reflections-22oct18.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20181017
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20181020
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20181001T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T212646Z
UID:5565-1539817200-1539989999@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:BRAZIL - FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF MINAS GERAIS  - Manuel MEDINA ORTEGA
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe Federal University of Minas Gerais; Faculty of Milton Campos; Pontific Catholic University and Dom Helder Camara Law School organized a conference entitled “International and European Security and the foreign relationship with South America” to discuss about understanding the perspectives surrounding the current geopolitical and legal configuration of the relations between the European Union and South America within the framework of the security policy adopted by international instruments reflecting the common positions adopted by both regions. Manuel MEDINA ORTEGA\, FMA Member\, participated in these events. \nMission report: LOOKING AT WORLD PEACE FROM LATIN-AMERICA \nThe “EP to Campus Program” has facilitated my participation in an international seminar on “Foreign Policy\, Security and Strategy: Relations between South America and Europe” at the Law School of the Federal University of Minas Geráis in Belo Horizonte\, the capital city of the State of Minas Geráis\, Brazil\, on the 18th and 19th October 2018. \nIn the context of the visit to Brazil I was also invited to deliver a lecture on the European Union Law on Refugees at the “Dom Helder School of Law”\, a private university center in Belo Horizonte\, and to meet with students and faculty of the Master´s degree in international law at the Law School of the Federal University in order to discuss the relations between the European Union and Latin America. \nThree years ago\, in 2015\, I had already taken part in a similar joint program of the “EP to Campus Program” with the Federal University of Minas Geráis and the University of Itaúna\, a private institution in the neighborhood of Belo Horizonte. \nAt the time of my first visit\, the opposition parties had begun to take measures intended to impeach the president of the Republic\, Dilma Rousseff\, a member of the “PT”\, the left-leaning labor party led by former president Luis Ignacio “Lula” da Silva. Shortly before my second visit to Belo Horizonte\, the Brazilian courts of justice had prevented Lula from running again for the presidency of the country. Michel Temer\, the successor of Rousseff in the presidency of the Republic\, and one of the plotters who brought her down\, was indicted for corruption charges while I was in Brazil in the month of October. My recent visit to Belo Horizonte took place in the interval between the first and second rounds of the presidential\, congressional\, regional and municipal elections. The second round should have taken place on the 29th of October after this article has been sent for printing. Thus\, readers cannot expect to find fresh news on the electoral process when this article will be published. Opinion polls forecast a success for the extreme right wing candidate for the presidency\, Jair Bolsonaro\, a retired army captain. \nOpinion polls also indicate that Lula´s PT will continue to be the largest political group in Congress and will keep a good number of city halls and State governorships. The electoral campaign was at its climax\, while a small group of European and Latin American professors were discussing peace and security in the sedate atmosphere of the academic world. Latin America enjoys a privileged position in the international scene as an area of peace and common security. The relative instability of several domestic political systems in Latin American and the dominant position of the US in the American continent as a whole\, does not prevent the Latin Americans from playing their cards judiciously in the international arena. One reason for this relatively peaceful international situation may lie in the fact that the Latin America governments are not exposed to the same levels of pressure on peace and security issues to which the European States are now being exposed due to the aggressive tone of Russian foreign policy\, the ever present threat of Islamic terroris and the intensification of the migratory movements on its external borders. I pointed out this anomaly in my report in the panel on “The European Common and Security Policy and World Geopolitics”. Other participants in this panel were professors from Portugal (Isabel Cabrita)\, Uruguay (Diego Escuder)\, and Brazil (Flavianne Bolzan de Morais). Due to limitations of space\, I cannot include in this short article the entire list of participants and the particular issues discussed in each panel. The Seminar covered the whole spectrum of issues concerning peace and security\, including migrations\, terrorism and the threats to the environment. I found particularly interesting the report by Prof. Enzo Cannizzaro\, from the University of La Sapienza in Rome\, on the contentious issue of “The responsibility to protect”. Before taking the plane to Brazil I had apprehensions about the situation I could find as the country was involved in an electoral process that had heightened the levels of political confrontation and economic uncertainty. In fact\, during the few days that I spent in Belo Horizonte\, the “Real” was devalued and the shares in the stock exchange fell accordingly\, while political violence and street criminality continued at a high level. In this context\, many young Brazilians are now looking forward to the professional chances that Europe may offer to them in order to improve their professional and vital expectations. Due to the fact that many Brazilians are descendants of Europeans who migrated recently to the new continent\, they are entitled to acquire the citizenship of one or the other of the EU Members. The number of applications for the acquisition of the Portuguese citizenship submitted to the Portuguese Consulate in Sao Paulo was so high that the Government was forced to cancel the acceptance of new applications in that Consulate until next year. \nThe solution to the problems of unemployment and living conditions in Latin America cannot be found in accepting as legal immigrants all those wanting to come to this part of the world\, especially when the anti-European political parties are using the arrival of immigrants to Europe as a rallying banner against European integration. On the other hand\, since Christopher Columbus discovered five hundred years ago that there were new lands in the western side of the Atlantic Ocean\, Latin America has received hundreds of thousands of European immigrants. In a globalized social\, political and economic system\, isolation is not the solution to the problems of poverty and inequality. We need to cooperate more closely with Latin America. The European Union should look forward to ways to establish new world-wide arrangements that may help to solve our problems and those of our brothers and sisters on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. \nIn this context\, we should be aware that Brazil\, and the whole of Latin America\, is endowed with a competent\, hard working and well prepared new generation of university students and professors that have received education in our universities and research centers\, and are thus prepared to work with us in order to find solutions to our common problems in a world which has shrunk considerably as a consequence of the technological revolution that permits a broadbased exchange of knowledge across the borders of the nation-States\, old and new. \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/brazil-federal-university-of-minas-gerais-18-19-october-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180909
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180911
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180901T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T213156Z
UID:5570-1536534000-1536620399@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:FRANCE - UNIVERSITY OF LILLE - Jean-Marie BEAUPUY
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The University of Lille organized an opening conference with the students of the Master of Urbanism and Planning\, presentation and discussion related to urban and regional development of EU. Jean-Marie BEAUPUY\, FMA Member\, participated in that event. \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/france-university-of-lille-10-september-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180719
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180721
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180701T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200609T093545Z
UID:5574-1532041200-1532127599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:ITALY - LUISS GUIDO CARLI UNIVERSITY - Ivailo KALFIN
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nLUISS Guido Carli University organized a round table entitled “The role of parliaments in front of the Internet challenges in the XXIst century: digital democracy and privacy concerns “. It was part of the 7th edition of the Summer Program-Jean Monnet Module on “Parliamentary democracy in Europe”. This year the course was devoted to “Parliamentary Accountability and New Technologies: Transparency\, Privacy a nd Security Challenges” and took place on 9-20 July 2018. Ivailo KALFIN\, FMA Member\, participated in these events. \n“I believe we should reconsider the political systems in the democratic societies. And this can be made in a way to ripe the fruits of the digital advancement for further imposing and boosting democracy.” By Ivailo KALFIN[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Key note speech to \nThe Summer Program \nSchool of Government \nLUISS University\, Rome \n20th July\, 2018 \nEverybody presents themselves to elections. At school\, at the university\, for an elected body or simply for attracting someone’s interest – we constantly face competitions. And elections are about communication. We first identify the potential supporters\, make sure that these that have already decided in our favor are not lost meanwhile and then focus mainly on the so called swing voters – these who make up their mind for each separate vote.  This is done through the communications channels. Actually this is where new technologies have the most visible impact. In the last years the new technologies changed dramatically the communication channels and hence – the way candidates and elected representatives connect with the citizens. Internet based technologies became a powerful engine of change in the media environment. Traditional politicians are faced with a reform or dye dilemma. \nFor 22 active years in politics\, I presented myself 8 times to general elections – for national and European parliaments and for president. I have been working as elected representative and member of government and I have lived through the enormous change in the way to make politics. New realities happen so rapidly\, that most of the people even do not realize the span of the change. But when you look back\, the enormous shift happening within few years in the way to make politics is obvious. Back in 1994 the political rallies were a norm. People wanted to see the candidates and the elected representatives\, to ask them questions\, to criticize them. Citizens were feeling part of a community\, they were participating in politics. Now\, 25 years later\, political rallies are replaced by the social media. Of course there still are people who would prefer to physically attend a political event. But most of the younger ones communicate through the social media. In fact media and social media in particular increased their weight as intermediaries. Digital media are not just another communication channel. They practically influence the content and the perception of the information. Digital media become an important player in political communication. \nDigital media change both the form and the content of making politics. The changes in the form are easier to see. Nowadays election campaigns are heavily relying on digital media. But they have their particularities. They reach much more people but the access to a large amount of information makes the users very selective. To be noticed\, a political message needs to be simple\, short and bold. Political parties still campaign on the basis of complex election platforms. But who reads that? An efficient campaign targets the potential voters according to the individual recipient’s interests.  Hence\, the efficiency of a campaign is dependent on the technique used to match each potential voter with the most appropriate message. This makes the success of political campaigns not based on commitments but rather a function of the efficiency of the techniques\, software and other instruments used in it.  Instead of meeting voters and confronting platforms\, the campaigns now turn to be a competition of digital media experts and tools. \nA second major change in the form of making politics is the fact that digital media as a rule are rich media. They allow a two way communication. The traditional media are informative and they transfer the messages from the politicians to the voters while the digital ones provide the possibility to receive a reaction to the message and even to enter in a dialogue. That is a tremendous change. The very possibility that a citizen could send a message that would be seen by the politician\, makes people feel closer to the decision makers. That change of distance alters the entire paradigm of relations between voters and elected representatives. In general the decrease of the distance and the possibility to be aggressive anonymously to politicians undermine the institutional respect. \nA third difference in the form of making politics is that the elected representatives have a much better possibility to interact with the citizens between the elections. Maintaining profiles in different social media enables them to inform the public about their positions on current issues. This is a great opportunity if used properly and a challenge if politicians just try to please the public all the time and avoid arguing for unpopular decisions. \nA fourth change digital media bring in politics is the increased transparency. Or the possibility for transparency. If used\, that can be a very strong tool in politics. A good example is the practice of the European Parliament. All plenary sessions and committee meetings are streamlined. Anyone interested could find all the necessary information related to a particular file. Of course\, there is a room to go even further – disclosing all the documents for the trialogues or the famous four column document as well as shedding more light on the meetings with lobbyists. But still\, the European Parliament is far ahead compared to many national parliaments. More transparency as a constant goal is healthy. It cancels the TV effect that I have seen many times in the national parliament. When TV is broadcasting\, members strangely change – they deliver long and emotional speeches\, fight\, attack the opponents. The moment when cameras are switched off – they just loose interest in the debate. This wouldn’t happen if cameras are always on. \nSome researchers like Griffin argue that new media do not differ much from the traditional ones as people make rational choices. They are still a channel for communications. This is correct. But as we see\, the use of internet and the other new technologies make the media an important player in the political process to the extent that they are able to change the entire mechanism of making politics. \nThere is another very important characteristic of the new media – their atomization. Today an individual profile in a social platform or a blog are media per se – they produce news and participate in shaping the public opinion. That is a game changer in the communications world. Now media are much more accessible\, far reaching and much less subject to regulation or even to the observation of some elementary journalistic standards. The effect of atomization of media on politics is that the latter become much more reactive\, the door for fake news and disinformation is widely open and the information environment tends to become chaotic. \nAll these changes brought by the digital media impact profoundly the form of making politics. They also create a very favorable soil for new players and processes in the political life. To summarize – within two decades the digital media provide the reach to a much wider audience\, the successful political messages become short and catchy\, the large public without any particular reason feels more competent to directly make politics\, politicians have to be 24/7 available\, no matter the time of campaigns\, the increased influence of the social media goes together with lowering the standards for media content. All these provide an excellent opportunity for newcomers in politics. In fact they gain strength by the fact that people see the current politics too elementary and the new players can make an impressive appearance by competing not with political ideas but with technologies and techniques for using the digital environment. The result is very obvious – in a number of European countries we see newcomers or much strengthened formerly marginalized parties on the political stage.  Many of them are populist and nationalist. And they keep gaining ground. Why? To me the answer lies in three pillars: the feeling of insecurity among the large public\, created by the inability of the mainstream parties to face the economic crises and later – the crisis with migrants\, the very simple\, even simplistic messages by the populists\, usually blaming someone outside for the national problems and the chaotic digital media environment where expert analysis and pragmatism leave way to disinformation and catchy worrying titles. No matter whether their messages lead to real solutions. Closing national borders doesn’t solve the migration problem\, especially for the Southern EU members. Increasing the national capacity for fiscal policy is incompatible with the single currency. But these sound easy and natural solutions\, mobilizing the society against the external threat. That weakens the EU and subsequently weakens its member states. I wouldn’t duel further into the perspectives of nationalism here but history shows that it either is tamed by the political mainstream or leads to wars. \nAs we witness\, the rapid expansion of digital technologies is deeply affecting not only the form and the procedures of politics but also their content. Political messages get down to short title-like texts. The expert analysis is a point of reference to much less people. The revolt against current inabilities of these in power spreads much faster and supports mostly destructive initiatives. The traditional political parties and institutions are losing ground     vis-à-vis simplistic and sometimes aggressive politicians. The public is more sensitive and less compromising to political mistakes or mismanagement. In the quest for survival traditional\, mainstream political parties tend to drift to more extreme positions\, abandoning a centrist and consensus based behavior. This is clearly seen not only in countries like Poland\, Hungary\, Austria\, Italy\, where the ruling parties already demonstrate this trend but also practically in all EU member states where such ideas can be increasingly seen in internal politics and it is a matter of time to be adopted as political stands of the governments and parliamentary majorities. The external pressure coming from the reviving strength of Russia and the aggressive US President’s policy towards the EU is another factor for possible tectonic changes in Europe. \nIt would be exaggerated to argue that the new technologies are the ones provoking these changes\, but at the same time it would be short sighted not to see that they undermine the traditional way of making politics and open the way for more populism and lower solidarity in the society. Ironically the easy access to a large amount of information puts the individuals into a situation of a higher uncertainty\, doubt and lack of trust. We witness that external centers of power make use of this effect to promote controlled results from elections. The story with the personal data leaks from Facebook and their use by the defunct Cambridge Analytica to model election results is just an example of what we can expect. \nIs it possible to retain politics in the EU away from the risky waters of populism and nationalism? My answer is affirmative. I will not speak here about the need to reconsider the way mainstream politics are carried out. The raise of populism should shake the current political establishment. It needs to realize that mismanagement and excessive self confidence that were demonstrated in the first phases of the migrants’ crisis\, and earlier – the economic crisis have a price. And this price stands due even after the peak of the crisis and when the Union started looking for better solutions\, aligning the interests. I would rather focus on two proposals how to use the digital media to improve the way politics are made and perceived. \nThe first proposal is to dramatically enhance the use of digital technologies to make politics more understandable\, transparent and closer to the citizens. I have already mentioned the IT related initiatives of the European Parliament. They are a good example for many national parliaments but they just show the direction. The more disclosure\, the more systemized information\, the most interactive IT tools\, the more you create a community of engaged citizens. I would give a positive example from my own experience. Working on the pension reform as a member of government\, I had two options – to try to impose in parliament and explain the reform that was obvious for the experts. That would provoke massive discontent as usually happens with this type of reforms but even worse – a sense of insecurity that could be further magnified by the diversity of opinions in the internet. I choose the other option – I started a public debate about the existing pension system and parameters. People didn’t like it – for various reasons\, often specific for every particular groups. But this discussion allowed to open the door to discuss the reform. I made the proposals\, prepared by the experts but declared them a needed martyr text – just a basis for discussion. Then we had an extensive period of debates with the social partners and the other stakeholders and with the public – online. Finally we got a kind of agreement and the changes were voted in parliament. So\, we promoted a better understanding of the effects of the reform and avoided the public opposition and discontent. The key to me here was the very open and transparent approach\, attracting a community of stakeholders to be part of the process. Later the Ministry’s PR and media department received a high award by the media community for successful political communication. \nIndeed\, it is very difficult to squeeze politics into simple messages. Still this is possible. For example when saying that the EU budget costs one coffee a day to the citizens\, or Jeffrey Sach’es comparison saying that extinguishing malaria costs a cup of Starbucks coffee for the citizens\, or the fact that the EU administration is twice smaller that the one of Bulgaria for example and costs much less than the one in any member state – these are messages easy to understand and retain. This can be done. But the policy makers need to understand that changing the way politics are done is also a pertinent task. There is no genius that can decently explain why the obscure procedure for the adoption of the EU multiannual budget in the European Council is still maintained. Hence\, the proper use of the digital media cannot compensate the need to rethink the content and the procedures of making politics and to make them more efficient\, just and understandable. \nMy second proposal is much more forward reaching. I believe we should reconsider the political systems in the democratic societies. And this can be made in a way to ripe the fruits of the digital advancement for further imposing and boosting democracy. \nTo better explain this proposal\, I would make reference to the view of Yuval Hariri\, expressed in his recent book Homo Deus. He argues that with the development of technologies\, the real infrastructure would go digital\, the artificial intelligence would take better and more efficient decisions and the humans could be compared to biological algorithms using data for further perfection. That is a clearly utopic vision for the future. But we could see indeed some elements that can dramatically rationalize politics\, further asserting their constructive role. \nIf we want to reverse the trend of increasing the gap between the citizens and the political elite as a result of the abundance and diversity of information\, increased insecurity\, decreased credibility of political figures\, aggressive populism\, then we need to do everything to increase the confidence and make as much as possible for citizens to be involved in a constructive and informed debate. In fact the digital technologies offer such tools. \nWe have to change the political systems towards a better mix between representative and direct democracy. This is the road to make citizens involved in a constructive debate and decision making. A way to do this is elaborated in a project on enhancing political contracts and mandates\, carried out by the young Bulgarian futurologist Dr Mariana Todorova.  Internet can create communities mandating representatives to accomplish particular tasks. A member of parliament should not be elected on the basis of their or their party’s election platform only. Life is much more dynamic. Elected representatives need to implement concrete assignments and mandates by their electorate. The right to recall a representative should be strengthened and made a real instrument\, while preserving the stability of the institutions. Mandating representatives to accomplish concrete tasks could be introduced as a practice not only in elected bodies but also for various community priorities. This is the direction the supporters of the so called liquid democracy would like to see developments. Political decision making should be brought closer to the citizens involving them in a meaningful debate. They have to become part of the decision making. If this mix between direct and representative democracy is enhanced\, then referenda would not be an exceptional event\, subject to external pressure and disinformation. Citizens’ involvement would be part of the everyday political practice. Elected representatives will have to discuss with the citizens the political decisions and be more bound to their perceptions. Instruments as the EU Citizens’ Initiative have to be strengthened and it should be much more possible for citizens to put an issue to debate in the representative bodies. \nThe digital technologies provide great possibilities to further democratize politics. Elections\, referenda\, public consultations and debates can be very cheap and flexible online. There is a splendid possibility that technologies are used for good purposes creating more solidarity. Indeed they pose a challenge to the political leadership as good politicians are sometimes required not to follow but to lead the public opinion. But I am confident that democratizing politics will squeeze the room for politicians – followers and give more opportunities to demonstrate leadership. \nLet us hope that our societies will be able to grasp the possibilities offered by the technologies and use them to make politics more efficient\, constructive and trustful. \nThank you for your attention![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/italy-luiss-guido-carli-university-20-july-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180628
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20190604T011906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200618T095214Z
UID:8813-1529892000-1530064799@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:FMC Annual Meeting 2018
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8825″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8828″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mission report \nOn 25 and 26 June 2018\, in Washington\, the annual meeting of the US Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) was held. FMA Vice-President Jan Willem Bertens had been invited. \nThe event began with panel discussions on ‘The Future of Europe’ and ‘American Democracy and Civics’. \nThe topics for debate included the fate of Europe\, with or without Brexit. In response to questions\, views on the subject were expressed by the Dutch Ambassador Henne Schuwer and his Belgian counterpart Dirk Wouters\, with Dr Emily Tamkin\, foreign affairs reporter at Buzzfeed News\, as moderator. \nWith just 250 days to go to Brexit\, it is still not clear what it will involve. Four scenarios were identified. A Soft Brexit to simulate a customs union without internal import tariffs but with a common tariff for trade with the rest of the world. So there would be no independent trade agreements with the USA\, Australia and New Zealand. A complete rejection would mean the end of May’s political career\, with all the political turbulence that that entails. Bad for European business. What is crucial is that Brussels should allow scope for less than full participation in the internal market while permitting a strong relationship with a strategic partner (the USA?). \nA Hard Brexit if the EU continues to insist on full participation in the internal market\, without the option of a customs union. If the UK ceased to have any say in Brussels\, but was still obliged to follow all the rules\, a standard trade agreement would apply. The social uncertainty and economic damage would be greater. There would be substantial barriers at borders. \nIf no agreement is reached on the Irish border: No Deal. Nor would there be a transitional period until 2020\, which would inevitably create chaos in transport and food supplies. Approval would be required from the European Parliament\, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In other words\, a disaster scenario. \nIs No Brexit still a possibility? That would only be on the table if the UK surrendered all its derogations: it would lose its rebate and opt-outs. British politicians\, too\, will only dare to press the No button if they feel that they have the support of the electorate. According to surveys\, the ratio between leavers and remainers is roughly the same as in 2016. So\, on 29 March 2019\, goodbye Great Britain! \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe title of the panel on Democracy and Civics was ‘The Republic is (still) at risk – and Civics is part of the solution’. \nA Briefing Paper for the Democracy at a Crossroads National Summit is available from the FMA secretariat. The first sentence is a striking one: Americans give the political system a failing grade. ‘Just one in five Americans is willing to trust the government in Washington even “most of the time”\, near the lowest proportion ever recorded!’ \nOn 26 June\, the President\, Mr Stearns\, presented his concluding report in the House Chamber\, and in doing so\, at the same time stepped down from his post\, being succeeded by Martin Frost. In accordance with established practice\, Paul Ryan\, Speaker of the House\, came storming in and\, during his brief visit (twenty minutes)\, greeted his former colleagues and made it clear that he hoped very shortly to become a member of the FMC (thunderous applause). \nJan Willem BERTENS[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/fmc-annual-meeting-2018/
CATEGORIES:FMA Network
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180617
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180621
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200607T215140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200608T010155Z
UID:9807-1529276400-1529535599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:FRANCE - UNIVERSITY OF CLERMONT AUVERGNE - Ilona GRAENITZ
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe University organized a round table and conference entitled “Models and Policies for Climate and Energy in Europe”. The conference was addressed to scientific international experts. \nIlona GRAENITZ\, FMA Member\, participated in this event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/france-university-clermont-auvergne-ilona-graenitz/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180617
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180621
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180601T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T214827Z
UID:5578-1529276400-1529535599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:FRANCE - UNIVERSITY CLERMONT AUVERGNE - Paulo CASACA
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe University organized a round table and conference entitled “Models and Policies for Climate and Energy in Europe”. The conference was addressed to scientific international experts. \nPaulo CASACA\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: MODELLING DEVELOPMENT \nSome ideas \nFollowing the Rio summit as well as several subsequent international initiatives\, we are now engaged in the ‘Sustainable Development Goals 2030’ (SDG) exercise comprising 17 goals\, 169 targets and 232 indicators (as 2017\, but still growing). \nWe consider this as a more coherent inspiration for development modelling then the ‘climate change’ monomania\, which is so often restricted to atmospheric emissions\, energy and money metrics. Consequently\, we proposed a set of changes we think could enhance considerably the efficiency of the exercise. \nThe first change is to finally integrate the positive value of both natural and constructed environment conservation (and therefore the negative value of its destruction implied in development expenditure). This implies switching from a ‘sustainable’ to an ‘integrated’ developmental vision. Money metrics can be used here so as to evaluate material realisations (such as infrastructures) not directly measured by the market. \nThe second is to “dejargonise” model-making processes. The decay of the language used in international institutions has worsened and reflects \nthe progressive alienation from reality of the actors involved. Pleonastic\, inconsistent and metaphysical constructions have been one manifestation. The promotion of a set of simplistic publicity messages to the general public does not help the main objective of connecting the model to reality. An assessment and evaluation framework of the designed SDG\, controlled by actors fully independent from those directly linked to the main international institutions which produced the plan in the first place\, is central. \nThe third is to integrate essential human values such as freedom and the capacity to influence public policy\, which are at least as precious as material progress itself. This will clash with the existing state majority within the UN\, among whom the popularity of freedom and democracy is decreasing. Democratic nations might have to work here on their own. \nModelling professionals must ensure that their efforts are not transformed into a window-dressing mechanism aimed at hiding relevant facts. Modelling must be fully transparent on its assumptions\, clear in its functioning and frank about its uncertainties. Development actors shall avoid being slaves of communication strategies based on quick ‘emotional shots’ which so often and so severely skew reality while producing no good outcomes in the long-run. \nWhereas the mobilisation of civil society on all its forms is essential to achieve results\, the adequate use of public financial means for the agreed targets is the most crucial element. The priority must be to promote fundamental and applied research as well as development\, dissemination and application of new solutions\, instead of consuming resources ineffectually on bureaucratic workouts which are difficult to define and assess.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/france-university-clermont-auvergne-from-18-to-22-june-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/clermont-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180606
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200226T104742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200618T094756Z
UID:4545-1527980400-1528239599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:2018 FMA Visit to Bulgaria
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row el_class=”download-box-list”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”7647″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Ressources” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:800%20bold%20regular%3A800%3Anormal” custom_letter_spacing=”-1.8px”][vc_column_text] \n\nDossier\nList of Participants\nProgramme\nFull report\nPhotos\n\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A truly European  FMA delegation composed of 19 former MEPs from ten EU countries and five European political families (EPP-ED\, Socialists\, ECR\, Liberals and Greens)\, led by the FMA Board member Brigitte Langenhagen\, visited Bulgaria from 3 to 5 June on the occasion of the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The National Assembly of Bulgaria\, in co-operation with FMA\, put together an excellent programme aimed at evaluating progress towards achievements of the EU Presidency. It included official meetings with Parliament and government’s representatives\, a visit to the Georgi Rakovski Military Academy as well as well as a cultural visit to Plovdiv\, European capital of culture 2019.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4546″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]It emerged clearly from these meetings that the Western Balkans are a top priority of this Presidency\, together with the necessity to provide a European prospect for the whole region by further improving the connectivity (transport\, communications\, energy\, education\, and digital). EU membership is considered a key factor to guarantee peace\, stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans that for centuries have been an example of interreligious coexistence and suffered from atrocious wars and widespread violence in the 1990s. It was noted that if the EU wants to be a global player\, Western Balkans need to join the EU sooner or later. Bulgaria will continue its efforts under the Austrian and Romanian EU Presidencies.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4548″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]A recurrent issue was also the adoption of the EU Multiannual framework with a strong accent on the need to continue providing EU assistance for the social policy. The impact of Brexit on the long-term EU budget was also discussed. \nIt was reaffirmed that Bulgaria is ready and meet all requirements to access the Schengen Area  which would allow to better control the borders. The Vice-President of the Republic of Bulgaria\, Iliana Iotova concluded the series of meetings by urging that substantial reforms of the EU project be undertaken\, in particular how the EU Institutions work and the policies addressed. She was most concerned about the future EU budget and human rights which see the EU take a step back. Please find here the speech of Monika Panayotova\, Deputy-Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2018.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4550″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The National Assembly organised an exceptional cultural visit to Plovdiv including an outstanding welcome recital by three talented soloists of the State Opera of Plodviv conducted by the Artistic Director Luciano Di Martino. The performance took place in the superb Museum Hall of the Philippolis Art Center followed by a dinner during which the delegation’s members exchanged their views and reflections in a relaxed atmosphere.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4552″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The programme was concluded by a visit to the Military Academy with a stimulating keynote speech delivered by the eminent FMA member Henrik Lax who participated in many successful FMA “EP to Campus programme”. He completely caught the attention of an audience composed of officers and civilian students. Mr Lax concluded his articulated speech on “The European Union: Expectations and Challenges” by reminding that “Both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are forcefully engaged in building up national narratives seriously challenging the values and interests of the EU”. He then wondered whether there “will be solidarity and courage enough among the leaders of the Member States to confront their citizens with the true threats to our social order and the tough measures required to address them”. We encourage you reading his complete speech available on the FMA website . Insightful reflections and analyses on this visit by the delegation’s members will be published in the September Bulletin. Photos of the visit are available here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/2018-fma-visit-to-bulgaria/
CATEGORIES:Visit to National Parliaments
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/bulgaria-pic1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180530
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180601
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200211T184549Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200303T144108Z
UID:5843-1527721200-1527807599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Leaders Beyond the State: An Interview with Josep Borrell
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Spain’s Foreign Minister\, former President of the European Parliament and FMA member\, Josep Borrell was interviewed on 31 May 2018 \nhttps://youtu.be/V4OmFLNytrQ[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/leaders-beyond-the-state-an-interview-with-josep-borrell/
CATEGORIES:School of Transnational Governance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/The-Spains-Foreign-Minister.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180514
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180518
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180501T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T222954Z
UID:5582-1526338800-1526597999@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:GERMANY - UNIVERSITAT FLENSBURG    - Robert GOEBBELS
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF) organized a three days event\, which were divided into interdisciplinary round table discussions and workshops on different European Studies related topics\, the award ceremony of the Europe Prize of the university\, as well as interactive student initiatives all over the campus. \nRobert GOEBBELS\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: THE RIGHT TO SECESSION DOES NOT EXIST \nDuring my visit to the European University of Flensburg\, I took part in a colloquium on the right of peoples to self-determination. \nThe organisers had invited representatives from Catalonia to defend that rich Spanish province’s independence aspirations. \nOne of the underlying issues in the debate was a complaint regarding the European Union: why had the EU institutions failed to support Catalonian separatists? \nMy response went down like a lead balloon. How can the European Union support independence movements when the preamble to the Treaty on European Union sets out that the Member States are ‘resolved to continue the process of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe’? \nArticle 50 of the Treaty provides that ‘any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with own constitutional requirements’. The United Kingdom is currently going through that bitter experience. \nBut the Treaty does not in any way suggest that part of a Member State has the right to withdraw or dissociate from the Union by means of ‘self-determination’. If a Member State needs to ‘reorganise’\, it can only do so by following the country’s constitutional requirements. \nThe Scottish independence referendum was authorised by the UK Parliament. The dissolution of Czechoslovakia into two countries \n– the Czech Republic and Slovakia \n– took place in a context of political upheaval in Europe. \nThe European Union must defend the integrity of all its Member States. It cannot push for their disintegration. \nAll the more so in the Catalonian case\, as the Spanish Constitutional Court ruled that the Catalonian Government could not unilaterally declare Catalonian independence. Catalonians have their own culture and their own language\, but neither is under threat. Under the Spanish Constitution\, the Catalonians have more than enough means to defend their identity. The Catalonians are not oppressed or being subjected to a dictatorship. Their dream of independence can only come true if they negotiate with Spain’s central powers. What is more\, the electorate’s opinion has been shown on a number of occasions to be completely divided regarding independence: almost half of Catalonians want to remain Spanish. The famous right to self-determination is a dangerous fantasy which could aggravate regional self-interest. More often than not\, independence movements are mostly driven by the desire not to share their region’s ‘riches’ with their fellow citizens from other regions\, whom they label as lazy. Italy’s Lega Nord\, Flemish parties in Belgium and many others have taken that stance. \nThe fact that the UN Charter makes no reference to the right of peoples to self-determination is a perfect illustration of the fact that it is a fantasy. The United Nations calls for the ‘sovereign equality’ of all states. The Charter stipulates that no provisions in it ‘authorise the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state’. \nIt was not until after decolonisation began that a resolution\, from 1952\, referred to the ‘right of peoples to self-determination’. But once a new state has been formed\, the United Nations has always refused to allow unilateral secessions\, as we saw in the attempts by Katanga and Biafra to declare their independence.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/germany-universitat-flensburg-15-17-may-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Europa-universitaet-flensburg-hauptlogo-rgb.svg.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20180509T230000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20180511T230000
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200401T140643Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200707T084452Z
UID:6993-1525906800-1526079600@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:The State of the Union 2018
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 2018 edition of The State of the Union took place from 10 to 12 May and had a special emphasis on Solidarity in Europe.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle”][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/0dcKX-3blK8″ el_width=”60″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”2018 STATE OF THE UNION CONFERENCE” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23020089″ google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:800%20bold%20regular%3A800%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]On 10-12 May the eighth State of the Union conference took place at the EUI. The State of the Union is a high-level conference for reflection on the European Union. This year the main topic was “Solidarity in Europe”\, a topic of crucial importance to face the future of the EU. \nThree heads of state were present: Sergio Mattarella\, President of the Italian Republic; Michael D. Higgins\, President of Ireland; and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa\, President of the Portuguese Republic\, as well as distinguished academics\, practitioners\, and members of civil society. Jean-Claude Juncker\, Mario Draghi\, Antonio Tajani and Federica Mogherini gave their view on the importance of ‘Solidarity in Europe’. As President Tajani said\, the last ten years of crisis have slowed down the virtuous solidarity process and the same pro-European momentum. The spirit of solidarity between countries that has been the real driver of the integration process is failing. \nDistracted politics feeds anger and sellers of illusions. According to President Tajani\, the only answer to reconnect the Institutions to their citizens is a different Europe\, more political\, more democratic\, more solidary. A Europe which is incapable of supporting solidarity is in danger of losing its own souls and its own values. He concluded his speech by saying that Europe’s respect for culture and diversity should be at the heart of its public discourse. As President Higgins said “Solidarity in Europe must be the foundation on which our Union’s action is built. It must be the star which guides our action at home and in the wider world.” \nThe need for a more unified and solid Union has been exposed through a series of panels that followed the opening\, ranging from EMU\, development and humanitarian aid strategies\, energy and climate change\, social investment\, immigration and EU foreign\, security and defence policies. The FMA was represented by Former President Enrique Barón Crespo and Monica Baldi\, FMA Board member responsible for relations with the European University Institute.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8081″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text] \nEnrique Barón Crespo at the 2018 State of Union in Florence \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8083″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text] \nFrom left to right: Enrique Barón Crespo\, Renaud Dehousse- President of the European University Institute\, Monica Baldi and Vincenzo Grassi – Secretary General of the European University Institute \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/the-state-of-the-union-2018/
LOCATION:EUI Florence\, via dei Roccettini\, 9\, San Domenico di Fiesole\, Florence\, 50014\, Italy
CATEGORIES:The State of the Union
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/state_of_union_banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180507
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180510
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180501T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T223512Z
UID:5590-1525734000-1525906799@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:TURKEY - IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS - Gyula HEGYI
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe event had as its main theme ‘The EU’s Environmental/Energy Policy: Achievements\, Challenges and Implications for EU-Turkey-Relations’. Gyula HEGYI\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: MEETING YOUNG AND PROGRESSIVE TURKS IN IZMIR \nIzmir is a beautiful city situated along the Aegean Sea\, with 4 million inhabitants. This progressive-minded city has six universities\, and I was invited to the Izmir University of Economics (IUE). IUE is a private university with around 7500 students. My host was Assist. Prof. Dr. Alexander Bürgin\, Head of EURAC\, who has been awarded a Jean Monnet Chair by the European Commission in August 2015. (A Jean Monnet Chair is a title assigned to university professors with a specialization in European Union studies\, including financial support for three years.) \nI participated three different panels with 20-20 minute’s introductions\, and I also tried to answer the many questions of the smart and well informed students. The first topic was The Promotion of Environmental Standards in the EU external relations. I mentioned that EU has some of the world’s highest environmental standards. The EU’s goal is to promote these standards and global sustainable development to their trade partners. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change is especially crucial for us\, and the EU is driving force of its implementation. \nHowever I also mentioned that in practice there are some contradictions as well\, and in some cases the Third Countries have higher environmental standards. A student immediately mentioned the example of the natural heritage on which the Turkish regulations are tougher than ours. \nThe second topic was Making Cities Sustainable: Achievments and the Changes in the EU and Turkey. In Turkey cities accommodate over 75% of the country’s population\, and the sustainable urban development is crucial for the fast-growing urban population. I spoke about the importance of public transport\, clean air\, renewable energies\, green public procurement\, heat waves and other issues. I also mentioned my own EP report on the thematic strategy on the urban environment. Following my interventions the other panelist\, Mr Ümit Sahin from the Sabunci University Istanbul mentioned that the GDP growths in Turkey is mostly based on construction\, and it is far from being an environmentally sustainable activity. He\, as a green activist\, gave a detailed picture on the environmental problems of Turkey\, harshly opposing a project of a Russian-built nuclear power station. As it normally happens\, some students were against the nuclear energy\, others had more tolerant approach to it. It was interesting to hear that one student even traveled to Chernobyl as a tourist to see the spot. \nThe third topic was The Rise of Nationalism and Populism in the EU. Due to the political situation I refrained from criticizing the Turkish government but I spoke a lot about the nationalist and illiberal tendencies in Hungary and Poland. The students were rather well informed on the problems of these two countries. But I also underlined that to criticize the “Brussels” doesn’t mean automatically euroscepticism\, and the integration to the Common Europe shouldn’t endanger our own national cultures. We had a lively debate on the Hungarian-Turkish relations and the exact meaning of the “nationalism”. Some students came from the EU countries\, which also show the good reputation of the IUE. Professor Bürgin closed all the three sessions with useful conclusions. His whole course on European studies goes in English and we have to keep contact with this progressive university. \nIt has been really heart-warming to meet these talented\, skilled young students\, who share our values in Turkey. Let’s hope that they overcome the troubles of their rich and brave country![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9821″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/turkey-izmir-university-of-economics-8-9-may-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Izmir-University-of-Economics-IUE-logo-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180506
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180511
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180501T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T224452Z
UID:5586-1525647600-1525993199@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:SLOVENIA - UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA - Per GAHRTON
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe University of Ljubljana organised a lecture for BA students in the introduction to policy analysis led by prof Damjan Lajh\, meetings with student associations and participation in the Europe Week round table on EU’s environmental policy. \nPer GAHRTON\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: SLOVENIA – DRIFTING TOWARDS POPULISM? \nIn mid-May I visited Ljubljana on assignment for the European Parliament’s former Members’ Association. The idyllic calm of the cafés along the Ljubljanica river was overwhelming – but perhaps deceptive. My visit coincided with the run-up to a snap election on 3 June: the third since 2011 and the ninth general election since the break-up of Yugoslavia. There have also been 20 referendums on everything from EU and NATO membership to the legislation on archiving\, same-sex marriage and railway building. Was it wishful thinking\, then\, when a major Swedish newspaper referred to the country as “Friendly little Slovenia” (Svenska Dagbladet\, 15 July 2011)? When I took part in a panel debate on EU environmental policy at the Faculty of Social Sciences\, I came across an opinion that is often heard in Scandinavia: the EU is needed in order to tackle cross-border environmental issues\, but the action it takes is too weak. I cited Wikipedia\, which commends the EU for the Paris Agreement\, but Panel of Speakers at the event of the University of Ljubljana notes that the EU’s leadership role in the area of environmental policy has been weakened. A briefing note drafted by the European Parliament’s research service lists the social dimension\, migration\, security and defence as issues that are being discussed with an eye to the future of the EU post-Brexit\, but the environment is not mentioned (The Future of Europe – Contours of the current debate\, European Parliamentary Research Service\, April 2018\, PE 620.202). \nI found Uroš Vajgl’s contribution particularly interesting. Mr Vajgl\, who has represented Slovenia in COREPER\, the EU’s ‘secret centre of power’\, maintained that the EU devotes less effort to environmental issues than it does to employment\, for example. At lunch with Mr Vajgl and others after the debate\, I was struck by their criticism of commercialism and general left-wing attitudes. Were these representative of the Slovenian people? According to The New York Times\, the election on 3 June ‘tilted another European country to the right’. And it’s true that a right-wing populist party won with 25% of the vote\, but a new centre-left group\, Marjan Šarec’s list\, came second\, and the social democrats came third. \nDespite the weak position that the Greens are in\, I was asked to give a lecture based on my book\, Green parties\, Green future (Plutobooks\, 2015). As a thank-you\, a member of the audience gave me a book entitled The Slovenian Greens: From early success to long-time failure (Danica Fink-Hafner\, Matej Knep and Meta Novak\, Faculty of Social Sciences\, 2015). Later on I showed the book to Igor Juriši ć\, leader of Slovenia’s Green Party (Stranka Mladih)\, and his response was: ‘I haven’t got round to reading it yet\, but unfortunately the title is spot on!’ In 1990\, Slovenia’s Greens garnered 8.8% of the vote\, 8 seats in Parliament and 5 ministers. In 2018\, however\, they didn’t manage to field any candidates under their own party name\, cooperating instead with Marjan Šarec’s list. Fink-Hafner\, Knep and Novak cite two main reasons for the Greens’ decline: first\, it had been a mistake to go into government with such a new\, weak party\, and second\, there had been too much sectarianism and factionalism\, and too many defections. Slovenia is a good reminder that it is important for small parties to be very careful in choosing the right time to have a go at being in government. It also shows that the curse of sectarianism must be kept in check. \nOur Slovenian hosts told us that it simply wasn’t done to visit Slovenia without going to Lake Bled\, so my wife and I duly went there. To prepare\, I read a French novel about a couple who visit the beauty spot. The blurb on the back promises ‘glimpses of a relationship which\, despite the lovers’ good intentions\, is doomed to fail’ (Clément Bénech\, L’été slovène\, 2013). I hope the novel isn’t predicting the downfall of ‘friendly little Slovenia’\, but shows\, rather\, that the country’s future is in the hands of decent democrats after all. \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9826″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/slovenia-university-of-ljubljana-from-7-to-10-may-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-28-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20180502T143000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20180502T163000
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20201123T123042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20201123T124657Z
UID:12959-1525271400-1525278600@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Political communication in the upcoming European elections
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On 2 May 2018 the FMA organised with the EPRS a seminar entitled “Political communication in the upcoming European elections“. \nThe Speakers were: \n\nEnrique BARÓN CRESPO – President of the EP Former Members’ Association\nAnthony TEASDALE – Director General for European Parliamentary Research Services\nDanuta HÜBNER\, Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs\nCliff STEARNS\, President of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress\nJaume DUCH GUILLOT\, EP Spokesperson and Director-General for Communication\n\nHere you can find the programme of the event and the profile of Speakers. \n[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”12964″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/political-communication-in-the-upcoming-european-elections/
CATEGORIES:Policy event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180505
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180501T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T232859Z
UID:5594-1525215600-1525474799@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:HUNGARY - UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED - Herbert BOESCH
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe event is part of a series (Integration Club) organised by the University of Szeged in relation to European integration for students (undergraduate and graduate)\, university staff\, high school students\, young graduates\, press and interested public. \nYou can find a presentation of the project here. \nHerbert Bösch\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: SZEGED WAS WORTH A VISIT \nAdmittedly it isn’t easy to get to Szeged. If you go by plane\, you land in Budapest\, over 200km from Szeged\, and if you take the train\, the journey from Lake Constance can take some 15 hours. But it’s worth it: a beautiful city with a touch of Mediterranean flair and a neat and tidy centre with lots of space for walking and cycling and time to enjoy yourself. And students from across the globe. \nRight at the start there was an interview with two young ladies from northern Germany\, office apprentices who were spending a month in Szeged as exchange students. Asked why they had chosen that particular place\, their response was refreshingly simple: they wanted to see a part of the EU which was less well known in their own country. They said they were charmed by the city and the people. \nThere followed a discussion in the university’s ‘integration club’ with young people from across the whole of Europe\, with questions which were a million miles from the everyday trivia of the European institutions. Defending and improving human rights\, perspectives for EU enlargement\, and freedom to travel and settle abroad were among the issues raised. As expected\, the role of the Hungarian government in the EU was also discussed\, as was the increasing isolation from the 27 other Member States which the country might face as a result. Participants were unanimous in their view that the EU should place the common values set out in the Treaties above the selfish national interests of individual Member States in the forthcoming negotiations on the future financing of the EU. These values were also stressed in the context of migrants seeking in the EU a safe place from discrimination and persecution. \nThe following day we discussed the limits of European integration and the enlargement potential of the EU. The lecture took place in the Faculty of Law of the University of Szeged. Students from third countries – in particular from the Balkans – voiced their hopes that the EU would increase its efforts to ensure enlargement takes place. \nAt the moment it seems the EU is giving the impression of being overly concerned with itself and its internal conflicts. And we were reminded that the last major enlargement was in some ways still being digested and that there should be an internal consolidation of the EU before any further enlargement. An initiative such as the European Convention might give some impetus both to deepening the EU and to increasing its capacity for enlargement. Expectations in this regard fall on the European Parliament. I have a particular memory of two young women from Serbia and Kosovo who asked what they could do to help their countries join the EU… \nIt is to the credit of the ‘EP to Campus’ programme that events are also held away from national capitals. This is an important difference from most EU events organised by the in-country offices of Parliament and the Commission. It may be that the atmosphere in a university town at Hungary’s southern (EU) border is very different from that of the capital\, for cultural and geographical reasons. \nAnd it was clear that our young interlocutors really appreciated having a (former) Member of the EP to represent Europe rather than ‘Brussels bureaucracy’. \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/hungary-university-of-szeged-2-4-may-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180503
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200227T152954Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200227T154631Z
UID:4867-1525215600-1525301999@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:2018 Dinner Debate
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 2018 Dinner Debate took place on Wednesday 2 May in the European Parliament\, Brussels. Mr. Roberto Gualtieri MEP\,  Chair of the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs \, was our Guest of Honour.[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”4870\,4872\,4874\,4868″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]For more photographs of the Dinner Debate\, please click here[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/2018-dinner-debate/
CATEGORIES:Dinner Debate
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180503
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20190403T165052Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210111T153109Z
UID:5149-1525215600-1525301999@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Memorial Service 2018
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-12 vc_col-md-12 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]The 2018 Memorial Service was held on Wednesday 2 May at 17:45 in the Space Yehudi Menuhin\, European Parliament\, Brussels.\n[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/XRTkSvw_3ls”][vc_column_text]Read the Final Oration by President Hans-Gert Pöttering and please find below the Brochure with the full list of deceased members  and obituaries written by their former colleagues.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”`{`3d-flip-book mode=“fullscreen“ urlparam=“fb3d-page“ pdf=“/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/brochure_en.pdf“`}`”][/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/memorial-service-2018/
CATEGORIES:Memorial Service
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180424
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180427
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180401T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T233934Z
UID:5598-1524610800-1524783599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:ROMANIA - BABES-BOLYAI UNIVERSITY - Robert EVANS
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe Babes-Bolyai University planned an event called: “The EU Foreign Policy and the Global Politics of Human Rights” which aimed at enhancing BA and MA students in International Relations a knowledge in EU’s involvement within the global politics of Human Rights. \nRobert EVANS\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: COUNT DRACULA AND THE EU FOREIGN POLICY \nA trip to Transylvania in the Spring might send waves of fear through followers of Bram Stoker\, but Cluj in Romania is a delightful place and Count Dracula nowhere to be seen\, although one of his saying could not be more appropriate; “We learn of great things by little experiences.” My “little experience” was to represent former MEPS at the University of Babes-Bolyai in Romania’s third city\, Cluj-Napoca. Cluj could not have been more delightful and my hosts\, Alin\, Mihela and Natalia could hardly have been more welcoming. \nAs an MEP\, I served on the joint parliamentary committee for relations between the European Parliament and the Romanian Parliament for many years. Accession to the EU came in 2007 and I was proud to welcome many friends and colleagues as new Romanian MEPs. Returning to Romania after a break of several years and the changes are stark; the improvements obvious. With many signs showing support from the EU’s Regio fund it’s clear that the country has moved into the twenty first century. \nCluj itself has a proud Hungarian and Romanian history – reflected in the university being named after a celebrated Romanian biologist and a Hungarian mathematician\, the two original universities having merged in 1959. Babes-Bolyai University has 40000 students and runs courses in several languages in addition to Romanian. \nThe subject of the two-day discussions for which I was the guest speaker was\, ‘The EU Foreign Policy and the Global Politics of Human Rights’. My opening contribution was to first year under graduates on the role of the European Parliament and facing up to the challenge of migration. How the EU addresses the migratory pressures on its borders is one of the most important issues today. \nLater my ‘key-note speech’ looked at the way the EUs international role has developed since the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009. Whilst the establishment of the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy may have given new focus\, far from a united response to international crises\, to many the EU has stood by. This seems as true for the Russian interventions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine to the desperate situation in Syria and Palestine; the EU has appeared impotent\, not knowing what to do or say. \nOn the positive side\, the Union has been a force of strength in promoting global democracy by its emphasis on election observation and equally attaching human rights clauses to new trade initiatives. “We are strong\, each in our purpose\, and we are all stronger together\,” to quote Count Dracula again. \nA workshop on possible career opportunities in the EU institutions was demanding yet thought provoking. The talented and enthusiastic students from Babes-Bolyai have much to offer to Romanian MEPs and their government. Many questions were asked about the UK’s current and future position within the EU\, post Brexit. Was the UK always destined to leave the EU or was the referendum campaign just a disaster? Will David Cameron go down as the most arrogant and incompetent British prime minister in history? \nWill the UK live to regret its decision very soon? \nAfter two very packed and eventful days it was time to say “la revedere” to all my new friends in Cluj. I’m sure I won’t be the last former MEP to visit Transylvania and I thoroughly recommend it![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9847″][vc_column_text] \nRobert Evans with students \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/romania-babes-bolyai-university-25-26-april-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180417
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180420
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180401T124045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T235055Z
UID:5602-1524006000-1524178799@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:SPAIN - UNIVERSITY OF DEUSTO - Monica FRASSONI
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe University of Deusto organized some lectures on Economic\, legal and institutional legitimacy of the EU projects\, public integrity\, efficiency. The attendees were university students (Law\, International Relations\, Economics\, Labour Relations…)\, University lecturers\, researchers and civil society representatives. \nMonica FRASSONI\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: VISITING DEUSTO \nOn April 18/19 I was invited to a two days series of lessons and meetings at the university of Deusto in Bilbao. Already the setting of this very prestigious university\, founded by the Gesuite order in 1886 and located in front of the magnificent Guggenheim museum is an enough inspiring experience. But I was very positively impressed by the intense programme\, which allowed me to deal with different issues\, (environment and climate change\, the future of the EU\, its institutional balance and functioning\, the role of lobbies\, professional opportunities for young students and and young professionals …). Also the audience was quite diverse in age\, interests and nationalities\, as Erasmus students were involved in one of the lessons. They were obviously well prepared and the programme had been well thought through\, in order to match with both their interests and my competences. Among the most interested and informed were the youngest high school students\, eager to learn and well prepared on specific questions. \nI also had the chance to give an open conference in the newly built library on the future challenges facing the EU and I found this opportunity \nworthwhile as we should give our host the chance of “exploit”our presence to the maximum. I also had a great contact with the two main organisers of the visit\, professor Maria Luisa Sanchez-Barrueco and Professor Laura Gomez Urquijo. Prof. Barrueco coordinates the Jean Monnet programme SAPIA (Student Awareness of public integrity and Accountability in the EU) and she seeks through innovating teaching methods to make students aware of the importance of democratic control of EU institutions. Professor Urquijo heads the Jean Monnet module EUCLAP ( EU legal and economic integration for people) and she focuses on how positive economic and legal EU integration can enhance wellbeing and prosperity for EU citizens. I also met the Dean and the deputy dean of the University\, Mrs Gema Tomas and Marta Enciso. \nI was by the way quite amused and glad to note that all my interlocutors and hosts were female academics and that the Bilbao Chapter of the European Law student union took part to the definition of the program. Furthermore\, coming from a country\, Italy\, which is going through a real thunderstorm in terms of public perception of the role and \nimportance of the EU\, I found refreshing and uplifting the very positive attitude\, if not the real passion\, that some students and the host professors expressed for the EU project\, as well as for the need of an active involvement of young generations and academia in ensuring not only its survival in these difficult times\, but also its further development and the strengthening of its capacity to work together and deliver results for its citizens. Among the most frequently asked questions were the possibility of access to a “European”professional and study career\, which common policies could be implemented on jobs and climate change and how to ensure that member states and EU institutions are able to show more cohesion in delivering common economic\, migration and foreign policies. \nAll in all\, I enjoyed this experience very much: it is really fruitful both for us and for our interlocutors. \nI therefore thank the organisers for the invitation and encourage my colleagues to take part to these events.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9855″][vc_column_text] \nMonica FRASSONI during her intervention \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/spain-university-of-deusto-18-19-april-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180403
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180405
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200227T152954Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200227T170438Z
UID:4957-1522796400-1522882799@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:2018 Annual Lunch
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe 2018 Annual Lunch took place at the European Parliament in Brussels. \nClick here for more pictures[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/2018-annual-lunch/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180329
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180402
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180301T134045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200607T235633Z
UID:5606-1522364400-1522623599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:BULGARIA - AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BULGARIA  - Ivailo KALFIN
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe American University of Bulgaria organized an event that had as its main theme a ‘Model EU Simulation on EU digital market issue’. The event provided the students guidance about the work of the European Parliament and the adoption of EU legislation on EU digital market issues/working of EU/future of EU. \nIvailo KALFIN\, FMA Member\, participated in this event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/bulgaria-american-university-of-bulgaria-30-march-1-april-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180326
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180328
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180301T134045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200608T001318Z
UID:5610-1522105200-1522191599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:ESTONIA - TALLINN TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY - Michael HINDLEY
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe Tallinn Technology University planned an open high-profile lecture for university students and scholars\, general public\, local NGOs and possibly media. \nMichael HINDLEY\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: COLD TALLINN \nA cold Tallinn offered a warm welcome from my hosts when I visited Estonia’s lovely capital in March. Through the good offices of FMA\, I was invited by the Tallinn University of Technology (TTU) to talk about EU foreign relations but also to discuss\, with students and faculty\, Brexit. My interlocutors clearly follow the debate on Brexit in the UK with attention; an attention tinged with concern about future relations between Estonia and UK under the auspices of EU Higher Educational Cooperation. Although the UK government has indicated a willingness to contribute financially to such programmes as a way of ensuring participation\, the negative is that as in other spheres\, UK will be “taking and not making rules”. The UK has been a major influence on the shaping of ERASMUS and research cooperation and its knowledge and experience would be missed. Students worry that study in UK could become more difficult and staff are concerned that recruitment from UK as well as their chances of posts in the UK could become problematic. \nI also gave a lecture on China’s ambitious “Belt and Road” programme to Masters students of International Relations. \nOstensibly\, this is a giant infrastructure plan\, initially based on the revival the old Silk Road\, from China\, through Central Asia and on into the Middle East and Europe. As such it conjures up romantic nostalgia for bygone days of explorers and traders\, East to West\, and West to East. However\, it is also much to do with Sino/Russian rivalry for national energy resources in Central Asia. Additionally\, China is worried that though the Coastal strip of China is booming\, there is little evidence of a “trickle down” effect to the distant inland provinces. Lastly and not least\, China now has massive over-capacity in steel\, coal and cement; just the basic materials for a vast transport infrastructure programme envisaged in “Belt and Road.” \nMy hosts kindly arranged to visit some of Tallinn’s much lauded e-centres\, TTU own innovation \nEstonia has invested much energy\, resources in new technology and the results are truly impressive. I well remember taking a portable typewriter for my Strasbourg and Brussels offices in 1984\, only for the typewriters to become quickly redundant. Now you can get an entire communications system on your smart phone. When I expressed my own scepticism about cyber-security I was met with optimism. Estonia has suffered and still fears cyber-attack from Russia\, but the participants in the e-centres enthusiastically pointed out that research and development into cyber-security was in itself a motor for economic activity. \nMembership of the EU has been taken up with gusto in this small Baltic nation. It was refreshing to see such optimism in Estonia.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/estonia-tallinn-technology-university-27-march-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180324
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180329
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180301T134045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200618T093535Z
UID:5614-1521932400-1522277999@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:UKRAINE - UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSORS AND RESEARCHERS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION - Birgit DAIBER
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe Ukrainian Association of Professors and Researchers of European Integration together with the National University of Kiev Taraz Schevchenko organised a conference entitled “European Integration Processes in the 21st Century: Key Trends\, Main Challenges and New Perspectives”. \n Birgit DAIBER\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: TARAS SHEVHENKO NATIONAL ACADEMY \nThe Kiev based Taras-SevchenkoUniversity in co-operation with Erasmus and their common Jean Monnet-Project organised a two days’ International conference on “European Integration Processes in 21st Century – Key Trends\, main Challenges and new Perspectives” on 26/27 March. Speakers from universities of United Kingdom\, Portugal\, Canada\, Poland and Italy have been invited. I have been invited on behalf of FMA. About 70 students\, mainly involved in European Studies\, took part in the first afternoon debate on March 26th. I was asked to give an introduction into history and relevance to the current situation of European integration. My first challenge was to find some examples avoiding the danger to be too shallow. I choose the following two: “EU’s international trade policy” was the first\, followed by “the rule of European law and common values in democracy”. Since the students have been very aware of EU’s problems with Ukraine’s direct neighbour Poland\, they asked many questions on the rule of European law\, decision making processes and European understanding of democracy. I explained that one of the basic experiences in European Policy is to accept the necessity to compromise (even in one’s own political family). Here the students ask the grave question\, hanging like a black cloud above all debates in Ukraine: How to find solutions for the war in East-Ukraine and for Crimea. \nI couldn’t give an answer to this 1-Million-Euro question\, but at least there has been no negative reaction when I mentioned that in the end there would be the need to find compromises. Another issue raised by the students was nationalism. Since EU-law rules above national law\, the students felt inclined to ask if there is not the danger that citizens may loose their national identity? This led to discuss the principle of subsidiarity and the chance to develop a genuine European identity – not dominating national identity but changing it and adding a new dimension of common values and goals. The difference between national identity and aggressive or even violent nationalism was underlined. All in all the more than three hours discussion showed the deep desire of the students to become part of the European Union. At the international conference on 27th participated a lower number of Ukrainian students and more CEOs from EU related organisations and professors from universities. \nThe conference concentrated on different fields of European Politics\, especially Environmental Policy\, Law-making processes and questioning the Competence of Europe in actual conflicts. A specific part of the session was dedicated to the presentation of results of an inquiry in UK on letters in shaping the mass media before the referendum on Brexit. The inquiry shows 97% yes to Brexit in populist media while only 46% could be found in more neutral papers. Unfortunately this inquiry was carried only after the referendum. Two young researchers from the Ukrainian “Content Analysis Centre” gave a lecture on “the role of EU in the events highlighted by the major Ukrainian press”. My role in this part of the conference was to talk about the heavy storms which are threatening the Union since the outbreak of the Financial crisis in 2008. I referred to the refugee crisis\, the deep internal conflicts with some member-countries not willing to accept European rule of law and the upcoming international trade conflicts proving so far the rather robust survival capacity of the Union. My closing remarks emphasized some aspects of new ideas actually developed by the EU-Commission and also by the French President Emanuel Macron.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9528″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/ukraine-ukrainian-association-of-professors-and-researchers-of-european-integration-25-28-march-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180321
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180324
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180301T134045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200608T002115Z
UID:5618-1521673200-1521845999@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:CROATIA - UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB - Ignasi GUARDANS
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe University of Zagreb organized guest lectures for students that are attending the course in Law of International Trade as well as guest lectures for the Bachelor Degree in Business Programme students that are attending the course in Commercial Law. Beside the lectures\, the University organised an interview for the student’s newspaper and a meeting with faculty management. \nIgnasi GUARDANS\, FMA Member\, participated in the event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/croatia-university-of-zagreb-22-23-march-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180228
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180303
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180301T134045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200618T092941Z
UID:5622-1519858800-1520031599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:CYPRUS - UNIVERSITY OF LANCASHIRE - Barbara WEILER
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nThe University of Lancashire organized a series of activities with students and a workshop\, with the judiciary and academics. \nBarbara WEILER\, FMA Member\, participated in this event. \nMission report: LECTURE AT UCLAN UNIVERSITY \nUclan – the University of Central Lancashire in Larnaca – provides a unique and innovative model of university education which is both Cypriot and British at the same time. There are close links with Europe through Jean Monnet modules and the Erasmus+ programme. Not surprisingly\, many students and teachers are of international origin. It is quite possible that an island on the extreme geographical periphery of Europe may be the ideal place to conduct such an experiment\, and I consider it a great success. There was an open atmosphere\, with a willingness to engage in debate\, and a high standard of innovative new approaches. Impressive! \nOn the first day\, the main event was debates with students on the campus. Various lectures were given in the course of the day\, all of them very well attended. The main subject was European social and employment policy\, including Juncker’s European Pillar of Social Rights initiative; Parliament’s working methods and the possible consequences of Brexit were also mentioned. The students were committed and well prepared. \nOn the second day in Nicosia\, a round table with national and international judges was the main event. It was opened by the President of Cyprus’s Supreme Court. The European Court of Justice was represented by judge Anna Marcoulli. Here too\, similar subjects were discussed: how can socioeconomic rights be promoted and protected in the current financial crisis? In the ensuing debate\, the students called for the European Courts (in Luxembourg and Strasbourg) to protect citizens against the pressures imposed by the ‘trio’ and for a different political course. It was a lively debate\, in which conflicting opinions were expressed. \nIn addition to the official subjects on the programme\, a topic repeatedly raised was relations between the EU and Turkey (and more specifically the naval blockade prompted by the gas dispute\, which was taking place at that very time). \nI took the opportunity to go for a short walk in the Turkish part of Nicosia. I had already once visited the city some 30 years ago\, when the UN was everywhere and it was virtually impossible to visit the north. Since then\, much has changed\, but it seemed to me that distrust and prejudice persist. This makes it all the more important for the EU to support projects such as Erasmus+.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9872″][vc_column_text] \nUCLAN students \n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/cyprus-university-of-lancashire-1-2-march-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180228
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180303
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180101T171539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200618T092752Z
UID:5722-1519858800-1520031599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Liceo Artistico Alberti - Gisela KALLENBACH
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nIn 2018\, the Historical Archives have developed a programme for high schools focused on three main themes: Brexit\, Migrations and Rising of nationalist movements across Europe. The meetings were attended by our members Monica Baldi\, Luciana Castellina\, Vitaliano Gemelli\, Gisela Kallenbach\, Niccolò Rinaldi\, Riccardo Ventre\, and Sir Graham Watson. \nGisela Kallenbach\, FMA Member\, participated in this event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”SOMETIMES THINGS JUST DON’T WORK OUT AS PLANNED\nMission report” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23001891″ google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:800%20bold%20regular%3A800%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]It was an exciting prospect: I was going to take part in the teaching project run by the EU Historical Archives in Florence. My contribution would be to participate in not one but two panel discussions with students and school pupils focusing on my practical experience of life as a Member of the European Parliament and on specially chosen topical issues\, such as Brexit\, migration\, the re-emergence of nationalist movement in (almost) all parts of Europe and the future of European integration. And all that on the eve of the Italian elections. I was determined to do my best to make it clear that\, against the background of the ever more pressing challenges of a globalised world\, there is no alternative to a strong\, united Europe which acts as a force for peace. Unfortunately\, Mother Nature had other ideas. During the night of 1 March a thick blanket of snow fell on Florence\, bringing public life to a halt. All schools and universities were closed\, and only a very few buses and trains were running. Both my panel discussions fell victim to the weather as well. \nHappily\, though\, I was still able to visit the Historical Archives and see at first hand just how committed the staff there are to their work. I must admit that previously I had not given that work much thought. It was all the more impressive\, therefore\, to be able to browse through old documents\, to come ‘face to face’ with people who were present when European history was made and to read their accounts of those events. Some of what they wrote about has been forgotten; much of it\, today\, is taken for granted. Keeping documents and assessing them in the light of their historical significance is a vital task of immeasurable value both for us and for future generations. Those documents bear witness to motivations\, emotions and hopes; they embody memories of people who argued and suffered to shape a Europe with a future based on peace and mutual respect. I would urge researchers\, journalists and historians to visit. My stay in Florence also offered me an ideal opportunity to share my memories and experiences of life as an MEP\, as my contribution to the ‘Oral History’ project. \nWorking under the auspices of the European University Institute (EUI) and in cooperation with the Historical Archives and the De Gasperi Research Centre\, a small group of former EP officials\, coordinated by Alfredo De Feo\, wants to put together a collection of representative first-hand accounts which show how the history of the European Parliament can be portrayed in a more personal\, more vivid and more comprehensive way. More than 100 former Members have already agreed to take part. If at all possible\, the results are to be published in book form before the European elections in 2019\, exactly 40 years after the first direct elections to the European Parliament. I hope that the remaining hurdles can be overcome and that many former Members will share their memories\, in the service of the project. \nI am sure that the detailed appraisal of the successes achieved\, and the shortcomings brought to light\, which this project may trigger can make a significant contribution to the work of the EP. Strengthening the EP and making it more democratic is a long-held wish of the European family of peoples. Even though in Florence I was denied the opportunity to hold a free and frank discussion with young people about the present and future of our shared European project\, I can say this: we have every reason to work together to continue what our forefathers started more than 70 years ago\, in keeping with the saying that only those who understand their past can face the present and the future with open hearts.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/liceo-artistico-alberti-1-2-march-2018/
CATEGORIES:The Historical Archives
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eui.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180218
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180220
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180101T171539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200702T155843Z
UID:5718-1518994800-1519081199@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Dino Compagni - Monica BALDI
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9544″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]In 2018\, the Historical Archives have developed a programme for high schools focused on three main themes: Brexit\, Migrations and Rising of nationalist movements across Europe. The meetings were attended by our members Monica Baldi\, Luciana Castellina\, Vitaliano Gemelli\, Gisela Kallenbach\, Niccolò Rinaldi\, Riccardo Ventre\, and Sir Graham Watson. \nMonica Baldi\, FMA Board Member\, participated in this event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/dino-compagni-19-february-2018/
CATEGORIES:The Historical Archives
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eui.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180211
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180213
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180101T171539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200609T222616Z
UID:5714-1518390000-1518476399@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Liceo Artistico Alberti - Graham WATSON
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nIn 2018\, the Historical Archives have developed a programme for high schools focused on three main themes: Brexit\, Migrations and Rising of nationalist movements across Europe. The meetings were attended by our members Monica Baldi\, Luciana Castellina\, Vitaliano Gemelli\, Gisela Kallenbach\, Niccolò Rinaldi\, Riccardo Ventre\, and Sir Graham Watson. \nGraham Watson\, FMA Member\, participated in this event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”PROGRAMME IN FLORENCE\nMission report” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23000ead” google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:800%20bold%20regular%3A800%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]It was on a cold February morning that I made my way from the charming Florentine hotel into which the Historical Archives of the EU (HAEU) had booked me to the magnificent Villa Salviati\, built on the remains of the 14th century Montegonzi Castle\, famous for its cultivation of grape and jasmine. It passed through the hands of wealthy Italians\, Brits\, Swedes and Americans before being abandoned in the last century and bought in 2000 by the Italian government for the European University Institute. Today\, restored to its former glory at the foot of a Cypress-lined path\, it contains over 7km of shelving under an ornate English garden and alongside a vividly decorated grotto for the EU’s archives\, including those of Spinelli\, de Gasperi and Spaak. \nHere I was to address school students from the Liceo Artistico Alberti about my life as a MEP and to assist them in their project on the challenges facing Europe. Director Dieter Schlenker also kindly invited me to talk to a dozen researchers currently attached to the HAEU about the papers I have deposited there from my twenty years in Parliament\, covering particularly my time as LIBE Committee Chair (1999-2001) and Liberal Group Leader (2002-2009). And the impressively well organised archivist Mary Carr was very helpful in assisting me with research I am conducting into the life of Sir Russell Johnston\, MEP from 1973-1979 and subsequently President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The HAEU regularly invites schools in Florence to make use of its facilities and organises programmes in European awareness for their senior pupils. I am but one of the former MEPs fortunate enough to have participated and am pleased to commend the experience to others.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/liceo-artistico-alberti-12-february-2018/
CATEGORIES:The Historical Archives
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eui.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180201
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180203
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20180101T171539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200618T092454Z
UID:5710-1517526000-1517612399@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:Giobetti-Volta Bagno a Ripoli - Niccolò RINALDI
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] \nIn 2018\, the Historical Archives have developed a programme for high schools focused on three main themes: Brexit\, Migrations and Rising of nationalist movements across Europe. The meetings were attended by our members Monica Baldi\, Luciana Castellina\, Vitaliano Gemelli\, Gisela Kallenbach\, Niccolò Rinaldi\, Riccardo Ventre\, and Sir Graham Watson. \nNiccolò Rinaldi\, FMA Member\, participated in this event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/giobetti-volta-bagno-a-ripoli-2-february-2018/
CATEGORIES:The Historical Archives
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eui.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180122
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180226
DTSTAMP:20260504T055454
CREATED:20200326T144300Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200608T004514Z
UID:9875-1516662000-1519599599@www.formermembers.eu
SUMMARY:United Kingdom - De Montfort University - Doris PACK
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]De Montfort University organised seminars and courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students followed by open debates. On Europe Day there was a meeting with local schoolchildren. Mr John Bowis\, Mr Ben Patterson and Mrs Doris Pack\, former Members of the European Parliament\, participated in this programme. \nDoris PACK\, FMA Member\, participated in the event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:http://www.formermembers.eu/event/royaume-uni-universite-de-de-montfort-23-25-janvier-2018/
CATEGORIES:EP to campus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://www.formermembers.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/de-monfort1.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR