Tuesday 8 April 2014
Deans Place Hotel, Alfriston
Reforming the EU
We timed this year’s seminar, our third at Deans Place, with the imminent euro-elections in mind. The consequences of the results are likely to influence much that is to come.
The day started with an assessment of the UK’s longer-term interests within the EU framework, with the sensitive issues for the country that this involves tackled by Alan Mayhew. The focus shifted after lunch to the European Parliament, with two ‘insiders’, South-East MEP Richard Ashworth and EP election candidate Antony Hook, arguing from their differing viewpoints for the changes to the institutions and practices that they saw as desirable.
The UK’s longer-term interests
Professor Alan Mayhew
Jean Monnet Professor – Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex.
An economist by training, Alan Mayhew heads a Europe-wide research programme
and is an adviser to the EC as well as a number of EU governments.
Changes to EU institutions and practices?
Richard Ashworth
MEP SE Region (Conservative) since 2004; ECR Group Coordinator on Budgets Committee;
member Agriculture Committee; former Leader UK Conservative MEPs;
member Policy Challenges Committee 2005-09; lifelong professional farming interest and involvement;
former Chair Plumpton College
Antony Hook
Lib Dem EP candidate in the SE Region.
[Antony Hook replaced Catherine Bearder MEP, who had been detained in Brussels.]
| The next five years – Europe versus the UK ? Read more about what was said at the May 2013 seminar |
| From our archive you can also see notes on what was said at lunch and dinner events which previously focussed on the country holding the Presidency of the EU Council: United Kingdom – Sir Stephen Wall Austria – Eveline Jamek, attaché for EU Affairs at the Austrian Embassy Finland – Alexander Stubb, Finnish MEP Germany – Michael Siebert, deputy head of the Political Section at the German Embassy Portugal – Israel Saraiva, First Secretary at the Portuguese Embassy Slovenia – Francis King, formerly head of the British Council in Ljubljana France – Diégo Colas, Conseiller politique – Ambassade de France à Londres Czech Republic – Zdeněk Kavan, Lecturer in Development Studies & International Relations Sweden – Per Augustsson, Deputy Head of Mission at the Swedish Embassy |