Erasmus – yesterday, today and tomorrow Benefits and opportunities for European youth The Erasmus programme celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary last year, and is often considered as one of Europe’s greatest success. Since its establishment in 1987, almost 3 million young Europeans have studied in one of the 33 European countries participating in the scheme. However, the programme recently came under threat of financial shortcomings. The European Commission is looking to the future and has released a proposal on a new “Erasmus for all” programme which aims to merge various European exchange programmes in the areas of education, training, youth and sport. A panel discussion about the benefits of the Erasmus programme will feature Vanessa Debiais, Head of the Erasmus team, European Commission Ruth Sinclair-Jones, Head of European Programmes, British Council James Kennedy, International Officer, University of Warwick Kira Huju, UCL student and Chair of the Young European Movement’s London branch Rebecca Harding, CEO, Delta EconomicsIf you would like to attend please send an e-mail with your full name and organisation. Thursday 25 April, 5 pm to 7 pm National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HE The second in a seminar series on Multi-Speed Europe, organised jointly by the Federal Trust, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation and the Global Policy Institute, considering the challenges and difficulties of constructing a democracy functioning at the European, and not simply at the national level.. Democracy in a Multi-Speed Europe Panellists will include Dr Simon Usherwood – Senior Lecturer, University of Surrey Anthony Teasdale – Director, EU Internal Policies, European Parliament and co-author of The Penguin Companion to European Union Josef Janning – Mercator Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations To attend this event, please contact Ulrike Rüb-Taylor Monday 13 May, 10 am to 6.15 pm Smith Square Conference Centre, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ. This one-day conference will consider how forty years of EU membership have affected the UK’s economy, foreign policy and politics. Leading figures from business, politics, the civil service and diplomatic service will examine the (sometimes fraught) relationship between Britain and the Union. Forty years on from Britain’s accession to the EU and at a time when the UK’s membership is being re-examined by both politicians and the public, this event will offer an opportunity for both a retrospective examination of the UK’s relationship with the EU and a chance to look to its future.. The Impact of EU Membership on the UK since 1973 Speakers will include Sir Stephen Wall (Former Permanent Representative to the EU) David Frost (Director of Europe, Trade & International at the Dept of Business, Innovation & Skills) Charles Grant (Director of the Centre for European Reform Sir Nigel Sheinwald (Former Permanent Representative to the EU) Judith Kirton-Darling (European Trade Union Confederation) Neil Bentley (Deputy Director General of the CBI) Lord David Hannay of Chiswick For more information and to register see UACES site Tuesday 21 May, 5 pm to 6.45 pm Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3RB On the edge – Britain on the European sidelines ? This conference is the final event in a series co-funded by the European Commission Representation in London. Speakers: Professor Stephen Haseler, Director, Global Policy Institute Jackie Minor, Head of Representation London, European Commission Lord Dykes, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords Brendan Donnelly, Director, The Federal Trust To attend this event, please contact Ulrike Rüb-Taylor | Monday 3 June, 10 am Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU | The Future of the EU With just over a year to go until the European elections, Business for New Europe and the European Parliament Information Office bring together senior policy makers, journalists and economists to look ahead to the campaign and potential results, as well as the impact on the future of the EU from 2014. Registration and coffee – 10:00 – 10:30 The EU post-2014 10:30 – 12:00 European elections – how will Europe vote? The rise of Euroscepticism across Europe European Commission post-2014 Panel chaired by Benedicte Paviot, UK Correspondent, France 24: Emma Reynolds MP, Shadow Europe Minister Guy Verhofstadt MEP, Leader Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe Martin Callanan MEP, Leader European Conservatives & Reformists Professor Simon Hix, Head, Dept of Government, LSE, Founder of Votewatch.eu Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics, King’s College London Wednesday 5 June, 5 pm to 6.45 pm Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3RB The Referendum – Friend or Enemy of European Integration ? The principal speaker will be Professor Richard Rose, Director, Centre for the Study of Public Policy, University of Strathclyde, who has recently published a book on this subject, entitled Representing Europeans – A Pragmatic Approach. To attend this event, please contact Ulrike Rüb-Taylor Thursday 13 June 2013, 4 – 7 pm The Embassy of the Republic of Poland, 47 Portland Place, London W1B 1JH | | Labour mobility within the EU Economic and social impact of free movement of workers on the UK economy The European Movement and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland are holding an event to discuss the issue of free movement of labour in the EU. The benefits of immigration and the right of EU citizens to move freely across the EU have been questioned recently. Some argue that EU citizens moving to the UK impose a heavy burden on social services and have an adverse effect on the UK economy. This event will bring together a collection of experts as well as EU citizens living and working in the UK and aims to discuss the facts around the right of free movement of labour and the true economic and social effects it has on the UK economy.Session I: Nine years after the biggest EU enlargement: free movement of people – current situation and future forecasts Panel Rt. Hon Chris Bryant MP, Shadow Minister for Immigration Jackie Morin, Head of Unit, DG Employment, European Commission Jonathan Portes, Director, National Institute for Economic and Social Research Pawel Swidlicki, Research Analyst, Open EuropeSession II: European citizens as active members of local communities – impact of the A8 nationals on the British society Panel Joanna Dabrowska, Councillor of Ealing Common Ward Dominika Lipska, Herefordshire Council Vera Spender Koubkova, Executive Committee Member, Czech British Chamber of Commerce in London If you would like to attend please send an e-mail with your full name and organisation. | | Monday 17 June, 6.30 pm Hanover Room, Brighthelm Centre North Street, Brighton BN1 1YD (5 minutes walk from Brighton station) | Let’s talk about UKIP The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) is rising in the polls. The party now has 205 county and borough councillors. Moving beyond its original eurosceptic stance it has increasingly adopted an anti-immigrant platform. UKIP arguments could well dominate next year’s European Elections. There is concern that their growth will push the mainstream parties to the right on immigration, integration and race. So how should thoughtful people respond?. The event is organised by Hope not hate. Wednesday 19 June, 5 pm to 7 pm National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HE The third in a seminar series on Multi-Speed Europe, organised jointly by the Federal Trust, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation and the Global Policy Institute, discussing the potential impact of multi-speed integration on the European Union. Multi-speed Europe and the €urozone Panel discussion with Sir Brian Unwin – former President of the European Investment Bank Dr Ulrich Hoppe – Director General, German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce Brendan Donnelly – Director, The Federal Trust After questions and discussion with the audience conclusions will be drawn by the Chairman, Hans-Hartwig Blomeier, Director, Konrad Adenauer Foundation To attend this event, please contact Ulrike Rüb-Taylor Tuesday 25 June, 7 pm to 8.45 pm One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA EU Summit briefing The European Movement and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung EU Summit Briefing is being held just days before another important EU Summit. A panel of experts will discuss with guests from Westminster, the City, academia and beyond what’s on the European Council’s agenda, what the future holds for the EU and the eurozone and assess the EU membership debate in Britain and how it is perceived across Europe. The panel discussion will feature: Laura Sandys, MP Conservative, Member of the European Mainstream Group Professor Andreas Roedder, Gerda Henkel Visiting Professor at LSE and at the German Historical Institute London Lord Dykes, House of Lords Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on European Affairs John Springford, Centre for European Reform If you would like to attend please send an e-mail with your full name and organisation. Saturday 20 July, from 2 pm  | West Kent branch Garden Party at Elm Hill House, High Street, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4XU (west of Hawkhurst on the south side of A268 road about halfway between Flimwell and Hawkhurst) click here for a map – you can zoom in for a closer view | West Kent European Movement will be holding a summer afternoon Garden Party at the home of Ben and Felicity Patterson The guest speaker will be Chris Horseman, Editorial Director of Informa Agra, who will speak at 3pm on current reforms to the EU Common Agricultural Policy, and other issues related to food security. Tickets are £5 a head. Please do bring some picnic food and soft drinks. Tuesday 24 September, 2 pm to 6.15 pm Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3RB Will the changes in the €urozone demand new institutions for the EU? Speakers: Prof Dr Otmar Höll, Scientific Researcher, Austrian Institute for International Affairs Prof Dr Andras Inotai, Research Professor of the Institute of World Economics, Research Center for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Dr Petr Kratochvíl, Director, Institute of International Relations, Prague Remaking Europe: Framework for a policy Sir Stephen Wall, former Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the EU Pierre de Boissieu, former Permanent Representative of France to the EU and former Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, the two co-authors of their new report Remaking Europe: Framework for a policy, published by the French think tank Synopia, will present the report and take part in a discussion. This event is organised as part of the LISBOAN Erasmus Academic Network, which is funded by the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme. To attend this event, please contact Ulrike Rüb-Taylor Wednesday 9 October, 4.30 pm to7 pm National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HE Western Europe, Eastern Europe: Reassessing Relationships Speakers: Andras Tombor, founder of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, former adviser to Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary) Agata Gostynska (Polish Institute of International Affairs) Tibor Fischer, Hungarian novelist and writer Viara Bojkova, Global Policy Institute, London Metropolitan University/ Bulgaria With a response by: Graham Avery, Honorary Director-General, European Commission This event is jointly organised with Global Policy Institute and Mathias Corvinus Collegium, Hungary If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP to events@gpilondon . Monday 14 October, 6.30 pm to 8 pm New Theatre, East Building, London School of Economics and Political Science Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE (printable location map) LSE European Institute Can the European Union reconnect with its citizens? As populist parties and demagogues trade blows with discredited elites, political legitimacy in Europe seems more fragile than ever. Has the €uro crisis dealt it a mortal blow? Speaker: Gavin Hewitt has been the BBC’s Europe editor since 2009. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which is The Lost Continent. Chaired by: Professor Maurice Fraser, professor of practice in European politics at the LSE European Institute This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. For any queries e-mail events@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7955 6043. Friday 22 November, 7 pm for 7.30 pm  | West Kent branch Lithuanian evening Sevenoaks Town Council Chamber, Bradbourne Vale Road (A25), Sevenoaks, Kent TN3 3QH click here for a map – you can zoom in for a closer view access to the Town Hall is on the south side of A25 about.500 metres west of the Bat & Ball junction with A225 – it’s combined with access to Red Cross Hall | The guest speaker will be Asta Skaisgirytè Liauškienè who will be speaking about Priorities of Lithuania in the Presidency of EU Council The evening will feature a Lithuanian-themed meal and refreshments. The cost is £21 per person. Please send cheques payable to ‘West Kent European Movement’ to Richard Wassell, 10a Tubs Hill Parade, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1DH. Download the registration form with full details Cheques payable to West Kent European Movement. |