2009 News Archive
17.08.09 Conference News Update - Europe 1989-2009, Reunited and Revitalised
In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the end of the Berlin Wall and Communist rule in Europe, as well as the 5th anniversary of the EU’s enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus and Malta, a series of events examining the legacy of these changes for Europe and the world will take place across New Zealand.
09.07.09 Take a fresh look at Europe - with Europarltv
Tune in to Europe with the European Parliament's new WebTV. For more information please visit: www.europarltv.eu
08.06.09 Internship to give student inside experience of Antarctic Treaty politics
A UC student has become the first New Zealander to be awarded an internship to the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat in Buenos Aires. The full article is available online in The Chronicle Volume 44, No.8
25.05.09 Swedish EU Presidency Launches Logo
Logo for Swedish EU presidency (1st July – 31st Dec 2009) launched.
21.05.09 Report on the conference the "Power of Europe"
The report of the conference on the "Power of Europe" which took place on May 7-8, Palais Egmont, Brussels is now available online. Download the Report (PDF, 374 KB)
19.05.09 Research looks at Kiwis’ perception of the EU
The May 2009 issue of the chronicle features an article on Nick Smith. Nick, who is studying towards an MA through the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE), spent his summer break reviewing literature on NZ return migration, establishing contacts with NZ diaspora networks and undertaking research looking at how New Zealanders who have lived in the EU perceive the Union after they return to NZ. The full article is available online in The Chronicle Volume 44, No.7
15.05.09 NCRE Scholars Published
Three NCRE scholars have published an article on European Commission Delegations in the latest issue of the journal European Foreign Affairs Review
European Commission Delegations and EU Public Policy: Stakeholders’ Perceptions from the Asia-Pacific - Natalia Chaban, Serena Kelly and Jessica Bain. Text available here.
13.05.09 Virtual Europe Seminar this week
This week the NCRE seminar features NCRE Senior Lecturer Dr Milenko Petrovic. Dr Petrovic will be speaking on "Why is it so difficult for the Balkans to catch up? In search of the causes of slower post-communist transition and difficult accession to the EU of the Balkan states: History, geography or…?" This seminar will be held on Friday 15 May, 2:10pm, Virtual Europe (Commerce, Level 4). All are welcome to attend.
11.05.09 Cultural Diplomacy in Europe: A Forum for Young Leaders (21st – 26th June)
Call for Applications
The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (www.culturaldiplomacy.org) is currently accepting applications for the Weeklong Seminar of Cultural Diplomacy in Europe: A Forum for Young Leaders.
Who can apply?
The Seminar is open to applications from current students and young professionals with an active interest in European affairs.
What will the Weeklong Seminar involve?
The program for the Weeklong Seminar will consist of lectures, seminars, workshops, and cultural activities in and around Berlin. The participants will meet with leading figures from the political, diplomatic, academic and civil society spheres to discuss relations between European countries and consider how it can be supported through organized cultural exchange.
What are the aims of the Weeklong Seminar?
The Seminar aims to inform the participants about the field of Cultural Diplomacy and its importance today, raise awareness of key issues in European affairs, create a network between the Seminar participants, and give the participants creative ideas and support for future initiatives.
What happens after the Seminar?
After completing the Weeklong Seminar the participants become members of the Forum. They are then supported by the ICD in conducting research, in organizing and developing leadership initiatives, and are invited to join the ICD Online Forum where they can network with the other Young Leaders from around the world.
For questions relating to the Seminar, please click here or email us: europe@culturaldiplomacy.org
06.05.09 NCRE Seminar
This weeks NCRE Seminar features NCRE PhD Candidate Des Brennan. Des will be speaking on "From the Baltic to the Carpathians: a trip along the EU's eastern border” on Friday 8th May, Virtual Europe, 2.10pm, (Commerce Level Four). All are welcome to attend.
26.04.09 Mr George Cunningham confirmed as Guest Speaker for the New Zealand Europe Business Council AGM
Mr George Cunningham
Chargé d'Affaires
European Commission Delegation to New Zealand.
Previously, he was coordinator for bilateral trade relations with the United States at the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade. He has served as the number two and Head of the Accession Process and Cooperation Section at the European Commission's Delegation in Nicosia (2003-05) and was Head of Press and Public Affairs and political counsellor at the EC's Delegation to the United Nations in New York (2000-2003).
Tuesday, 5th May, at 5.30pm
at the offices of the British Consulate General,
Level 17, IAG House, 151 Queen Street, Auckland
(Corner of Queen and Wyndham Street)
>> Further information
15.04.09 Speech on Baltic Security, University of Auckland
HE Mr Urmas Paet, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Estonia will deliver a speech at the University of Auckland on Friday 17th of April.
>> Further information
06.04.09 Call for Papers
Europe Twenty Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Overcoming “East and West” – International Conference
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, 3-4 November 2009
This conference reflects on the origin, nature and impact of the divisions between the ‘two Europes’. We welcome papers which examine the divisions within Europe from a broad range of disciplines, including but not limited to: sociology, political science, economics, history and cultural studies. Papers might examine specific political, socio-economic and cultural developments in the countries of former Eastern Europe and/or the “Europe of 15” after 1989. They can refer to the problem of ‘divisions’ generally or in the context of relations among EU member states. Scholars who provide new theoretical and/or empirical insights into the events which led to or occurred in 1989 are also strongly encouraged to submit abstracts and present their papers at the conference.
The closing date for submissions is 29 May 2009.
>> Further Information
06.04.09 European Elections Website
A new website for the forthcoming European Elections has been launched.
>> Further information
25.03.09 First Issue of EU Centre's Policy Brief Launched
The European Union (EU) Centre in Singapore is pleased to announce the launch of its very first Policy Brief which is attached. The inaugural issue of the EU Centre’s Policy Briefs is on the Economic Monetary Union and the Euro. It looks at the achievements of the first decade of the euro and the challenges as we go ahead, particularly in light of the current global financial crisis. It also examines how the experience of the past decade with the euro offers lessons for the ongoing economic integration in Asia. The EU Centre’s Policy Brief series aim to provide succinct background knowledge and analysis on topical EU-related issues and policy matters to a wide range of audience interested in learning more about the EU and its policies.
The EU Centre Policy Brief is published by The European Union Centre in Singapore in conjunction with the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technical University.
The first issue can be downloaded here.
23.03.09 Lobbying the European Union: Institutions, Actors, and Issues
It is universally accepted that there has been a huge growth in EU lobbying over the past few decades. There is now a dense EU interest group system. This entirely new volume, inspired by Mazey & Richardson's 1993 book Lobbying in the European Community , seeks to understand the role of interest groups in the policy process from agenda-setting to implementation. Specifically, the book is interested in observing how interest groups organise to influence the EU institutions and how they select different coalitions along the policy process and in different policy domains.
In looking at 20 years of change, the book captures processes of institutional and actor learning, professionalisation of lobbying, and the possible emergence of a distinct EU public policy style. More specifically, from the actors' perspective, the editors are interested in assessing how the rise of direct lobbying and the emergence of fluid issue-based coalitions has changed the logic of collective action, and what is the potential impact of 'venue-shopping' on reputation and influence. From an institutional perspective, the contributors explore resource and legitimacy demands, and the practical impact of consultation processes on the emergence of a distinct EU lobbying relationship. It will be essential reading for academics and practitioners alike.
Edited by David Coen, Professor of Public Policy, University College London. and
Jeremy Richardson, Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford University, and Adjunct Professor, National Centre for Research on Europe, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Published by Oxford University Press - to be released in June.
>> Further Information
23.03.09 Richie (International Research Network of Young Historians in European Integration)
The aim of our activities is to get in contact with young researchers and to assist them in answering calls for papers. We organise conferences and workshops, open to young researchers in European Integration History, and we have created a directory of young researchers and phd students in the field of European Integration. We publish an electronic-newsletter.
Our organisation is also in charge of a mailing list consecrated to the European Union.
>> Further Information
05.03.09 Mrs Quintin's Speech at the University of Melbourne
Meeting the Challenges for Education in Europe - speech at the University of Melbourne, hosted by EU Centres and Jean Monnet Centre.
"One of my reasons for visiting Australia is to exchange ideas about higher education with the Australian authorities. Earlier today, I met my counterparts from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Our enriching discussions underline just how much we can improve by sharing our experience.
In fact, the European Union itself places a high value on improving performance by learning from each other within a broad policy cooperation framework. It is worth remembering that within the EU, each of the 27 Member States is responsible for their own education systems. Although each system is unique, we all face the same challenges, and mutual learning can inspire all partners towards change.
The job of the European Commission is to support countries in taking forward their reforms, agreeing common objectives, and identifying successful policies and practices. We also manage a significant Lifelong Learning Programme, with a budget of about 7 billion euro (14 billion Australian dollars) from 2007 to 2013, which supports large-scale mobility within Europe, for schools, teachers, vocational education and adults, as well as higher education mobility in our popular Erasmus funding strand.
One central focus of our work has been a thorough overhaul of European higher education, and our combined efforts are beginning to bear fruit."
>> Full Text of Speech
05.03.09 Call for Papers - The External Relations of the European Union: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
A global Conference of the Monash European and EU Centre, the Monash
Asia Institute (Monash University, Melbourne), the National Centre for
Research on Europe (University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand),
the University of New South Wales, Sydney, the European Studies Centre
(Sichuan University, China) and the Machiavelli Centre for Cold War
Studies (CIMA), University of Florence.
Monash University, Melbourne, 24-25 September 2009
The closing date for abstracts is 31 March 2009
>> Full Details here.
04.03.09 European Elections 2009
The 7th European Parliament elections are due to take place in June 2009. Some 400 million Europeans will be eligible to elect 736 MEPs for the only European institution in which citizens have a direct say in who represents them.
>>Read More
24.02.09 French Ambassador to open "NCRE Virtual Europe Seminar Series" 2009
The National Centre for Research on Europe welcomes all new and continuing students to the Centre in 2009. The French Ambassador to NewZealand, HE Michel Le Gras, will open the 'NCRE Vitual Europe Seminar Series" for 2009. HE Le Gras will be speaking on the French Presidency of the European Union, Friday 27 February, 2:10pm in the Virtual Europe room.
05.01.09 NCRE congratulates New Years Honours Recipients from the EUCN Board
The National Centre for Research on Europe congratulates EUCN Board members Margaret Wilson (Waikato) and Prof. Caroline Saunders (Lincoln) who were awarded in the New Years Honours List 2009. Margaret Wilson received the DCNZM for services as a Member of Parliament and as Speaker of the House of Representatives, while Caroline Saunders received the ONZM for services to agricultural research.
18.12.08 2nd NCRE PhD Graduate
The NCRE would like to congratulate Dr Adrienna Ember, the second NCRE PhD graduate. After successfully defending her thesis "Possible impacts of Hungary's EU-membership on the development of bilateral relationships betweeen New Zealand and Hungary" earlier this year. Adrienna graduated yesterday at the University of Canterbury ceremony held in the Christchurch Town Hall.
02.12.08 European Commission Jean Monnet Programme - Call for proposals 2009
The European Commission's Jean Monnet Programme is designed to increase knowledge and awareness about European integration by promoting teaching, research, and debate on European Union matters at university-level institutions world-wide.
Via an annual call for applications, university-level institutions world-wide are encouraged to apply for the creation of Jean Monnet Modules, Jean Monnet Chairs, Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence, Information and Research activities (such as Conferences and Seminars) etc.
The call for proposals for 2009 is now available. Information on the call and the standard application forms can be found on the webaddress of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.
The deadline for proposal submission: 13 February 2009.