On Thursday, November 26, 2015, the Foundation organized, in partnership with L’Hebdo magazine, the Jacques Delors Institute and the Jean Monnet Association, its 13th Dialogue, which was held on the campus of the University of Lausanne. It was a debate about the objectives of European integration and its future.
The following personalities spoke around Pat Cox, President of the Foundation, former President of the European Parliament and of the European Movement International and Chantal Tauxe, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of L’Hebdo, who jointly hosted the event: Nicola Forster, Pascal Lamy and Enrico Letta.
Etienne Davignon, Minister of State of Belgium and former Vice-President of the European Commission, who was on the Dialogue programme, was unfortunately forced to withdraw just before the event, as his presence was required in Belgium.
Nicola Forster, a lawyer by training, co-founded the think tank foraus – Foreign Policy Forum in 2009 and is its president.
Pascal Lamy is the Honorary President of the Jacques Delors Institute and former Director General of the WTO and a member of the European Commission.
Enrico Letta is the Dean of the School of International Affairs of Sciences Po Paris since 1 September 2015 and former President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy.
Above all, this debate offers a panoramic view of the prospects for European integration, starting from the current opportunities and difficulties.
It provides a general analysis of the state of European economic and political integration and also addresses the current crisis facing Europe in terms of migration, security and the economy. It presents the challenges related to the North-South dimension in Europe, with the main objective of highlighting the main risks that could contribute to the fragmentation of Europe.
The Dialogue was thus able to highlight the European construction with its strengths, vulnerabilities and the many challenges it faces.
Opening of the Dialogue by Pat Cox, President of the Foundation, former President of the European Parliament
Speech by Ms. Chantal Tauxe, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, L’Hebdo
Speech by Nicola Forster, President of the Think Tank Foraus – Foreign Policy Forum
Speech by Pascal Lamy, Honorary President of the Jacques Delors Institute and former Director General of the WTO and Member of the European Commission
Speech by Enrico Letta, Dean of the School of International Affairs of Sciences Po Paris and former President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy
Discussion with the public
Conclusion by Pat Cox