The Foundation’s international colloquium on the theme “Forms of Europe: European Union and other organisations” took place on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October. The scientific event attracted about 200 people who came to the University of Lausanne campus to attend the presentations by about fifteen experts.
The first day was devoted to the forms of Europe present in the European Union. After the opening of the symposium by the President of the Foundation Pat Cox, various contributions were made during the morning to support this theme: a first on the political and economic motivations behind the creation of the euro (Dr Gilles Grin); a second on the political dimension of economic governance (Prof. Dr Gilles Grin); a second on the political dimension of economic governance (Prof. Dr Gilles Grin). Dario Velo); then another on solidarity in the European Union (Melinda Merminod); and finally a final communication on the reasons for a differentiated development in the case of CFSP and JHA (Prof. Nicolas Levrat). Mr Pascal Fontaine, Vice-President of the Foundation and Honorary Director of the European Parliament, chaired the morning session, which ended with discussions with speakers, key players and the public.
The second part of the day was devoted to questions on values in the European Union (Prof. Fausto de Quadros), the importance and limits of federalism for the EU (Prof. Sabine Saurugger) as well as the evolution of the Community method (Prof. Gérard Bossuat), democracy in the EU (Prof. Gilbert Casasus) and a contribution by President Cox, entitled “An Ever Closer or a More Perfect Union? ». This second part preceded the lecture by Professor Leszek Balcerowicz, former Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, former Minister of Finance of the Republic of Poland and former President of the National Bank of Poland. This conference focused on the theme of differences in economic growth in Europe. You will find below the filmed sequences of this masterful economic presentation.
The colloquium continued during the morning of Saturday 22 October, which made it possible to discuss the forms of Europe outside the European Union, i. e. through other organisations. This morning also provided an opportunity to highlight the new generation of researchers thanks to a partnership between the Foundation and the organizations HEIRS (History of European Integration Research Society) and RICHIE (International Network of Young Researchers in the History of European Integration). These researchers presented other forms of Europe through NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, OECD and EFTA. This morning was chaired by Professor Brigid Laffan, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute in Florence, who gave her in-depth analysis by commenting on the various papers presented during the morning.
Before President Cox concluded this highly successful international symposium, a long period of exchange with stakeholders, control actors and the public took place. This discussion focused on issues such as Switzerland’s place in these organisations, Brexit and its potential effects on new forms of Europe, the historic post-war character of the organisations presented by the speakers, as well as the challenge of European defence and the future of political Europe towards a more federal form and a “hard core” European Union.
• See the conference program (in French only)
Opening of the conference by Pat Cox, President of the Foundation, former President of the European Parliament
Lecture by Leszek Balcerowicz
Discussion between Leszek Balcerowicz and Pat Cox
• Read Ambassador François Nordmann’s chronicle in Le Temps (31 October 2016).