IEP Lunch Debate with Axel Schäfer: “New Institutions, new Policy? Expectations on European politics in Germany”
27 November 2014
On 27 November 2014, the IEP lunch debate on the topic of „New Institutions, new policy? Expectations on European politics in Germany“ with Axel Schäfer, MP and deputy head of the SPD parliamentary group, took place at the Representation of the European Commission in Berlin. Prof. Dr. Mathias Jopp, director of the Institut für Europäische Politik, moderated the event. An introductory speech was given by Bernhard Schnittger, head of the political division of the representation of the European Union Commission to Berlin. The speech has been focused on issues like low voter turnouts, rising Euroscepticism and a trend towards populist, radical right and extremist parties that are contrary to the founding idea of the EU. The whole report on the debate is published in English online.
Conference “Current Challenges for Germany’s European Policy: Deepening, Widening, Neighbourhood”
25-26 September 2014
On 25 and 26 September 2014, the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) organised an academic conference in cooperation with the Arbeitskreis Europäische Integration. More than 50 academics and practitioners gathered in Berlin in order to discuss the “Current Challenges for Germany’s European Policy: Deepening, Widening, Neighbourhood“. The panelists and participants discussed potential further strategies for reforming the EU’s political system as well as the Economic and Monetary Union, and the future role of the EU’s enlargement policy as a foreign policy tool. The conference was completed by a dinner speech by Peter Altmaier, Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister of Special Tasks, and a concluding speech by Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank. The whole report on the conference and the programme are published in English online.
24th annual conference of the German-Hungarian Forum and fourth conference of the Young German-Hungarian Forum
18-19 September 2014
On 18 and 19 September 2014, the 24th annual conference of the German-Hungarian Forum was held in the representation of the Magyar Telekom Nyrt. in Budapest and was attended by over 250 experts from politics, business, academia and civil society. In panel discussions and working groups, the participants, including Elmar Brok, MEP; Prof. Dr. Peter Balázs, Martin Kotthaus and László Szabó as represenatives of the German and Hungarian government as well as Zoltán Balog, Hungarian minister of Human Ressources, discussed bilateral issues as well as the present state the EU and the prospects for its future from a German and Hungarian perspective. In parallel, the fourth Young German-Hungarian Forum dealt with different German and Hungarian concepts of Europe and the expectations of young Europeans towards their home countries and the EU. The whole report on the German-Hungarian conference is published in English online.
IEP Lunch Debate with Dr. Peter Ptassek: “Perspectives of the Economic and Monetary Union”
16 September 2014
On 16 September 2014, the IEP Lunch Debate on the topic “Perspectives of the Economic and Monetary Union” with Dr. Peter Ptassek, Deputy Director of the European Department of the Federal Foreign Office, took place at the Representation of the European Commission in Berlin, Germany. The event was moderated by Prof. Dr. Mathias Jopp (IEP). Dr. Ptassek discussed several questions facing Europe, including the still existing concerns about the monetary union, Europe’s relations with Russia in light of the Ukraine Crisis, as well as the impending referendum in the UK and the threat of increased Euroscepticism. The whole report on the debate is published in English online.