EUCN Seminars
Farewell Seminar by Ambassador Julien to EUCN Partners
On Wednesday 6th of November the National Centre for Research on Europe hosted the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Australia and New Zealand, Mr Bruno Julien. The Ambassador is based in Canberra and was on a farewell visit to New Zealand as his posting comes to an end in November 2008. Mr Julien’s 3-year term has been an important one for EU-NZ relations and he has overseen significant achievements such as the signing of the 2007 Joint Declaration between the EU and NZ, a new Science and Technology Agreement, the opening of an EU Commission office in Wellington and the visits of two EU Commissioners. Professor Holland, who chaired the session, commented that these developments have meant that “EU-New Zealand relations have been taken to new levels.”
The Ambassador has been a keen supporter of the European Union Centres Network and congratulated the Network on their accomplishments in increasing the visibility of the European Union within academia and the wider public in New Zealand. Mr Julien stated that the networking achieved by the EUCN both with the EU and with other countries in the Asia Pacific region was a “great example of the cooperation that helps strengthen these relationships”.
The Ambassador helped to inaugurate the new Lifesize videolink online system at the new NCRE offices, with interested academics and students from Auckland and Victoria Universities listening and participating via video conference. In 2009, it is hoped to utilise this technology to host many more national round table sessions.
In his presentation the Ambassador discussed the importance for a strong relationship between New Zealand and the European Union, based on shared values and democratic principles, and the value of multilateral approaches to such issues as the financial crisis and climate change. He also highlighted the significance of strong ties between New Zealand and European universities in promoting a stronger relationship between New Zealand and the EU.
Following his presentation the Ambassador took questions from academics and students at all three universities, covering a range of topics, from aid to the Pacific to the governance crisis in Fiji, the global financial crisis and EU relations with the new US presidency. Students and staff at the NCRE then had the opportunity to meet and discuss their research with the Ambassador over lunch before he flew back to Australia in the afternoon.
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Post 2012 Burden Sharing Symposium
29th July 2008
National Library Auditorium, Wellington, 8.45am-5.00pm
How should the costs of mitigating and adapting to climate change be shared by the international community?
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Andreas Gross
(Member of the National Council of Switzerland; Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for the “State of Democracy in Europe”)
The EUCN supported the visit of Andreas Gross to New Zealand in June 2008, where he presented a number of talks around the country.
Andreas Gross, Japan born Swiss political scientist and historian, is a senior Swiss MP and leader of the social democratic group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Before beeing elected to the Parliament he was a peace movement activist and responsible for popular initiatives like the one against the Swiss army, against new air fighters and the one which broiught Switzerland into the UN. In the Council of Europe he has been special rapporteur for Chechnya, UN-Reform, the conflict resolving potentials of autonomous regions, and the state of Democracy in Europe (2007 and 2008). Vice president of the PACE 2004 and 2005 as well as 2008, Chairman of the Committee for Institutional Affairs of the Swiss Parliament 2006 and 2007. He is in theory and practise one of Europe’s biggest specialists on Direct Democracy and lecturer on the global comparison of Direct Democracy at German Universities and Swiss Technical Schools since 1993.
Powerpoint Presentations
Presentation at the Europe Institute, University of Auckland, "Constituting transnational democracy as the main challenge for European Integration". , 17th June 2008
Presentation at NCRE, University of Canterbury, "The double crisis of today's democracies: too indirect and too national." 19th June 2008
Presentation to the Timaru Instiute of International Affairs, "Direct democracy as an opportunity for collective political learning". 19th June 2008
Presentation to the 43rd Otago Foreign Policy School, "Direct democracy in foreign policy: Switzerland and Europe", 21st June 2008