Foreign Policy Centre: Europe in the World

Europe in the World

Programme Director: Adam Hug

The Europe in the World programme sees a reformed and accountable European Union as a critically important multilateral tool to help address key cross-border and global challenges. The programme has three interlinked strands that form the core of its work. Firstly it seeks to explore the UK's dysfunctional relationship with the European Union, looking both at the party politics and at the level of public engagement and understanding of the key issues. Secondly it looks at ways in which the EU can reform its institutions and policies to increase accountability to its citizens and become more effective in its actions. Thirdly the Europe in the World programme explores how the EU can be an influence multiplier for its member states on the international stage. The project has a particular focus on how the EU works with countries to its immediate south and east, through the European Neighbourhood Policy and plans for enlargement, but also looks more broadly at European influence in the world and how effectively the post-Lisbon EU External Action Service is operating.

Upcoming Events

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Single Market, Equal Rights?

UK perspectives on EU employment and social law

A Foreign Policy Centre, European Commission Representation in the UK and TUC project

Date: Friday 10 February 2012, 2pm-5.45pm (Registration and lunch from 1pm, event followed by networking drinks)

Venue: TUC Congress House, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LS

The FPC, ECUK and TUC's 'Single Market, Equal Rights?' conference will be a high profile half-day event that will bring together a range of different British perspectives on the EU's role in employment and social law. The conference will look at the current state of the debate in Brussels on employment and social rights, take the political temperature in the UK around the issue and set out the benefits and challenges for workers, businesses and the country.

The Conference will involve a range of high profile speakers including:

Commissioner Lazlo Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Emma Reynolds MP, Shadow Europe Minister
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC
Professor Anne Davies, University of Oxford
Lord Monks, former General Secretary, ETUC
Billy Hayes, General Secretary, CWU and TUC Europe Spokesperson
Karen Clements, British Chambers of Commerce
Mats Persson, Director, Open Europe

The conference will also launch the 'Single Market, Equal Rights?' pamphlet with copies available for participants. The event is free and open to all, though places will be allocated on a first come-first served basis.

Please contact events@fpc.org.uk to RSVP for this event

Download Single Market, Equal Rights invite (180 kilobyte PDF)

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Single Market, Equal Rights? Birmingham event

UK perspectives on EU employment and social law

Date: Friday 20th April 6pm-7.30pm

Venue: Diamond Room, Macdonald Burlington, Burlington Arcade, 126 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4JQ

The FPC, EC and TUC's 'Single Market, Equal Rights?' Birmingham seminar will bring together a range of different British perspectives on the EU's role in employment and social law. The event will look at the current state of the debate in Brussels on employment and social rights, take the political temperature in the UK around the issue and set out the benefits and challenges for workers, businesses and the country.

Our panel will comprise:

Emma Reynolds MP, Shadow Europe Minister
Lorely Burt MP, Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party
Further speakers TBC

The event is free and open to all.

Please contact events@fpc.org.uk to RSVP for this event

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Single Market, Equal Rights? Cardiff event

UK perspectives on EU employment and social law

Date: Friday 11th May 6pm-7.30pm

Venue: Hilton Cardiff, Kingsway, Cardiff, CF10 3HH

The FPC, EC and TUC's 'Single Market, Equal Rights?' Cardiff seminar will bring together a range of different British perspectives on the EU's role in employment and social law. The event will look at the current state of the debate in Brussels on employment and social rights, take the political temperature in the UK around the issue and set out the benefits and challenges for workers, businesses and the country.

Our panel will comprise:

Kay Swinburne MEP (Conservative)
Derek Vaughan MEP (Labour)
Dr Nick Parsons, School of European Studies, Cardiff University
Further speakers TBC

The event is free and open to all.

Please contact events@fpc.org.uk to RSVP for this event

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Articles

Necas in a bind: The Eurozone fiscal compact and the Czech Republic

By Tanweer Ali.

The Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas could have done without this month's fiscal compact. The size of his government's majority might give a misleading impression of stability, in a three-party coalition which is fractious and riven with rivalries; the strains became apparent not long after the government was formed in the summer of 2010. Moreover, the past few weeks have seen a spate of ministerial resignations amidst evidence of impropriety, and the government is badly trailing the opposition Social Democrats in the polls.

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John Bull's Britain: Paddling towards European isolation

By Adam Hug. Source: Huffington Post UK

The decision of the UK government at Thursday's summit actions to block Eurozone attempts to stabilize itself through EU structures has rightly been described as a potential watershed in the country's troubled relationship with Brussels. The implications of the Prime Minister's actions have been much chewed over in the media and by commentators (including myself) on Twitter over recent days. However there are a few things that need to be made clear in this maelstrom of a debate:

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Elephant traps for policy-makers: A reflection on the Eurozone Crisis

By Chris Ostrowski.

Writing about the crisis in the Eurozone is an intriguing and difficult task. The thesis I defended on the Sovereign Debt Crisis in July 2011 now seems dated as in the last three months events have moved forward at twice the speed and the nature of the crisis has changed from being one of Sovereign Debt to one of more deep rooted economic instability. The entire episode has been beset by political confusion as laborious attempts to find a solution seem to be forever behind the curve.

Rather than adding yet more column inches to the debate with an article which states that: "the only solution is…" it might be useful to reflect on what has made it so difficult to find a solution to the crisis and establish some guiding principles in the context of international political problem solving.

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Publications

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The new British politics and Europe: Conflict or cooperation?

Adam Hug (Ed.)

August 2011 Hard copy: £4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download The New British Politics and Europe: Conflict or Cooperation (740 kilobyte PDF)

The FPC and European Commission Representation in the UK have published a new report entitled The new British politics and Europe: Conflict or cooperation? It explores how Britain's coalition government has coped with the potentially divisive issue of Europe, looking at how its approach has affected the UK's relations with other member states, what it means for the debate on the EU within the parties and the main challenges that lie ahead. The report also examines the way forward for Britain's pro-Europeans.

Edited by FPC Policy Director Adam Hug, the report features contributions from former Liberal Democrat leader Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP, leading Conservative Eurosceptic Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Labour's Shadow Europe Minister Wayne David MP, former Conservative leader in Brussels turned Lib Dem MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament Edward McMillan-Scott MEP, the founder of E!Sharp Paul Adamson and Professor of West European Politics at the University of Birmingham Anand Menon.

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Spotlight on Armenia

Adam Hug (Ed.)

February 2011 Hard copy: £4.95 , plus £1 p+p.

Download Spotlight on Armenia (1.34 megabyte PDF)

Spotlight on Armenia provides a clear analysis of the major challenges Armenia faces regarding democratic development, rule of law, media freedom, corruption and other human rights issues, while examining the impact of its international relationships on domestic politics. It argues for greater UK, EU and Western engagement in Armenia but that increased incentives must be matched by stronger pressure for reform.

Edited by Adam Hug (Foreign Policy Centre) the pamphlet contains contributions from leading Armenia experts including: The Caucasus Research Resource Centers, Tsira Chanturia (Penal Reform International), Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan (Eurasia Partnership Foundation), Narine Gasparyan (American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative), Richard Giragosian (Armenian Center for National and International Studies), Alexander Iskandaryan (Caucasus Institute), Dr Elisabeth Robson (East-West Insight), Vladimir Shkolnikov, Irina Urumova, Anna Walker (Control Risks) and Dr Mikael Zolyan (Brusov University).

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Reconnecting the European Parliament and its people

Adam Hug (Ed.)

2010

Download Reconnecting the European Parliament and its people (580 kilobyte PDF)

As Westminster debates controversial reforms to the electoral system and its parliamentary procedures in an attempt to reconnect with the voters, time has come for reform to an institution that is perhaps facing bigger problems connecting with the public - the European Parliament.

The Foreign Policy Centre and the European Representation in the United Kingdom's new pamphlet, sets out a radical agenda for reforming the European Parliament's relationship with the public. Edited by FPC Policy Director Adam Hug, it contains important contributions from leading experts including Dr Richard Corbett (FPC Senior Research Associate, former MEP and member of the Cabinet of President Van Rompuy), Dr Michael Shackleton (Head of the UK office of the European Parliament) and Dr Christian Kaunert alongside key stakeholders Dr Adam Marshall (British Chambers of Commerce), Liz Atkins (formerly NCVO) and Cllr Flo Clucas (Local Government Association).

Reconnecting the European Parliament and its people proposes scrapping the current closed-list electoral system. It proposes a radical new system that mixes individual local constituencies with a national top-up list to ensure that every vote matters and that gives a clear answer to the question - 'who is my MEP?' It sets out ideas for reforming expenses, breaking the Strasbourg deadlock, making MEPs more accountable for their views and giving them greater powers in certain areas. The pamphlet recommends improvements in the way the European Parliament and its members work with stakeholders, the media and national parliaments.

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Past Events

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Single Market, Equal Rights?

UK perspectives on EU employment and social law

A Foreign Policy Centre, European Commission Representation in the UK and TUC project

Date: Friday 10 February 2012, 2pm-5.45pm (Registration and lunch from 1pm, event followed by networking drinks)

Venue: TUC Congress House, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LS

The Conference will involve a range of high profile speakers including:

Commissioner Lazlo Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Emma Reynolds MP, Shadow Europe Minister
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC
Professor Anne Davies, University of Oxford
Lord Monks, former General Secretary, ETUC
Billy Hayes, General Secretary, CWU and TUC Europe Spokesperson
Karen Clements, British Chambers of Commerce
Mats Persson, Director, Open Europe

Please contact events@fpc.org.uk to RSVP for this event

Download Single Market, Equal Rights invite (180 kilobyte PDF)

Show just this event