15 June 2006

The constitutional treaty is dead - Europe should do less, but better

SARAH SCHAEFER, Director of the Europe Programme at the Foreign Policy Centre today said:

"Tony Blair must put Britain at the heart of the debate on EU reform. The constitutional treaty is dead and member states should use this summit to bury it for good. What is now needed is a clear vision by member states to create an effective, efficient, and streamlined EU that will deliver real benefits to its people. A reformed, smaller European Commission is crucial to this process.

"There is no reason why each country should have a Commissioner and they should be elected on merit not country of origin. It should do less, but in areas such as the single market and energy it should have more clearly defined powers so that it can works towards creating greater prosperity and security for all.

The Foreign Policy Centre's Commission on EU Reform was launched in April 2006 to discuss plans for a reformed EU Commission. It will publish its blueprint for reform in October.

The Commission's members are: Lord Hannay of Chiswick, Robert Jackson, Gisela Stuart MP, Neil Sherlock, Nick Clegg MP, Neena Gill MEP and Rt Hon Denis MacShane MP. It is chaired by Stephen Twigg, Director of the FPC.

Editor's Notes

• Lord Hannay was Ambassador and permanent representative to the European Communities between 1985 and 1990. He spent the next five years as an Ambassador and permanent represenetaive at the United Nations.
• Robert Jackson was the MP for Wantage from 1983 to 2005. He was a Conservative MP who defected to the Labour Party in 2005.
• Gisela Stuart is the Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston
• Neil Sherlock is a Senior Partner at KPMG
• Nick Clegg is the Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam and Shadow Home Affairs spokesman
• Neena Gill is Labour MEP for the West Midlands
• Rt Hon Denis MacShane, is Labour MP for Rotherham and former Europe Minister

The current parliamentary system for examining legislation from Brussels is flawed, according to a new Foreign Policy Centre pamphlet by CBI chief Sir Digby Jones, with a preface by Dr Denis MacShane, Minister for Europe.

Download the press release (60 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

22 September 2004

Download the press release (60 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

By Dick Leonard. Source: European Voice

Time to upgrade its action plan, argues Dick Leonard

Full text 

By Dick Leonard. Source: European Voice

No gridlock – so far. How the EU has adapted to enlargement.

Full text 

By Dick Leonard. Source: European Voice

Constitutional debate must not be monopolized by governments, argues Ecas

Full text 

David Clark, Neil Kinnock, Michael Leahy, Ken Livingstone, John Monks, Stephen Twigg

September 2005 £4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download the report (110 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

At this decisive moment in the development of both the European Uion and the democratic left, European politics must not be allowed to become a competitive struggle between different national approaches. This pamphlet argues that a social model of the future must reflect a synthesis of what is best in each whilst still facilitating advances which accord with national preferences and conditions. In this process, Britain has much to offer, but it also still has much to learn.

Further information 

Dick Leonard

June 30, 2005

Download Counter-terrorism and human rights - is the EU on course? (20 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

The EU responded with commendable – if unusual – alacrity to the worldwide terrorist threat unleashed on 11 September 2001.

Now, nearly four years later, Amnesty International has produced a disturbing report questioning how far this objective has been met.

Dick Leonard examines the EU's approach to counter-terrorism in an article published in The European Voice.

Grace Annan

Download European Parliament Policy Brief (60 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

This Policy Brief reviews a recent plea from the European Parliament for a stronger voice in the constitutional arrangements for EU foreign and security policy. In the wake of the referendum results in France and the Netherlands, there is a new recognition that European leaders must address the democratic deficit in EU decision-making. Whether or not the Parliament succeeds in these bids will depend on its ability to speak with one voice and to actively make this voice heard in national capitals in the coming one to two years.

Wednesday 28 March, 2007

Time: 10.30am to 11.45am

Keynote speech: Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP

Chair: Stephen Twigg

Venue: Committee Room 9, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA PLEASE NOTE ROOM CHANGE(Access via St Stephen's Entrance)

Places are limited, please RSVP to: alex.bigham[at]fpc.org.uk

+44 (0)20 7729 7566

Download Alan Johnson's speech (30 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

Tuesday 6 March, 2007

Rt Hon Peter Hain MP

Chair: Stephen Twigg

Kindly hosted by:

Hill & Knowlton

20 Soho Square

London W1A 1PR

About the event:

Peter Hain spoke and took questions at a packed Foreign Policy Centre discussion on "The End of Foreign Policy?" kindly hosted at the offices of Hill & Knowlton.

Since the events of September 11th, the barriers between the domestic and the international have further broken down. The old definition of "the national interest" is too narrow a guide to foreign policy in a globalised world, but we are still developing the new rules which should replace it. How can we redefine a multilateral foreign policy to encompass this new dynamic? Today's foreign policy needs to be shaped by ideas, not by events.

You can download a copy of Peter Hain's speech below

Download Peter Hain's speech to the Foreign Policy Centre (50 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

An ODI, Foreign Policy Centre and APGOOD Event

Global Challenges: Europe's Role

Keynote Speaker: Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Thursday 1st February, 1.00 – 2.30PM

Committee Room 10, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA (please use St Stephen's entrance) PLEASE NOTE ROOM CHANGE

At this joint ODI, Foreign Policy Centre and All Party Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development (APGOOD) event, Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Minister for Europe will speak about the role Europe can play in addressing today's major global challenges.

The Minister would like his speech to focus on the thoughts of the audience in this respect and to this end, you are invited to submit your own thoughts here in response to the following questions:

1. Which three main global challenges are especially suited for a Europe-wide response?

2. What three main strengths and three main weaknesses will determine whether the EU is or is not able to deliver a good response?

3. What does the UK and wider European development/external relations community have to do differently to make sure the weaknesses are overcome?

All feedback received in response to these questions will be passed to the Minister's office in advance of the event and his speech will endeavour to address the major themes which emerge.

If you would like to attend, please click here to register your place and submit your thoughts on the Minister's questions: http://www.odi.org.uk/speeches/apgood/international_development/1stFeb07/form.html

Please note that the deadline for submitting feedback is 12.00NOON on Thursday 18th January. Submissions received after then will not be passed to the Minister's office, although you will still be able to register for the meeting until 48 hours before the event.

Download Geoff Hoon's speech (30 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

Royal Netherlands Embassy, London

On 9 June 2005 Quentin Peel, the Foreign Editor of the Financial Times, chaired a discussion between leaders of the French and Dutch campaigns on the EU Constitution and its implications for the British vote.

The event offered the opportunity for a high-level group of UK policy-makers, campaigners, business leaders and media representatives to discuss the results of both referendums; the reasons behind the results; necessary future action by the EU as well as the lessons to be learned for a potential British vote.

Paneliests were Nick Clegg MP, Monique Saliou-Gloux of the French Socialist Party and Lousewies van der Laan, deputy leader of the Dutch Liberal Democratic Party (D66).

The event report will be posted soon.

Download the event report (30 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

A seminar with:

Sir Digby Jones

Director-General, The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

and

Dr Denis MacShane MP

Minister of State for Europe

Monday 4 April 2005

The debate over how national governments and parliaments can best scrutinise European legislation is of critical importance to the evolution of the EU.

This seminar marked the launch of a new pamphlet from The Foreign Policy Centre, 'UK Parliamentary Scrutiny of EU Legislation', by Sir Digby Jones (Director-General, The Confederation of British Industry), with a preface by Dr Denis MacShane MP, British Minister for Europe.

It sets out the key advantages and flaws of the current scrutiny system, and identifies the priorities for reform.

Read the report.

On March 29, the Barrow Cadbury Trust and The Foreign Policy Centre hosted a Global Exchange Forum conference on 'Social Capital: A Policy Tool for North and South?'. The conference brought together some of the luminaries on social capital and related debates from the North and the South, including: Professor Anthony Giddens; Matilde Ribeiro, Minister for Race Equality (Brazil); Maxine Molyneux, Institute of Latin American Studies; Anthony Heath, Oxford University; Jean Pierre Voyer, Policy Research Initiative (Canada); Michael Woolcock, World Bank; Raja Dharmapala, Dharmavedi Institute (Sri Lanka); David Halpern, Prime Minister's Strategy Unit.

The aim of the conference was to improve channels of communications and create networks between Northern and Southern policymaking communities, both inside and outside of government. It explored ways in which social capital has been understood in different contexts and how it has been applied in key areas of policy. In particular, it focused on three areas: the empowerment of women, managing communities under stress and improving race relations.

Click here to read the conference report.