Berlin Conference "Federation or Confederation - where goes Europe after the Lisbon treaty?"

About the conference
Programme (Download the programme)
Reimbursement / Donation form EN DE FR

About the conference

On Friday 23rd October 2009, the Union of the European Federalists, with the collaboration of the Altiero Spinelli Institute for Federalist Studies and Europa-Union Deutschland, is organising in Berlin (Representation of the European Commission in Germany) a Conference entitled “Federation or Confederation, where goes Europe after the Lisbon treaty?”

Prof. Dr. Ingolf Pernice, Humboldt-University Berlin will introduce the conference, and Mr. Andrew Duff MEP, President of UEF, and Mr. Peter Altmaier MdB, President of Europa-Union Deutschland will open the discussions with the panel.

This event will be followed by a joint internal UEF-JEF seminar on “Why a European federal government?. The scope of the seminar is to clarify the main features of the strategy of the UEF after the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, in agreement with the general resolution approved by the Paris Congress. It is a brainstorming mainly among members of JEF and UEF, where Paolo Ponzano, Advisor of the European Commission on Institutional reforms, will give a general introduction.

In order to guarantee a free and large participation to the debate, the two sessions of the internal seminar will not be introduced by a speaker, but according to written proposals submitted in advance. Priority for opening reports will be given to speakers who had previously (before October 4th) sent to the UEF secretariat a written report, in English, of a length of no more than two pages. Every speaker can summarize its paper in 10 minutes. After the opening reports a general debate will follow. No conclusion is planned, because the scope of the seminar is not to outline a certain policy line, but only to clarify theoretical and practical aspects of the federalist strategy.

Logistics

REIMBURSEMENT CONDITIONS

Travel: Reimbursement of 50% of travel costs with a maximum of €150 to UEF and JEF members attending the seminar.

Accommodation: one night hotel covered for UEF FC members (max. 60€)

Programme

PUBLIC EVENT

“Federation or Confederation – where goes Europe after the Lisbon treaty?”

09:30	Opening and greeting Heinz-Wilhelm Schaumann, Vice-president of UEF Greeting address Detlev Clemens, Head of Communication Section of the Commission Represenation
09:45	Introduction speech „As much Europe as necessary… but, also as little as possible? – Europe’s chances to get a Constitution after the rule from the German Federal Constitutional Court on the Lisbon treaty“ Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ingolf Pernice, Director of the Walter Hallstein-Institute for European Constitutional Law of the Humboldt-University, Berlin
10:10	Comments from Peter Altmaier MdB, President of Europa-Union Deutschland, and Andrew Duff MEP, President of UEF
10:30	Panel discussion „Towards a European state or a Union of states? – which direction does the EU go after the Lisbon treaty?“ with
	Peter Altmaier MdB, President of Europa-Union Deutschland Andrew Duff MdEP, President of UEF Armin Duttine, Ver.di (tbc) Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, President of Europa-Union Berlin Yvonne Nasshoven, President of Young European Federalists Germany Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ingolf Pernice*, Humboldt-University Berlin
12:00	Reception
13:00	End of the morning conference

(tbc*) - to be confirmed

Joint internal UEF-JEF seminar on

“Why a European Federal Government?”

14:00	Opening speeches: Andrew Duff, President of the UEF Samuele Pii, President of the JEF Domenico Moro, Director of the Altiero Spinelli Institute for Federalist Studies
14:45	Introduction speech: General introduction: Paolo Ponzano, Advisor of the European Commission on Institutional reforms
15:15	Session I: What kind of European Federal Government? (Institutional aspects) Opening Reports and general debate
16:45	Coffee break
17:00	Session II: A European Federal Government to do what? (Internal and external policies) Opening Reports and general debate
19:00	End of seminar