Talking Europe – The big issues facing Europe

Elections to the European Parliament will take place in June 2024. A new European Commission and Presidents will be chosen over the summer. How will the EU institutions, politicians, and civil society meet the many challenges facing all off Europe?

Conference sponsored by the European Movement in Scotland

• Constitutional reform within the EU – the possibility of more majority voting, changes to structure of commission, budgetary reform. The consequences for the European institutions – the EP, the Commission, and the Councils; David Martin
  David Martin was Labour MEP representing Scotland from 1984-2019. From 1989-2004 he a Vice-President of the European Parliament. He is now a Visiting Professor at the University of Glasgow, and Senior Fellow at the RSIS, Singapore.
• Future enlargement of the EU – the potential and the reality; also possible new UK-EU relationships: Sir Graham Watson.
  Graham Watson was MEP for South-West England 1994 – 2014, and former leader of the European Liberal group in the European Parliament. Currently an adjunct Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Toronto University
• The potential for new European connections – the European Political Community, proposals for differentiated European co-operation, possible new European organisations and co-operation: Professor Jo Shaw.
  Jo Shaw has been Salvesen Chair of European Institutions at Edinburgh University since January 2005, and is now head of its Law School. Since 2018, she has also held a part time visiting position at Tampere University in Finland.
  
• European defence and security cooperation: Professor Stephen Gethins
  Stephen Gethins was SNP MP for North East Fife from 2015- 2019; former SNP Parliamentary spokesperson on international and foreign affairs. Now Professor of Practice in International Relations at the St Andrews University.
• What polity and what structure will the EU develop in the future? Professor Brigid Laffan
  Brigid Laffan is former director (now emeritus professor) at Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute. Previously Professor of European Politics, University College Dublin. Chancellor of the University of Limerick.

Register for free places here.

This event is part of the European Movement in Scotland’s Talking Europe Festival.