Dear Sir or Madam,
Happy new year! We know we’re a bit late, but EM
Germany celebrated its New Year’s only two weeks ago: on 30 January, 140 guests
from member and partner organizations joined the inauguration party of our expanded
office in Berlin. At the beginning of the year, our to-do list is already long:
at its most recent meeting, the board of EM Germany decided to boost a “debate
on the future of the EU” and to strengthen civil society in Greece. The
European Competition, Germany’s oldest school competition, is celebrating its
60th anniversary this year. Moreover, EM Germany’s member
organisations are invited to nominate candidates for the “Woman of Europe 2013”
award.
This newsletter compiles last weeks’ most important
news and looks out on EM Germany’s events to come. Enjoy reading!
Karoline Münz
Dep. Secretary General
A debate on the future of the EU and a civil society
forum for Greece – results of EM Germany’s Board meeting
During the first meeting of 2013, EM Germany’s board
launches the “debate on the future of the EU” – an initiative aiming at
deepening discussions on strengthening a political union and including civil
society to participate in putting this into practice. A task force is now
working on a resolution proposal which will be brought forward during EM
Germany’s General Assembly in July. | Full text in German
Further, the EM Germany’s board decides to help EM Greece with the organisation
of a democratic forum to strengthen civil society. EM Germany will bring forward
a corresponding motion at the Federal Assembly of European Movement
International at the end of May in Dublin. | Full text in German
More room in the “European courtyard“: EM Germany
celebrates the inauguration of its expanded office
“For me, I can put a face to EM Germany tonight”, one
of 140 party guests wrote in the guest book, summing up the atmosphere of the
inauguration party. EM Germany celebrated its relocation to larger office space
together with member organisations, partners and official representatives. In
the presence of EM Germany’s President Dr Rainer Wend and the Federal Foreign
Office’s Minister of State Michael Georg Link, Member of the Bundestag, the
occasion offered the chance to present areas of work, projects and the minds of
the largest civil society network for Europe in Germany. | Full text in German
Presidents of EM Germany and EM France issue joint
declaration on the 50th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty
The respective presidents of European Movement Germany
and France, Dr Rainer Wend and Jean-Marie Cavada, MEP, call on their own
countries to get Franco-German cooperation running at full speed, in order to
lead a lasting public debate on the future of the EU as it “depends
significantly on civil society whether European integration can be successful
in the future”. | Full text in German
Will the European Parliament queer the European
Council’s MFF pitch? De-Briefing on Council Conclusions
It has become a tradition to meet twice before
deciding on Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – such is the impression left
after the first (of four) meetings of the Heads of States or Government. With
the Federal Government and the Representation of the European Commission, EM
Germany gave a resume of the Council Conclusions on the MFF and looked ahead on
what to expect in negotiating them with the European Parliament. | Full text in German
EM Germany is contact
point for European Year of Citizens 2013 in Germany
From 1 February 2013,
European Movement Germany, charged by its institutional partner the Federal
Foreign Office, is contact point for questions regarding the European Year of
Citizens 2013. EM Germany will mainly inform civil society and specialist
circles about news and events. | Full text in German
Briefing on Irish EU Council Presidency priorities:
emphasis on stability, employment and growth
Ireland’s ambassador to Germany introduced the Irish
Presidency’s working programme at EM Germany’s Briefing in front of 180 stakeholders.
“Stability, employment and growth“ are Ireland’s top priorities for their
rotation in the first half of 2013. | Full text in German
EU combats youth unemployment: EM Germany Board member
Hepperle on the chambers’ of commerce joint “Luxemburg Statement”
“Europe cannot afford a lost generation“, EBD Board
Member Gabriele Bischoff (DGB) explained during a talk with experts in the
Bundestag. She discussed whether the European Commission’s “Youth Guarantee“
scheme can help the currently 14 million young unemployed people with national
and international interest groups. | Full text in German
The Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Trade in Germany, Luxemburg and Austria
met with a view to improve European cooperation in education. Together they
want to contribute to overcoming youth unemployment, said Dr Sabine Hepperle
representing DIHK at EM Germany’s EBD Board. | Full text in German
Who will be ‘Woman of Europe 2013’? EM Germany
launches call for proposals
As the search for candidates who are distinguished by
their voluntary commitment to uniting and strengthening Europe begins, EM
Germany’s member organisations can have their say. Nominations can be submitted
until 9 May. The ‘Woman of Europe 2013’ award will be presented in Würzburg on
9 October. | Full text in German
German Head of State Joachim Gauck invites winners of
the European competition
Federal President Gauck has invited four winners of
the European Competition to attend his speech on European integration on 22
February. Like his predecessors, the President is the patron of the oldest
pupil’s competition in Germany. | Full text in German
For a neutral view of the term “lobbying“
“Europeanisation and lobbying in multi-level
governance – theory and practice in Brussels and Berlin“ is the name of the
introductory seminar given by EM Germany’s Secretary General, Bernd Hüttemann,
as lecturer at the University of Passau. In a workshop with ten students from
Passau, Mr. Hüttemann gave an insight into the work carried out by European
Movement Germany and discussed the importance of lobbying at German and
European level. | Full text in German
“Cleverly anti-European“: EMI president Jo Leinen
comments on Open Europe in Berlin
In a letter to the editor, President of European
Movement International (EMI) Jo Leinen MEP reacts to Frankfurter Allgemeine
Zeitung coverage on the British Think Tank Open Europe which had opened a
Berlin dependency last autumn. Leinen pointed out that “by seemingly
advertising an ‘Open Europe‘, they clandestinely render a nationalist and
egoistic British perspective towards European integration socially acceptable.”
| Full text in German
China wants to brush up its image in Europe – new
EU-in-BRIEF publication by Lukas Kudlimay
In 2013’s first issue of EU-in-BRIEF Lukas Kudlimay,
graduate of the College of Europe, explains why Beijing has so far been
incapable of creating more understanding for its interests among Europeans and
which public diplomacy efforts China has made until now to strengthen its
profile abroad. | Full text in German
15.2.: Challenges to EU gender equality policy | 18.2.: EP-Berichterstatter im Dialog: Herbert Reul | 18.2.: Meeting for College of Europe Alumni | 25.2.: EP-Berichterstatter im Dialog: Jens Geier | 26.-27.2.: Fachforum Europa| 19.3.: Federal Foreign Office’s Minister of State for Europe: key priorities of
European policy for Germany | and many
more
WWF: Merkel should not
allow herself to be used by the farmers’ lobby | BDI: Exports in non-EU
countries on the rise| JEF: Give the European
Parliament a voice! | Genshagen Foundation: Many
European soldiers, but no European army | FES: Policy discussions
on EU energy and climate policy | ECFR: Cameron’s backward
looking speech | VKU: The Federal
Government must campaign in Brussels for a municipal water supply! | and many
more
New Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Berlin: Jerzy Marganski |
New Federal Minister for Education and Research: Johanna Wanka | New head of
department “German Public Commissioner“ at GIZ: Petra Warnecke | New head of
Brussels office of Deutsche Bank: Hans-Dieter Holtzmann | New faces at DHL’s Brussels office: Alexander Kirschall und Mitra Qurban | New Director of Amnesty International Germany: Selmin Caliskan | New Eurogroup
President: Jeroen Dijsselbloem | and many
more
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