On 16-18 October 2017 the European Union Centres in Australia and New Zealand jointly convened a Conference “Fulfilling the Vision: European Union Futures” hosted by the European Union Centre at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne. The Conference brought together 150+ participants from 14 countries including 3 Ambassadors form EU Member States, Australian, New Zealand, European and Asian policymakers, scholars & business representatives.
Conference participants
The conference was focused on addressing questions about the future of the European Union and included a series of thematic plenary panels and sessions where a number of academic papers were presented. The Conference also provided multiple opportunities to share perspectives from European Ambassadors, the European Commission, the EU Delegation to Australia and business and policy representatives at the special sessions and panels. The new Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Australia His Excellency Dr Michael Pulch gave the introductory address, concluding that “The best way to predict the future is to shape it”.
Introductory address by His Excellency Dr Michael Pulch
Plenary Panel “Perspectives from European Ambassadors” with Ambassador of Norway to Australia HE Dr Zimburg, Ambassador of Denmark to Australia HE Tom Helge Norring and Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Poland to Australia Mr Piotr Buszta chaired by Dr Annmarie Elijah, ANU Centre for European Studies
Welcome reception on Monday 16 October
A toast to colleagues who have published books in 2017; The EU Centre for Global Affairs at the University of Adelaide supported the publication of 6 books during 2017
On Tuesday 17 October, the EU Centre for Global Affairs released some of the findings from its forthcoming research volume “Potential Benefits of an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement: Key Issues and Options”, both in the plenary panel on “Harnessing Globalisation to build a better world for the benefit of all” and in the following session on “Towards an Australia/EU FTA”.
Mr Ivano Casella, Counsellor and Head of the Economic and Trade Section of the EU Delegation to Australia, actively participated in both of these discussions – delivering a presentation in the plenary panel and chairing the following special session, providing abundant insights into the EU position and vision. Contributing authors’ Conference presentations can be downloaded below:
- Kym Anderson AC, George Gollin Professor of Economics at The University of Adelaide and Professor of Economics at The Australian National University – “Harnessing globalisation & ICT to improve global food security”.
- Yose Rizal Damuri, Head of the Department of Economics, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia – “Harnessing Globalisation to Build a Better World for the Benefit of All”.
- Jane Drake-Brockman, Director of the EU Centre for Global Affairs – “A EU FTA: Shared Perspectives?”.
- Richard Pomfret, Professor of Economics and Jean Monnet Chair on the Economics of European Integration at The University of Adelaide – “Trade Agreements in the Era of Global Value Chains”.
- Shandre Thangavelu, Associate Professor, Institute for International Trade, The University of Adelaide – “Defining EU/Australia Investment Relationship”.
- Julien Chaisse, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Financial Regulation and Economic Development, The Chinese University of Hong Kong – “Investor-State Dispute Settlement: Thinking Forward”.
Plenary panel on “Harnessing Globalisation to build a better world for the benefit of all”. From left to right: Professor Julien Chaisse, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr Peter Mumford, New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment; Ivano Casella, EU Delegation to Australia; Jane Drake-Brockman, Director EU Centre for Global Affairs, The University of Australia; Dr Yose Rizal Damuri, Head of Economics, CSIS Jakarta; Professor Kym Anderson, Dept of Economics, The University of Adelaide; and Dr Fabio Spadi, EU Delegation to Australia
Ivano Casella, Economic and Trade Counsellor, EU Delegation to Australia chairing session on “Towards an Australia/EU FTA”
Professor Richard Pomfret, The University of Adelaide presenting on Global Value Chains in session on “Towards an Australia/EU FTA”
Jane Drake-Brockman, The University of Adelaide emphasising the importance of services in EU-Australia economic relationships
Associate Professor Shandre Thangavelu, The University of Adelaide presenting on investment in session on “Towards an Australia/EU FTA”
Professor Julien Chaisse, The Chinese University of Hong Kong detailing recent developments in Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and possible implications for the Australia-EU FTA
Professor Kym Anderson also released some of the findings from his book “Wine Globalization: A New Comparative History”, supported by an EU Centre for Global Affairs Research Grant Programme, and delivered a presentation on “The UK, EU27 and Global Wine Markets by 2025: Implications of Brexit” in session on “Emerging Trade Issues” on Day 2.
Professor Kym Anderson, The University of Adelaide presenting in session on “Emerging Trade Issues”
Jane Drake-Brockman also joined colleagues from The Australian National Universit in a session on “Barriers to trade in services – new measures and implications for the Single Market” presenting on “Regional Integration in Services: Using the STRI to measure progress with the EU Services Directive and the EU Single Digital Market”. Professor Julien Chaisse, Professor Richard Pomfret and Dr Yose Rizal Damuri also chaired some of the plenary panels and sessions.
Jane Drake-Brockman presenting in session on “Barriers to trade in services – new measures and implications for the Single Market”
The EU Centre for Global Affairs would like to thank everyone involved – all speakers, participants and organisers! It was a fantastic array of presentations, discussions and ideas.
#eucconf17
