2009-2010: TURNING GLOBAL CRISES INTO CREATIVITY

Can Europe emerge stronger from the crisis?

As the financial crisis hardens into economic slump, the EU cohesion is weakening; Europe’s early failure to coordinate national recovery measures has deteriorated into economic nationalism and threats to the Single Market. Yet most past EU advances have been in response to crises, so how realistic is it to believe that this one too could yield a new dimension to Europe’s political integration? Are there any signs of a strengthening of EU governments’ commitments to closer union as the only real bulwark in these hostile and dangerous times? As the cry ‘Where’s Europe’ in countering the crisis grows, how likely is it that a new European Parliament and Commission will be able to rally the EU and ensure it speaks with one voice to the US, Asia and the Middle East?

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: 
- José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission
CHAIRS: 
- Viscount Etienne Davignon, President of Friends of Europe
- Ewa Björling, Swedish Minister for Trade
MODERATORS: 
- Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe
- Martin Dickson, Deputy Editor of the Financial Times

The global economic crisis is the catalyst for a new international chemistry in which political and economic decision-making will no longer be the preserve of the OECD’s rich countries, let alone of the G7 super-rich. But just as Europe and the U.S. will see some of their post-WWII privileges eroded, what are the chances that by acting as a bloc the EU countries can exert a substantial influence in shaping the financial, monetary and trade rulebooks governing the global economy? Could the pressures of the economic crisis, coupled with those of climate change, see Europeans taking a much greater leadership role on global governance structures as well as redoubling their flagging lead on environmental issues? 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: 
- Jack Leslie, Chairman of the United States African Development Foundation and of Weber Shandwick
CHAIR: 
- Franz Fischler, Friends of Europe Trustee and Former European Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries and Austrian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry
MODERATORS: 
- Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe
- Charles Hodson, Presenter of CNN International’s “World Business Today”

 14.00-16.00

Cornerstones of the EU ranging from competition rules to the Single Market and the eurozone suddenly appear vulnerable, raising fears that the Union could begin to slip backwards. Although no ‘big idea’ for deepening European integration has emerged in the last decade, the EU did much to set the early agenda in areas like climate change, energy efficiency and security, healthcare and new transparent solutions in an urbanising world. Could the EU’s next big idea be to fashion a new industrial strategy that combines concerted recovery measures with governments’ greater financial support for ICT and other advanced technologies? And as it strives to protect the integrity of its internal market, what should be the EU’s approach to member states’ protection of national champions and lame ducks? 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: 
- Jan Muehlfeit, Chairman of Microsoft Europe
CHAIRS: 
- Viscount Etienne Davignon, President of Friends of Europe
- Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media
MODERATORS: 
- Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe
- Martin Dickson, Deputy Editor of the Financial Times