Romania, Bulgaria & the EU -
International Conference in Bucarest, Romania
The conference “Romania, Bulgaria&the
EU” (16th-19th of September in Bucharest, Romania)
represented one of the few initiatives in the youth organizations sector to
analyze the relations between Romania, Bulgaria and the EU. The event was
organized by AEGEE Bucuresti and International Politics Working Group – both
bodies of the students’ association AEGEE - European Students’ Forum, with the
financial support of MATRA-KAP Programme of the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands
and support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, the Central
University Library, the Faculty of Political Science of the University of
Bucharest, the Academy of Economic Science and Domino
Travel.
Romania, Bulgaria&the
EU gathered 25 students from all over Europe who
debated over the economic, symbolic, public opinion, political and cultural
aspects of Romania and Bulgaria’s process of integration into the EU under the
guidance of speakers from various institutions. Among these: H.E. Mr. Pieter Jan
Wolthers-the Ambassador of the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Romania, Mr.
Leonard Orban - Deputy Negotiator for Romania, Peter Prokof-Consul of Bulgaria
in Romania, Dragos Pislaru - Director of the Group of Economic Analysis of the
European Institute of Romania, Marian Oprea - Editor-in-Chief of Lumea Magazin,
Tiberiu Cazacioc-Director of the Centre of Information of the European
Commission, Livia Rusu-Director of the Direction of External Relation European
Union. The participants have experienced themselves the tough process of
negotiation in the simulation of closing Chapter 4 of the chapters of
negotiations, simulation chaired by Ioana Iliescu-Counsellor on European
Integration, Ministry of European Integration.
The
academic part was supplemented by a rich cultural activity materialized in
visits to the Cotroceni Palace, the Romanian Village Museum, the Romanian
National Museum of Art-the Romanian Art Gallery and 2 presentations of Romania
and Bulgaria respectively prepared by the participants from the 2 countries.
The event is organized within the larger framework
of a project at the European level, entitled EU&Europ, which deals with the relations
between the EU and its future neighbours after the first wave of enlargement
towards Central and Eastern Europe which took place on the 1st of May 2004. The
next activities of this project will take place in Izmir(21st-24th of
October)-debating the issues related to the relations Turkey-the EU and
Sarajevo(9th-13th of November), analyzing the relations between the EU and the
Western Balkans.
AEGEE is one of Europe's largest
interdisciplinary and voluntary student associations, operating without being
linked to any political party, promoting a unified Europe, cross-border
co-operation, communication and integration in academic environment, and at the
same time striving to create an open and tolerant society by involving students
and young graduates in valuable projects and discussions over the topics of
importance for the communities they live in. It is represented in 260 university
cities, in 42 countries all around Europe and has about 17000
members.
More information: Ewa Solarczyk Vice-President / Director for Public
Relations
European Students' Forum -
AEGEE Rue Nestor de Tiere 15 1030
Bruxelles Phone: +32 2 245 23 00 Fax: +32 2 245 62 60 Web:
www.aegee.org Email: [log in to unmask]