"Challenges, reforms and new opportunities resulting from the European Convention"
~ How to design effective public affairs schemes and lobbying techniques in the future European Union ~

Timisoara, Romania
10-13 July 2003

In the period 10-13 July 2003, the representative of FIME (International Federation of Europe Houses) in Romania, EUROLINK - HOUSE OF EUROPE, deployed in Timisoara (Romania) the First Edition of the EU–PROCESS ACADEMY. 

Organiser:    EUROLINK - House of Europe

National Coordinator of the Advocacy Campaign "ACT4EUROPE"
Member of the International Federation of Europe Houses (FIME)

with the support of:
H.E. Dr. Eng. Gheorghe Ciuhandu
Mayor of the Municipality of Timisoara

Kindly supported by:         Local Council of Manduria (Italy)                                   Banc Post (Romania)

General description of the project:

The project is a complex 15 months information/educational macro-project involving the Western region of Romania and its cross-border neighbours/regions. The first international training seminar is a three-days intensive session, aimed to inform and explain about the institutional changes and new working-style of the European Union after the European Convention. During the operation, we will organise a General Public Debate, designed to disseminate and multiply the results of the works, followed by a Press Conference, publicised through the media partners of the project.

As a follow-up, we plan to establish an Internet Forum of Debates and the creation of an Alumni Information/Assistance Network. Also, after the completion of the project, thanks to the EU partners, a 3 to 6 months Internship opportunities within EU governmental and non-govern-mental institutions will be provided to the best five selected participants.

Location:

This first edition took place in the beautiful late Renaissance-Baroque multicultural City of Timisoara (in Hungarian 'Temesvar'), the major city in Western Romania, capital of Timis County, on the Begej River. The city consists of an inner town, which formerly was fortified, and four suburbs that are separated from the inner town by parks. Timisoara is the leading South-Eastern business, academic and industrial centre in Romania (closely located to Budapest, Belgrade or Krakow).

Working style and topics:

The focus of the first edition was to offer a highly innovative and unique combination of debate sessions and clearly focused training workshops, an intensive practical insight of who is who in the European Union, to which EU bodies one should address for partnership projects, how interest-groups are built in the EU, what one should expect from the European Convention and how European institutions will work after enlargement.

The Academy used a strong pro-active approach, with study-cases on how to set-up a successful lobby strategy/advocacy campaign to EU institutions and domestic authorities. The works were held in English language.

Trainers and guest-speakers:

The workshops will be conducted by experienced EU consultants/advisers in International Affairs, Economics, European Law, in EU Reform and advocacy/lobby techniques:

• Prof. Dr. Emeritus Helmuth Wagner

Freie Universitat Berlin - Otto-Suhr-Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Germany

• Prof. Vito A. D'Armento

University of Lecce, Italy

• Dr. Oliver Knipping

Senior Consultant in Economics and Human Resources/Institute for Free Enterprise, Berlin

• Dr. Torge Hamkens

Expert in International Public Law/Global Contract Foundation, Hamburg

• Mr. Florent Sebban

European Solidarity towards Equal Participation (Eurostep), Brussels

• Mrs. Lia Lucia Epure

Director of "Focus Vest" and "Ziua de Vest"

A special welcome speach was addressed to the participants by Dr. Eng. Gheorghe Ciuhandu, Mayor of Municipality of Timisoara.

List of participants:

The first edition of the EU–PROCESS ACADEMY focused on the most recent and current developments of the EU.

It enabled participants to better understand, deepen and use the new institutional design of an enlarged European Union.

 

Thursday, July 10, 2003

15.00 - 18.00 Registration of Participants

18.00 - 20.00 Opening Ceremony at the City Hall of Timisoara

Welcome Addresses:

                        Mayor of Timisoara, Dr. Gheorghe Ciuhandu

                        EUROLINK President, Sever Avram

                        Guest-speakers: Prof. Helmuth Wagner

                                                  Prof. Vito A. D’Armento

Welcome Cocktail in the honour of participants

20:00 - 22:00 Night walk in Timisoara.

09:00 - 09:30 General Remarks: Prof. Emeritus Helmut Wagner

Introduction of the participants

9:30 - 10:30 "The EU’s Institutional Design Part I: Refocusing the Mission of European Institutions" by Dr. Oliver Knipping

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 - 12:30 "The EU’s Institutional Design Part II: The Community Method or How to ensure Diversity and Effectiveness" by Dr. Oliver Knipping

12:30 - 14:30 Lunch

14:30 - 15:45 Debate/Workshop co-ordinated by Dr. Oliver Knipping

15:45 - 16:00 Coffee break

16:00 - 17:00 "The Decision-Making Process in Today’s Europe and Beyond: Introducing Principles of Good European Governance" by Dr. Torge Hamkens

18:00 - 22:00 Cultural trip to the town of Recas.

• Welcome ceremony at the Local Council Hall

• Degustation of wines and cocktail offered by the Mayor of Recas, and co-sponsored by Local Council of Manduria (Italy).

Saturday, July 12, 2003

9:00 - 9:30 "The European Citizen as social instituent" by Prof. Vito A. D'Armento

9:30 - 10:15 "The role of Public Relations and Media after the EU enlargement" by Lia Lucia Epure

10:15 - 10:30 Coffee break

10:30 - 12:00 "The European Convention: Tasks, Results and Prospects" by Florent Sebban

12:00 - 13:30 "EU Enlargement with Special Focus on the CE and SEE Region" by Dr. Torge Hamkens

13:30 - 15:30 Lunch

15:30 - 17:30 Debate/Workshop co-ordinated by Florent Sebban

18:00 - 19:30 Awarding Ceremony and Public Event at the Continental Hotel

Within a Public Ceremony, organised at the Continental Hotel in Timisoara, the Executive Board of the EUROLINK – House of Europe awarded the special distinctions: “The Personality of the Year for a Europen Romania”. These distinctions represent the expression of the recognition of the efforts made by leading personalities from the European Union and from Romania in favor of rapproching the Romanian society to the European principles, values and standards, as well as fulfilling of more intense exchange of experience and persons between our country and EU.

The awarded personalities in this year were:

• H.E. Mr. Domenico Mennitti, Member of the European Parliament, President of the Mixt Committee Romania-European Union;

• H.E. Mr. Rinaldo Locatelli, Director of the Congres of the Local and regional Powers in Europe of the Council of Europe;

• H.E. Mr. Gheorghe Ciuhandu, Mayor of the Municipality of Timisoara;

• Mrs. Elena Petculescu, President of BancPost;

• Mrs. Corina Dragomirescu, President of the Dutch and Romanian Businessmen Club Matrix;

• Mrs. Lia Lucia Epure, Director of "Focus Vest" and "Ziua de Vest".

19:30 - 23:00  Farewell Cocktail

09:00 - 10:30 Workshop: "Developing Political Strategies for the CE and SEE Region in View of EU Integration" by Dr. Oliver Knipping

10:30 - 10:45 Coffee Break

10:45 -12:00 Team game: Brainstorming and Card Selection: "What Do I Associate with the Term Lobbying?" co-ordinated by Dr. Oliver Knipping/Dr. Torge Hamkens

12:00 - 12:30 Final evaluation and concluding remarks

Afternoon        Departure of participants

Media Impact:

The first edition of the EU-PROCESS ACADEMY held in Timisoara enjoyed of a special attention from the local, regional and national mass-media. The participating and awarded personalities and their corresponding institutions were presented within the current news programmes.

In the same time, the Executive President of the House of Europe granted inteviews where he presented the iniative of creating the EU-PROCESS ACADEMY and the significance of the distinctions awarded.

Short reports about the event were broadcasted by the following radio and TV channels:

• TVR 2
• Analog TV
• Radio Europa FM
• Radio România Cultural
• Radio Timisoara
• Radio Analog
• Radio Vest

The publications which promoted and largeley presented the event were:

• AGENDA
• ZIUA DE VEST
• FOCUS VEST
• AGENDA ZILEI

The Second Edition of the EU - PROCESS ACADEMY will take place in Sighisoara.