Yearplan Project 2004

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Within the Yearplan Topic European Identity
Yearplan Project 2004
About the relations between the EU and its new
neighbours after the enlargement
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Target regions

• Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova
• Russia
• Romania, Bulgaria
• Turkey
• Western Balkans

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Aims of the project

• present characteristics of each of the target
  regions and challenge stereotypes about them
• discuss possible definitions of what Europe is in
  terms of geography, customs, politics and culture
• decide on the place the EU has in Europe through
  the relations it develops with the other
  countries and regions
• identify the (possible) elements of a common
  European identity and of its system of values

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Coordination team

• Olivier Genkin
• Pamela Steinmetz
• Susanne Strunck
• Ioana Muresan
• Berta Mrak
• Theijs van Welij
• Elia Varela
• Lukasz Malys
• Lukasz Rozycki
• Patrik Reuter

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Activities (1/2)

• Opening conference Europes (Torn?) Identity
• Ljubljana, 12-19 October 2003
• Action Week Welcome, New Europe!
• All over Europe, 1-8 May 2004
• The Future of Europe
• Athina, 14-16 May 2004
• Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine EU
• Minsk, 3-5 June 2004

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Activities (2/2)

• Russia EU
• Moskva and Sankt Petersburg, 2-11 July 2004
• Bulgaria, Romania EU
• Bucuresti, 16-19 September 2004
• Turkey EU
• Izmir, 21-24 October 2004
• Western Balkans EU
• Sarajevo and Mostar, 9-13 November 2004

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Europes (Torn?) Identity

• Ljubljana, 12-19 October 2003
• Main topics and results
• Borders of Europe
• Inclusive and exclusive identities
• Cultural, national, regional, individual
  identities vs. European identity

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Welcome, New Europe!

• Action Week all over Europe, 1-9 May 2004
• Activities organised by AEGEE locals
• We decide about Europe European Parliament
  Simulation - Warszawa
• Europe MAJ Love Festival of reunited Europe -
  Gdansk
• Hitch-hiking contest Crossing Old Borders -
  Groningen et al.
• Europe - Your Parliament, Your Vote - Valletta
• Poland in the structure of the EU The End of the
  Beginning of integration? - Katowice
• More activities in Brussels, Bucuresti,
  Bydgoszcz, Dresden / Wroclaw, Gorizia / Nova
  Gorica, Helsinki, Lodz, Lublin, München, Poznan,
  Rzeszow, Trieste...
• Thanks to the network !!

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The Future of Europe

• Athina, 14-16 May 2004
• Main topics and results
• The enlarged EU needs more maturity before
  further enlargement
• The European Constitution is a major step for the
  EU to become a political actor
• There is a huge distance between the EU
  decision-makers and the citizens, more
  communication and transparency are needed

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Belarus, Ukraine EU

• Minsk, 3-5 June 2004
• Main topics and results
• Ukraine and Belarus between the EU and Russia gt
  a mediating role?
• A decision towards the west might help to speed
  up the democratisation process
• Progress in the educational systems should be
  done

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Russia EU

• Moskva and Sankt Petersburg, 2-11 July 2004
• Main topics and results
• Russia is not expected to join the EU but
  political and cultural co-operation should be
  strengthened
• The history of Russia and the former Russian and
  Soviet territories (partly EU member states)
  should be enlightened in order to reduce
  stereotypes and prejudices
• Mobility between the EU and Russia should be
  facilitated (visa, Erasmus)

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Romania, Bulgaria EU

• Bucuresti, 16-19 September 2004
• Main topics and results
• Both Romania and Bulgaria are expected to join
  the EU in a few years
• Both Romania, Bulgaria and the EU will benefit
  from the EU accession in the long run
• But we should not ignore the difficulties the
  next EU enlargement will bring, the expectations
  currently are too high

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Turkey EU

• Izmir, 21-24 October 2004
• Main topics and results
• Turkey did huge progress in the past years in
  order to fulfil the Copenhagen criteria
• Many EU citizens are not ready for accepting
  Turkey in the EU, much more communication is
  needed
• The simulation of the European Council did not
  lead to the decision to open EU accession
  negotiations with Turkey, mainly because of the
  Cyprus issue

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Western Balkans EU

• Sarajevo and Mostar, 9-13 November 2004
• Main topics and results
• The region made a strong development in the past
  years, the EU perspective is significant for the
  stability of the region, the borders still are
  subject to negotiation
• The management of multiethnic societies and human
  rights includes the requirement that refugees
  return back home
• The corruption in higher education has to be
  overcome in order to ensure fairness and equal
  chances

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THANK YOU

• AEGEE-Europe, mainly the Comité Directeur
• AEGEE-Ljubljana, mainly Katarina, Berta and Stasa
• AEGEE-Athina, mainly Angeliki and Panos
• AEGEE-Minsk, mainly Dima
• AEGEE-Moskva, mainly Olga and Maria
• AEGEE-Sankt Petersburg, mainly Katerina
• AEGEE-Bucuresti, mainly Ioana, Mira and Radu
• AEGEE-Izmir, mainly Basak and Halit
• AEGEE-Sarajevo, mainly Elia, Nermina and Amar
• AEGEE-IPWG and friends
• as well as every single co-organiser and every
  single participant !!!

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Thank you for your attention
and see you in Europe!!
www.aegee.org/eue eue_at_aegee.org