Peace Report 2017: The World in Disorder - Is the EU prepared enough?

Presentation of the Peace Report 2017 and expert discussion at EKD office Brussels - with Bruno Schoch and Matthias Dembinski

When? Tuesday, 11 July 2017, 12.30 pm

Where? EKD Office Brussels, Rue Joseph II 166, 1000 Brussels

“The times in which we could completely depend on others are, to a certain extent, over. I’ve experienced that in the last few days. We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands.” In these three sentences the German Chancellor Angela Merkel summarized how much the historically close transatlantic relationships have changed since Donald Trump entered the White House.

With Brexit, the rise of nationalism and populism but also the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East the EU itself is facing many internal and external challenges. One way to move forward more unitedly is the idea of a European Defence Union. At the beginning of June, the European Commission has started the discussion on the future of the European Defence Policy by publishing a reflection paper outlining three different scenarios. Moreover, with the proposal for a European Defence Fund the European Commission goes a major step forward in concrete terms into common spending for and development of military equipment. At the same time, the implementation of the 2016 EU Global Strategy is still going on. One priority of the Global Strategy has just been elaborated with the joint communication on resilience by the High Representative Federica Mogherini and the European Commission. Therewith the European Union wants to move forward from crisis containment to a long-term approach to global challenges with a focus on anticipation, prevention and preparedness.

The EU combined with its Member States has a broad spectrum of tools, civilian and development instruments, which could contribute to a comprehensive foreign and security policy beyond the conventional geopolitical approach. However, does the EU have the necessary instruments and will it use them effectively? Will the EU take its own fate in its hand while being challenged internally and externally? What impetus for peace can emanate from the European Union?

The Peace Report is the joint yearbook of the German Institutes of Peace and Conflict Research in Germany, focusing this year on “the current disruptions in international politics“ and will be presented by the editor in chief to an Brussels based expert community.

 

12h00Registration and Lunch
12h30Welcome address by
Katrin Hatzinger, Direktor EKD office Brussels
Presentation of the Peace Report 2017 by
Bruno Schoch, Editor in chief of the Peace Report 2017, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF)

12h45Panel – The World in Disorder – Is the EU prepared enough?

Matthias Dembinski, Senior Researcher, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (HFSK)

MEP Rebecca Harms, Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Substitute Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Parliament (Group of the Greens)

MEP Knut Fleckenstein, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy Spokesperson, S&D Group in the European Parliament

Alexander McLachlan, Senior Advisor, Division for Strategic Planning at the European External Action Service (EEAS)

Giovanni Grevi, Senior Fellow, European Policy Centre (EPC)

followed by
Open discussion with Brussels-based experts and authors of the Peace Reports
Discussion chaired by:
Uwe Optenhögel, Director FES Brussels

15h00End of the Presentation

 

This is a joint event by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) and the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) office in Brussels in cooperation with the Leibniz Association.

Registration is possible until Friday, 7 July 2017 via the following link: feseurope.wufoo.com.