Federalism and Europe
- Where: New York University Prague, Malé Náměstí 11 (Richtr House), Prague 1
- When: June 19, 2012, 09:15 – 17:00
Two panels at this conference will focus on Europe’s integration process with an emphasis on the concept of federalism within the context of a long-term vision of Europe in the 21st century and in the current euro zone crisis.
Capacity is limited. Please register by June 5 at konference@vaclavhavel-library.org
PROGRAMME
8:30–9:15 Registration of participants
9:15–9:20 Conference commences
9:20–10:00 Opening address
Jacques Rupnik – Political scientist
Martin Palouš – Director, Václav Havel Library
10:00–10:20 Coffee break
10:20–12:45 1st Panel: "Federalism and Europe"
Petr Kratochvíl – Deputy director, Institute of International Relations
Jan Kysela – Constitutional law expert, Law Faculty, Charles University
Jan Macháček – Journalist and analyst, Respekt
Jiří Pehe – Director of NYU Prague
Eliška Wagnerová – Former deputy chairwoman of the Czech Constitutional Court
Jan Zahradil – Member of the European Parliament
Is Europe capable of agreeing on the meaning of the term federalism? It is described as political union, deeper integration, even centralisation. Do British, French, German and American views of federalism differ? Could a “federation within a federation” – for instance a German one within Europe – exist? Federalism stands and falls on the idea of internal competition. Its essence is balance of power, the famous checks and balances, along with the protection of minorities (not just ethnic ones) and the prevention of the tyranny of the majority. Critics argue that European federalism is naïve, dangerous and Utopian, because there is no such thing as a European nation and a common European identity. What is the Czech experience of Czechoslovak federalism? Do the Czechs have something to offer Europe?
12:45–13:45 Lunch
13:45–16:15 2nd Panel: “The idea of a federal Europe in the context of crisis”
Petr Drulák – Director, Institute of International Relations
Jan Kudrna – Constitutional law expert, Law Faculty, Charles University
Lenka Rovná – Professor, Institute of International Studies, Charles University
Ilona Švihlíková – Economist, University of International and Public Relations, Prague
Martin Weiss – Journalist, Lidové noviny
Petr Zahradník – Economist, Česká spořitelna
The crisis of the EU may lie in the failure of this political project to reach a culmination, or, on the contrary in its over-ambition. Europe is experiencing a chiefly institutional crisis. At the same time, one purely federal institution has been created in Europe: the ECB. Should we look for a political answer in the economic challenge of greater control of the fiscal stability pact? And should we create a second chamber of the European Parliament, as Václav Havel suggested and Angela Merkel recently mentioned? Or is that idea dangerous? And if so, why?
16:15 Closing address
16:30 Glass of wine