409 resultados para Ecogeographical background
Resumo:
On 22 January 2013, French President Franois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel gathered in Berlin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the lyse Treaty, the document that ended centuries of rivalry and warfare between their two countries. It is all too easy to forget the importance of Franco-German reconciliation. The 1950 Schuman Declaration, which led to the creation of the European Unions (EU) predecessor, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), sought to render the prospect of war between France and Germany not only unthinkable but materially impossible. Over 60 years later, when the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee noted that indeed, war between Germany and France is unthinkable. Halfway around the world in Asia, the other theatre of World War II, tensions between China and Japan have arisen, with Taiwan and South Korea also in the fray. Nationalist movements in these countries have grown. This background brief lays out the issues for a timely reappraisal of the applicability, or otherwise, of the European integration and reconciliation processes to East Asia. The brief seeks to outline the contours of the historic act of Franco-German reconciliation, and its consequences ever since. Starting from a brief look at the history of rivalry and war between the two countries, the brief examines the events leading to the signing of the lyse Treaty in 1963, and the development of Franco-German exchanges that have cemented the relationship. Difficulties between the countries are also raised. A timescale analysis of the opinion of the two publics is considered, as a measure of the success of Franco-German reconciliation.
Resumo:
This background brief looks into the new research and innovation strategy introduced by the European Union embodiedintheHorizon2020fundingprogramme.Itfocuses onthe prospect for international collaboration in Horizon 2020,andpresentsaroadmapforbothEuropeaninstitutions and those from key third countries to get ready for the opportunitiesprovidedbythisfundinginstrumenttoembark oninterestingresearchandinnovation.Thebriefbeginsby outliningtheeffortsbytheEUtoaddressissuesofeconomic competitivenesswithanewgrowthstrategyEurope2020in responsetotheenormouschallengesfacedbyEuropeinthe midstofthedebt crisis.Itlooksattheintroductionofthe InnovationUnion as a Europe2020 initiative, and explains howthe new financial instrument, Horizon 2020, may be usedtosupporttheprimarygoals ofmorejobs,improved lives, better society and the global competitiveness of Europe. The brief also outlines the major differences of Horizon2020fromthepreviousframeworkprogrammes,and recommendsclosecollaborationbetweentheEuropeanand thekeythirdcountries.Thebriefalsoproposesgeneraland priorityspecific strategies for national research councils, universities and research institution to get ready to participateintheHorizon2020programme.
Resumo:
The 1992 Maastricht Treaty introduced the concept of European Union citizenship. All citizens of the 28 EU member states are also EU citizens through the very fact that their countries are members of the EU. Acquired EU citizenship gives them the right to free movement, settlement and employment across the EU, the right to vote in European elections, and also on paper the right to consular protection from other EU states' embassies when abroad. The concept of citizenship in Europe and indeed anywhere in the world has been evolving over the years, and continues to evolve. Against this time scale, the concept of modern citizenship as attached to the nation-state would seem ephemeral. The idea of EU citizenship therefore does not need to be regarded as a revolutionary phenomenon that is bound to mitigate against the natural inclination of European citizens towards national identities, especially in times of economic and financial crises. In fact, the idea of EU citizenship has even been criticised by some scholars as being of little substantive value in addition to whatever rights and freedoms European citizens already have. Nonetheless the constitutional moment that the Maastricht Treaty achieved for the idea of EU citizenship has served more than just symbolic value the EUs Charter of Fundamental Rights is now legally binding, for instance. The idea of EU citizenship also put pressure on the Union and its leaders to address the perceived democratic deficit that the EU is often accused of. In attempts to cement the political rights of EU citizens, the citizens initiative was included in Lisbon Treaty allowing citizens to directly lobby the European Commission for new policy initiatives or changes.
