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The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is a forum for dialogue and cooperation between Europe and Asia. It was established in 1996 with an inaugural leaders’ summit in Bangkok and has since developed into a main multilateral channel for communication, with regular meetings between senior officials and ministers from different ministries, and a biennial summit involving heads of states and heads of governments.  Membership of ASEM has grown from 26 to 48 members with Russia, Australia and New Zealand looking set to join in 2010 at the 8th ASEM Summit to be held in Brussels on 4-5 October.

With this latest enlargement of ASEM, and with members including major emerging powers, China, India and Russia, expectations on what could and should be achieved by ASEM inevitably differ.  The engagement within and among such a diverse group of nation-states and regional groupings (EU and ASEAN), and also other actors such as the business community and civil society also means that there is a need to rethink the working methods and the coordination process in order to preserve and further enhance the ASEM forum. 

In the public lecture on 6th August, Mr Thomas Roe, the Asia Adviser and ASEM Counsellor from the European Commission, responsible for coordinating the ASEM process would share with us his personal insights and perspectives on the challenges and expectations that come with the enlargement of ASEM.

About the speaker
Mr Thomas Roe has been a full-time official of the European Commission, since September 1980 working on Europe’s external relations in a wide variety of roles. He is now Asia Adviser and ASEM Counsellor in the Directorate General for External Relations of the European Commission based in Brussels. Other previous roles have included Head of Delegation of the European Union Office in Hong Kong and Macao (Hong Kong 2004-2008), Desk Officer for Indonesia and East Timor, EU Fellow and Visiting Professor in Globalisation Studies at George Mason University USA Washington DC 2000-2001, Head of the European Community Investment Partners scheme for promoting European direct investment throughout the developing world 1992-1999, Head of the EC Food and Emergency Aid mobilization and delivery service 1989-1992, political desk officer for Southern Africa especially Zambia and Malawi 1984-1988, EC aid co-financing with international  financial institutions 1982-1983, and Deputy Head of the Contracts, Accounting and Payments unit for the European Development Fund 1980-1982.

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Abstract
There are some European scholars and politicians who concur in asserting that human rights are or should be in the centre of European foreign policy. They are thus gratified that the new Treaty of Lisbon provides an enhanced legal framework, stressing the value-based approach of the EU's foreign policy which provides the potential for rhetoric to become reality.

How would the EU foreign policy makers make use of the changes provided by the Lisbon Treaty to establish human rights as a constitutive element of the EU foreign policy and realise the Union’s goals as a normative power? And how would this value-based approach in foreign policy be viewed by other emerging actors in the international arena? In the lecture, Dr Reiterer plans also to address the concern with regards to the implementation of the European Security Strategy, particularly in tackling challenges such as terrorism, there is a need to be mindful of the possible transgressions on human rights issues. 

There will be a reception held after the lecture. Participants are welcome to attend the reception.

Speaker
Michael Reiterer, appointed in 2005 as Adjunct Professor of International Politics at the University of Innsbruck, Austria,  specializes in EU-Asia relations in general and EU-Japan in particular, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), inter-regionalism, EU foreign and foreign trade policy. He is author of two books (The Diplomatic Protection of Refugees by Their State of Asylum and Asia – Europe: Do They Meet?) and has also published extensively in international journals.

In addition to a doctor iuris of the University of Innsbruck, Michael Reiterer holds diplomas in international relations of the Johns Hopkins University, Bologna Center, and the Graduate Institute for International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland. He has lectured at various universities and participated in academic conferences in Europe, USA, China, Singapore, South Korea, Philippines and Japan. Furthermore, he was invited guest professor at Keio University, Tokyo (2008) and the Università Italiana, Lugano (2010). He is also an official of the European Union, serving presently as the EU Ambassador to Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.

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About the Lecture
The 33rd Asia-Europe Lecture Tour will bring Prof Dr Luk Van Langenhove to Singapore, Manila (TBC), Bangkok, Seoul, and Shanghai. In his lecture, he will examine the relations between sovereign states and regional institutions as well as the role of the state in driving region-building process. The lecture will discuss the subsequent impact regional organisations have on the Westphalian World Order. While the main discussion will concentrate on Europe, Prof Dr Van Langenhove will encourage dialogue on the comparisons with Asian regional integration and its implication for Europe and the rest of the world.

About the Speaker
Prof Dr Luk Van Langenhove is Director of the Comparative Regional Integration Studies Institute of the United Nations University (UNU-CRIS) in Bruges and Representative of the UNU Rector at UNESCO in Paris. Prior to these appointments, he was Deputy Secretary-General of the Belgian Federal Ministry of Science Policy, Deputy Chief of Cabinet of the Belgian Federal Minister of Science Policy as well as a researcher and lecturer at the Free University of Brussels (VUB). Since 2006, he is the Vice-President of the International Social Sciences Council. He currently teaches at the VUB, ULB and the College of Europe.

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The main objective of the seminar is to question the hypothesis of the role of transport infrastructures in regional economic growth by comparing Central and Eastern Europe (supported by the EU structural and cohesion funds) and the Greater Mekong subregion (mainly supported by the “economic corridors” of the Asia Development Bank). Three main components of trade efficiency are scrutinised and compared: (1) the historical development of trade agreements, (2) the supra-national (regional) capacity of trade regulation, and (3) the micro level of governance between the different actors involved in trade. The comparison between CEE and the GMS is interesting because of two paradoxes observed that need to be explained. The first one results from the existing link between transport and growth in the case of the GMS, and the lack of this link in the CEE case. The second paradox is the fact that despite their very different institutional frameworks, both subregions continue to face similar challenges concerning the implementation of trade agreements and exchange of facilities at the local level – pointing towards the issue of governance. The speaker will draw interesting comparisons on the two sub-regions which can provide useful insights to current Asian efforts to focus on transport linkages as a way to foster regional integration.

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After almost two decades of systemic transformation in Central and Eastern Europe it is timely to raise some questions about the lessons learned,on what have been learned particularly in the implementation of various development policies during the transition stages.  What are the changes have occurred since that are different from the initial approaches towards development?

The aim of the presentation is to examine some of the problems and solutions facing the design and implementation of development policies through EU founded projects in Central and Eastern Europe.  Through the examination of some of these development policies, it has become was clear that there were often risks of well-intentioned and theoretically sound development strategies not delivering on the expected results . By identifying the problems in policy design, project design, evaluation and implementation, this may help bridge the divide between theory and practice and be a potential useful experience for the development policies applied among the ASEAN countries.

The speaker, who will speak from his personal experiences in programming, evaluation and implementation of various EU-financed projects for Human Resources Development in Romania, will share with the audience his views of how the EU could become more effective at promoting development in other parts of the world and what is the potential place and role of Singapore as a strategic partner of the EU for development in the ASEAN region.

This comprehensive workshop provides an overview of research funding opportunities and possibilities for collaboration in humanities and social sciences in Europe, and between scholars of these fields in Europe and in Asia. You will get to learn about research funding schemes available in Europe, including from the European Union, European Science Foundation, and agencies such as research councils, academies and universities:

- Find out how successful research collaborations and networking activities are set up from examples and case studies.
- Be provided with valuable information and knowledge on setting up networks and linking-up with research teams in Europe and beyond.
- Be coached on best practices for writing proposals for research funding and responding to calls for proposals, again with real-life examples.
- Have ample opportunities for networking and ‘match-making’ with other researchers to exchange interests and explore collaborative possibilities.

The workshop was well attended by 60 participants at the NTU@one-north campus (off North Buona Vista Road).

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In the coming decades, it is said Asia will no longer be a recipient but a driver of a new global order- one that is multi-polar, where political and economic power will shift from the trans-atlantic to the trans-pacific, but within which the European Union (EU) will still be a major player, together with the US and China.  What kind of role can the EU play and what does EU need to do to prevent being marginalized in the future?  Prof Richard Higgott, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Warwick and Professor of Politics & International Studies, in his lecture will challenge assumptions that the world will be multipolar in the first place. He will reveal what can take the shape of incomplete and even failed multilateralism, how the US and EU reassert global leadership, as well as elaborate on how other key actors think about the evolving new order and the EU’s role in this.

The event was attended by over 30 participants at NTU@one-north campus.

This presentation gives an overview of decision-making in the European Union, with a particular focus on how the EU resolves political controversy during the decision-making process. The diverse political actors involved in EU decision-making - the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the member states - frequently have different interests and make competing policy demands on controversial issues. The following two important questions will be addressed: what types of controversies arise, and how are these controversies resolved? In answering these questions, Dr Thomson will consider some key findings from his recent research on EU decision-making, including research that focuses on the effects of the recent enlargements of the EU, an enlargement which in turn has an effect on the wider external presence of the Union.

Dr Robert Thomson is a Senior Lecturer and Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He has published extensively on many aspects of decision-making in the European Union as well as national politics and policy-making in Europe. He is co-editor of The European Union Decides (Cambridge University Press, 2006), and has published articles in leading political science journals, including the British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, the European Journal of Political Research, European Union Politics and the Journal of European Public Policy.

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The Lisbon Treaty, signed in December 2007, took two years to be ratified by all Member States and finally entered into force on 1 December 2009.  The Treaty aims to improve democracy, transparency and to make the Charter of Fundamental Rights binding. But it is in the area of external relations and foreign policy that some of the more profound institutional changes are put in place.  For example, instead of a 6-months rotating presidency, the European Council will be represented by a full-time President. In another newly created role, the appointment of Baroness Catherine Ashton as Vice President of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the creation of an European External Action Service, in effect merges the roles of the External Relations Commission with that of the Common Foreign and Security Policy High Representative. The European Parliament will also share more areas of co-decision with the Council.

These changes are meant to bring about a more coherent and coordinated voice by the EU on the world stage and even out the powers of the Council, Commission and Parliament. Yet there are already murmurings of a lack of administrative and policy clarity over the new roles. Commentators have mooted that at worst it may mute extended debate and strengthen the inter-governmental influence over the Union.

This talk will discuss the construction of the Baltic Sea as a region, analyzing existing choices of values in the framework of the search for regional cooperation and identities in the EU. Also foregrounded will be the newly adopted EU strategy for the Baltic Sea region and the changes in the EU institutions. Since 1990 the construction of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) as a new “soft security power” has been one of the most important questions for the region’s countries and has impacted the EU also. As the image of the BSR was constructed as an area of peace, linked towards cooperation in economics, environment, and energy supply fields, difficulties needed to be overcome which appeared after the collapse of “the iron curtain” and the Soviet Union. But have the goals been achieved? EU strategy for the Baltic Sea region seems to be starting the final phase of Baltic regionalism. But still some open spaces are left, mainly related to Russia which is not involved in this project and this fact raises new questions and discussions. How should a dialogue between the EU and Russia be created which might span the Baltic? Approaching such a complex of issues has implications not only for the region and the EU, but for the wider scheme of regionalism, which is turn has implications for cooperation in other regions.

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The global financial crisis that began in 2008 has been the most severe of the post-World War II era and very possibly the worst in modern history. A collapse of the global financial system was avoided because of determined responses by policymakers around the world.  Nevertheless the crisis was intense enough to trigger a deep global recession and the eclipse of export-led growth.  Beyond its immediate economic impact, this crisis has also led to changing relations between the pillars of the world economy, the European Union (EU), the United States and East Asia, specifically, China.  The process and outcome of the Copenhagen climate conference reflects the shifting patterns of power relations. 

Economic growth is vital to lift the remaining billions out of poverty; addressing climate change is critical to sustain that growth. The two are not mutually exclusive and with technology and innovation, the twin objectives of sustaining economic growth and addressing climate change can be achieved. 

Dr Steinbock in this lecture gave a broad overview of the current issues – from the economic crisis to the climate change, and sketch out the links between development and innovation.  He also addressed the shifting patterns of interactions between the EU, US and China and look at how innovation will become a crucial factor for sustainable economic recovery and continued growth of these three economic giants.

This event was jointly organised by EU Centre in Singapore, Embassy of Finland and Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Singapore Management University. It was attended by 110 participants.

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The public talk on "Europe and the world: Economic Crisis and Institutional Choices" by Prof Dr Ben Knapen Prof Dr Ben Knapen, Member of the Scientific Council for Government Policy, The Netherlands, on 14 January 2010 was organised by EU Centre in Singapore at the NUS CIT Auditorium. The event was attended by 60 participants.

Deep economic crises are moments of truth and moments of change. Institutional transformations happened after the Great Depression in the 1930s of last century, and in the eighties and nineties after the oil shocks and the end of ‘post war growth’.

After decades of institutional transformations itself, today the European Union is again at crossroads. The world is still suffering from the aftershocks of the September 2008 financial crisis and facing uncertain consequences. The European Union’s institutions acted decisively amid the aftershocks and managed to save its own systems. Yet at the same time, after years of deeper and wider consolidation, Europeans are said to be in a general state of ‘integration-fatigue’ and reluctant to integrate further.

In his lecture, Prof Dr Ben Knapen will examine the push and pull forces at work to assess if European integration will be further strengthened. Specifically, he will also look at the impact of Lisbon Treaty, which recently came into force in December 2009, as well as the rise of fast growing BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India And China) on regional integration in Europe.

These and other topics are being discussed in “Aftershocks, Economic crisis and Institutional choice”, published by the Scientific Council, edited by Prof  Dr Knapen.

The first public talk of the year by Mr Alain Ruche (Dy Director, European Commission) on “Does EU need a new Asia Strategy” is co-organised with ASEF, on 12 January 2010.  Held at the ASEF conference room, the event was attended by over 60 participants.

The EU’s external relations with Asia are still underpinned by the 2001 European Commission Communication “Europe and Asia: a strategic framework for enhanced partnership”.  This Communication was released just before the events of September 11.   With the tremendous changes that have taken place both in Europe and Asia, and globally, and with the passage of the Lisbon Treaty aimed at shoring up the EU’s identity and capacity to act on the world stage,  this lecture will ask if a more coherent EU strategy towards the Asia region, particularly the Southeast Asian (SEA) region, is feasible and opportune. At the same time, the presentation will review the EU’s engagement of Asia in the past, the broadening scope of EU instruments and policies towards Asia, and sketch possible outlines of future EU-Asia strategy in the new, multi-polar world.

The European Union is arguably the biggest democratic success story in history. It is often held up as a source of inspiration for achieving peace and prosperity through its approach towards region-building and development.

 Should the European Union then step up its efforts to translate its own experiences of integration, democracy and development to support sustainable democracy in other regions? Can the European Union be an effective global player and assume leadership role in supporting democracy building around the world?

 With the support of the Swedish government, International IDEA embarked on a project to gather the views and perspectives of partners of the European Union across different regions on the role of the European Union in democracy building. After a series of consultations and feedback, International IDEA has produced report entitled “Democracy in Development: Global Consultations on the EU’s role in Democracy Building”. The report documents the findings on the perceptions of the European Union’s external policies and partnership, as well as recommendations on strengthening the European Union’s policies and practices on supporting democracy and development.

 The Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) and the European Union Centre in Singapore are pleased to jointly organise the launch of this report by International IDEA and a panel discussion with three distinguished panellists Ms Ingrid Wetterqvist (Director, International IDEA, Sweden), Professor S. D. Muni (Visiting Senior Research Fellow, ISAS, Singapore) and Ambassador Rodolfo Severino (Head, ASEAN Studies Centre, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore).

The EU Centre in Singapore with the support of Asia-Europe Foundation succesfully organised the conference on "Networked Regionalism versus Institutional Regionalism: Managing Complexities in Regional Cooperation and Global Governance" at the Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre Hotel in Singapore from 6 to 8 December 2009. The event was attended by some 60 registered participants from 20 countries including Singapore.

Regionalism is becoming an important feature of the contemporary international system. Accentuated by the forces of globalisation, the “region” is increasingly turned to by states wishing to address issues that reach beyond national boundaries. Effects of regional integration hence hold equal interest for both policy makers and researchers, and studies on region-building and regionalism could also contribute to the effort in building a multi-level governance structure to manage complexities in regional and international cooperation.

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Singapore and Denmark are two small states heavily dependent on the international economy and surrounded by larger nation-states. While they have so far been successful in using globalization and regional groupings (ASEAN and European Union respectively) to their advantage and ensuring that their interests have been protected, key challenges in the face of current crisis lie in how they, and small states generally, can achieve their political goals within regional frameworks, as well as in keeping larger nation-states committed to multilateralism and rules-based international cooperation in the face of growing domestic pressure for nationalistic policies.

The European Union is ASEAN’s first overall trading partner and biggest source of foreign direct investments. In 2008, the total trade between EU and ASEAN amounted to € 134.6 billion, and investments from EU to ASEAN have also seen strong growth. With the growing economic partnership, EU and ASEAN have entered into negotiations for an FTA in 2007.Eco-tourism, as a niche sector of Tourism, has been identified as one of the key areas for deeper cooperation.

Thailand, who is eyeing the conclusion of an EU-Thailand FTA, has been sold on the beneficial spillover effects of the FTA on tourism. She is gearing up to explore ways and opportunities for developing sustainable and community-based tourism. As one of the efforts towards developing sustainable eco-tourism, the Thai authorities with the support of UNEP and Greenpeace have commissioned the production of the first guidebook on Ecotourism entitled “Travel Green Thailand”. Besides giving foreign visitors plenty of useful travel advice and tips, the guidebook also highlights the benefits of a stronger EU-ASEAN cooperation in this field of sustainable tourism, importing some of the standards, norms and good practices developed within the European Union. Examples range from "Homestay" accommodation to national parks management.

"Travel Green Thailand" is viewed as a first step of a future Southeast Asian collection of Eco-tourism guidebooks and manuals, making itself a platform for future cooperation between the various stakeholders in the development of a more sustainable, low carbon emissions Tourism. Mr Richard Werly, the main author of “Travel Green Thailand”, will be sharing his insights and perspectives on an area of cooperation that the EU and ASEAN could potentially develop and deepen for sustainable development of the Southeast Asian region.

The event was co-organised by EU Centre with Asia-Europe Foundation and Singapore Institute of International Affairs. It was held at ASEF conference room and was attended by 30 participants.

The annual European cultural and business fair returned on 13 Oct 2009, this year to be held at the Nanyang Auditorium, with a twist. The Business Schools of three leading universities in Singapore: NUS, NTU and SMU will gather for a debate on a motion of particular relevance after the global financial crisis.

The debate was judged by a distinguished panel with representatives from the European Commission, City Developments Limited and ING, the Dutch Financial conglomerate, and, moderated by Ms Claire Chiang, former NMP and Chairperson of Banyan Tree Global Foundation. The event was attended by approximately 300 guests.

Regionalism has become a perennial feature of the world order, which has concurrently given rise to a new phenomenon in international relations: the relationships between regional groupings such as the EU and ASEAN. The interregional relationship between the blocs since the early 1970s is among the oldest of its kind. Beyond fostering mutual cooperation und understanding, these relations have also served to share experiences of regional integration. The EU has become one of the most active promoters of ASEAN’s cooperative efforts, through financial and technical assistance. But what have been the real results of these interactions? How has EU-ASEAN interregionalism asserted itself into ASEAN regional cooperation and integration? In this research seminar, Mr Lenz will present a framework for understanding the EU’s influence on regionalism in ASEAN, and its applications to findings from fieldwork in Southeast Asia, conducted while being hosted at the EU Centre. Does EU influence, with fairly recent developments of the ASEAN Charter and mooted economic integration, amongst other factors, attest or deflect from the increasing soft power of European ideals of regional integration?

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What Richard Bellamy and David Castiglione (2003) have designated the “normative turn” in European Union (EU) Studies, and what Ian Manners (2002) has called “normative power Europe” would seemingly follow E H Carr (1939) in distinguishing “economic power, military power and power over opinion” (Manners [2003] 239). Yet in his Twenty Years’ Crisis, Carr is clear to smudge the edges of such a distinction, at one point referring to “the illusory character of the popular distinction between economic and military power”. “Power,” he continues, “is an element of all political action, is one
and indivisible” (1939: 119); what is needed instead, he opines, is a “general return to the term ‘political economy’” (108). Yet some concept of the EU as a normative power has become so wellinscribed not only in its theorization but also in its popular and institutional understanding that the dichotomies inherent in such a view, its inherent but underplayed dialectics, might needs be reassessed in the light of empirical evidence of popular opinion from the EU Constitution/Lisbon Treaty referenda and the 2009 European Parliament election results. Norm‐building, rather than normative strategies seem to be the norm as the EU enters the new century. This presentation is intended as the first of a series on related topics, inclusive of Euroscepticism, reading Jean Monnet’s Memoirs, and the EU’s response to global warming.

Lesson plans and information for Teachers

"Europe and Singapore : Confidence through Crisis"
by His Excellency Holger Standertskjöld, Ambassador, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore

 "Principles & Policies of the European Union"
by Mr Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller, Adjunct Professor at Singapore Management University and Visiting Senior Fellow at Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

"The European Union’s External Relations – EU in the world "
by Dr Yeo Lay Hwee, Director, EU Centre in Singapore

The EU is often criticised for its reactive and uncoordinated efforts at a foreign and security policy. Whilst this may be true in the traditional fields of diplomacy and hard security, such a view understates how the EU has increasingly become the leading instrument for EU Member States to conduct their policy in new emerging soft security issues, which embrace challenges ranging from natural resource depletion through climate change to migration. In this respect, the public talk will illustrate how the EU has become a global leader at initiating sovereignty sharing approaches to such problems, and has pushed the global agenda gradually forward. In the run up to Copenhagen, it is therefore interesting to see how the EU has developed this role, and scenarios that could result in over the next few months and years.

The session will begin with an introduction by Mr John Pearson, Head of Climate Change Network in SEA, British Government, drawing attention to the “Implications of climate change on Southeast Asia”, and will provide time for questions and discussion.
 

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Symposium

Keynote on EU Initiatives
His Excellency Holger Standertskjöld, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore
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Awards Ceremony

German Strategy for Adaption to Climate Change 
His Excellency, Jörg Ranau Ambassador, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Singapore
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Creating Energy: Sustainable Challenge 
Thierry Pflimlin, CEO, Total Oil Asia Pacific
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Market Sense of Going Green
Deborah Ong, Partner, Human Capital, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Intelligent & Sustainable Buildings 
Frank Lee, Executive Vice President, Siemens Building Technologies ASEAN, & Dr Osman Ahmed, Head, Global Research & Innovation, Siemens Building Technologies
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Telecommunications Technology Benefits to Society and Environment
Ian Koh, Snr Director, Solutions & Network Design, Ericsson Telecommumnications
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Space: A Commodity Worth Preserving, Sustainable Solutions for High Density Development
Jason Pomeroy, Director, Broadway Malyan Asia

Pneumatic Waste Collection, Successful Business Models for Sustainable Cities by Envac 
Tan Chin Tiong, Managing Director, Envac Group Pte Ltd

Collection & Recycling, Sustainable by Nature Tetra Pak Model 
Ong Lye Huat, Manager, Environment, Tetra Pak Jurong
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A Global Approach towards Green Technology for Sustainable Water Management
Koh Wai Keat, Director, Business Development, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies SEA
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Protecting Our Coastal Marine Environments
Ole Larsen, Director, DHI-NTU Water & Environment Research Centre, DHI Group
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The Original Solar Cells: Microalgae & Carbon Sequestration
Assoc Prof Jeffery Obbard, Director, Tropical Marine Institute & Programme Manager, Biofuels Group, ICES, A*STAR
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Panel Discussion & Public Forum

Paula Kesavan, Senior Assistant Director, 3P Partnership Department, NEA
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Augustine Anthuvan, Editor, International Desk, Mediacorp

Howard Shaw, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council
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Anne Marie Doherty, Policy Officer, European Commission Delegation

Chua Yuan Cheng, Building & Environment Student, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
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[1st issue of EU Centre Policy Brief]
(10 Years of the Euro: Achievements, Challenges & Lessons for Asia)

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Overview

Development of EMU by Klaus Regling

Factors Influencing Dollar and Euro Futures by Prof Lim Chin

Banking Industry Perspectives by Ravi Manchanda

The Euro's Impact on Singapore and Asia by Claudio Piron

Distinguished Speakers' Profiles

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This seminar aims to compare and contrast integration processes in both the EU and ASEAN with reference to therelation to and perceived importance by the “grassroots.”

Ambassador O’Brien’s contribution on “EU Integration –Expectations and Responsibilities” will address some of thchallenges the European integration process faces as it enters a period of more demanding public debate on itdirection and a more exacting internal and external advancement of its values and interests in an increasinglglobalised international environment.

Dr. Roberts’ contribution, ‘Integration in Asia: The Challenge of Moving beyond the Divergent Interests of the Elite’, waddress the dynamics of integration in Southeast Asia. While both ASEAN and the EU have been depicted as elitdriven projects, the key difference with regard to ASEAN is that a ‘convergence of interests’ between the political elithas been primarily limited to economic cooperation and integration. A greater compatibility between the politicasystems, norms and values of the region will have to emerge for grassroots ‘socio-cultural’ integration for the procesof deepening the level of integration in Asia.

Ambassador O’Brien is currently Ambassador to Singapore from where he is also accredited to Brunei DarussalamIndonesia, the Philippines and Timor Leste. His previous posting was in Egypt from where he was also appointed tJordan, Lebanon, Syria and Sudan. Earlier from 1995 to 2002, he served as Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand - his first Ambassadorship was to Poland in 1990 and a year later to Lithuania and Latvia. He began hicareer in the Irish Foreign Service in 1972 and served in both London and Washington before being appointeSpokesman at the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1985
Christopher Roberts is a Post Doctoral Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) iSingapore. He recently completed a PhD (with a dissertation on ‘ASEAN’s Security Community Project: Challengeand Opportunities in the Pursuit of Comprehensive Integration’) through the University of New South Wales at thAustralian Defence Force Academy. His publications have ranged from integration and cooperation in ASEAN to morspecific issues such as poor governance in Myanmar. Most recently, two book proposals, on ‘ASEAN’s MyanmaCrisis’ and on ‘ASEAN Regionalism,’ have been approved for publication by ISEAS and Routledge

The seminar will be chaired by A/Prof Barnard E Turner, Senior Fellow, EU Centre and Academic Convenor, EuropeaStudies Programme, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, NUS. The EU Centre in Singapore was jointly established iApril 2008 by NUS and NTU with support from the European Commission. The Centre aims to help develop a base oEU studies, increase awareness of the roles of EU institutions, policies and their impact, and foster betteunderstanding of the role of the EU in the globaland regional arena through outreach activities, publications and research.

Knowledge and innovation lie at the heart of the EU’s Lisbon strategy to become the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world.  In this public lecture entitled “Innovation and Knowledge-based Economy: The Research Strategy of the European Union”, Dr Silva Rodriguez will explain the current focus of EU research, the priority areas and initiatives and elaborate on some of the success stories of Europe’s cutting edge research and their impact on society and economy.  He will also share with the audience Europe’s experience and achievements in promoting innovation and research designed to serve the needs of European society and industry.

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The EU Centre is one of 27 centres worldwide. NUS and NTU responded to a call for proposal by the European Commission’s External Relations Directorate General in November 2007 to set up the first EU Centre in Singapore and Southeast Asia. By April 2008, having won the award to setup such a centre, these leading local universities had signed a project grant agreement to establish the Centre. In a few months, the senior management was swiftly appointed and a Memorandum of Understanding inked on 20 June 2008 between the three partners, the EC, NUS and NTU, marking the launch of the Centre.