European Union Centres Network
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The European Union Centres Network (EUCN) was established in New Zealand in March 2006 through a grant from the European Commission for external relations (RELEX) for €600,000 over three and a half years.
The Network conducts research, teaching and outreach activities to facilitate understanding of the impact and role of the EU in New Zealand and the Pacific Region.
The Network is multidisciplinary, investigating the impact of the EU on the region in the broadest possible terms including: trade, economics, politics, security, science, technology and innovation, the environment, development, democratic values and peoples and cultures.
Seven New Zealand universities are included in the Network which is administered by the National Centre for Research on Europe
- University of Canterbury
- University of Auckland
- University of Waikato
- Massey University
- Victoria University of Wellington
- Lincoln University
- University of Otago
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[edit] EUCN Objectives
The European Union Centres Network is dedicated to the EU's interaction with our region in the widest terms - involving economics, politics, security, innovation, development democratic values and peoples and cultures.
The guiding objectives are:
- Build a network of academic excellence
- Develop European Studies curriculum throughout New Zealand
- Enhance awareness of EU policies as they affect the region
- Promote innovation and intensity in bilateral relations
- Enhance EU visibility by implementing national, focused, regular and high-level outreach activities
- Provide a national vehicle for promoting a better understanding of the EU
- Develop a national network of EU expertise that can be accessed by the media, government and the public
- Expand people-to-people links and exchanges for academics, students and practitioners
- Undertake research relevant to the priorities of EU-NZ bilateral relations.
[edit] Activities
The strategic vision of the NZ EU Centres Network combines the three elements of research, teaching and outreach and is focused on the impact, role and understanding of the EU within NZ and the Pacific region in general.
The key activities of the network for 2007-08 are:
- High level public Europa Lectures
- EU-NZ Gateway Seminar
- Visiting European-in-Residence practitioners programme
- Network graduate scholarships
- Network internship programme
- National and international conferences
- National weekend EU graduate school
- Visiting EU teaching fellowships
- FRENZ national contact point
- Pilot funding for EU research projects
- NZ-EU survey and media analysis
- Production and dissemination of publications and media liaison
[edit] EUCN Europa Lecture Series
The Europa Lecture Series is the European Union Centres Network's prestige public lecture series, usually presented annually by a high profile, leading New Zealand or European politician.
Seven lectures have been presented as part of the series since its inception at the National Centre for Research on Europe in 2001. All the lectures to this point have been delivered in either Christchurch or Wellington, however, as this activity has now forms part of the EUCN's annual activities, the lectures will be held in several different cities over the next three years.
- 2008
New Zealand and Europe: A Partnership for the 21st Century
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 2007
The European Union and New Zealand - New Perspectives
Benita Ferrero-Waldner Commissioner for External Relations
- 2006
European agricultural policy in a changing environment
Mariann Fischer Boel Member of the European Commission responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development
- 2005
Turkey and the EU: Opportunities and Challenges for NZ
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Prime Minister of Turkey
- New Zealand and Europe, twelve months after enlargement
The Hon Phil Goff Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Justice and Pacific Island Affairs, New Zealand
- 2004
Annual Europa Lecture to the National Centre for Research on Europe
The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom
- 2003
EU-NZ Relations After Enlargement
Chris Patten EU Commissioner for External Relations
- 2002
New Zealand's Relationship with Europe
Rt Hon Helen Clark Prime Minister of New Zealand
- 2001
What's Europe Done for Us? Inaugural Europa Lecture
Terence Wynn Member of the European Parliament
A collection of lectures addressing the European Union's relationship with its global partners has been published to coincide with the union's 50th anniversary, the Europa Lectures 2001-2006, published by Canterbury University Press, is edited by Professor Martin Holland, Director of the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE) at the University of Canterbury. It contains seven lectures delivered as part of the annual Europa Lecture hosted by NCRE from 2001 to 2006.
[edit] EUCN European-in-Residence Programme
The European in Residence Programme is aimed at improving the EUC Network's capacity to reach and involve target groups beyond academic circles. The initiative will see four EU practitioners hosted by EUCN Partner Universities from 2006-2009, with a view to developing EU-NZ relations through linking these practitioners with New Zealand policy-makers and the business community at a high level. The European in Residence would be expected to provide formal and informal policy recommendations to the New Zealand groups they engage.
The Programme is based on the experience gained from previous Europeans in Residence hosted at the National Centre for Research on Europe.
Previous Europeans-in-residence include:
- 2007
Mr Terry Wynn Former MEP 1989-2006
- 2006
Mr Graham Avery Former Director in the European Commission, Brussels
- 2004
Dr Martin Sajdik Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Austria
- 2003
Sir Brian Crowe Former British diplomat in the Council Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium
[edit] EU Gateway Seminars
[edit] Treaty of Rome Celebrations
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, the European Union Centres Network, in conjunction with German Presidency of the European Union, the Delegation of the European Commission to New Zealand, the NZ-Europe Business Council, The National Centre for Research on Europe, The NZ Institute of International Affairs, and the Regional Chambers’ of Commerce hosted a series of one day conferences around the country. . Conferences were held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch from the 19th to the 22nd of March. The theme of the conferences was 'New Governance, New Opportunities and New Partnerships' and consisted of two seminar sessions, one exploring the nature of trading relations with the European union and its member states, while the second focused on a diplomatic and political discussion of the 50th year anniversary and the future of Europe. All three events were very successful, attracting over 400 people across the events and providing much lively discussion and the opportunity for business professionals, academics and students to ask questions. Each seminar was concluded by a reception allowing speakers and guests to network and providing a fitting way to end each day of commemoration. In Auckland the seminar was held in the wonderful Fale Pasifika building at the University of Auckland and was followed by a reception hosted by the Mayor of Auckland. The National Library of New Zealand was the venue for the Wellington Seminar, with a reception hosted by the German Embassy. The Christchurch event was held in the historic Christchurch Club, concluding with a reception hosted by the Mayor of Christchurch.
Key speakers at the seminars included:
- Terry Wynn, former Chair of the European Parliament’s Budget Committee
- H.E. Mr Jörg Zimmerman, German Ambassador
- Maurice Maxwell, European Union Delegation
- Hon. Margaret Wilson, Speaker of the House
- Hon. Dr. Michael Cullen, Deputy Prime Minister
- Hon. Jim Anderton, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
- John Key, Leader of the Opposition
- Hon. Murray McCully, MP
- Tim Grosser , MP
- Dianne Yates, MP
- Richard Laverty, NZTE’s European Director
- Brendon O’Donovan, Westpac Bank’s Chief Economist
- Michael Barnett, Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO
- Charles Finny, Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO
- Peter Townsend, Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce CEO
[edit] Post-2012 Burden Sharing Symposium – 29 July 2008
On 29 July 2008 the Institute of Policy Studies and the Climate Change Research Institute of Victoria University of Wellington, in collaboration with the New Zealand European Union Centres Network, hosted the Post-2012 Burden Sharing Symposium at the National Library in Wellington. The event was attended by almost 200 people, including senior diplomats, academics, students, public officials, business people and members of the general public. Professor Martin Manning, Director of the Climate Change Research Institute, opened the first session, The Nature the Challenge: Issues and Options. Next, Hon David Parker, the Minister in Charge of Climate Change Issues, addressed the delegates, providing a broad summary of the issues facing New Zealand with respect to ‘sharing the burden’, or as he preferred to call it, ‘doing our part’. In particular, he emphasised the need to set the rules and accounting framework that govern a future climate change protocol (or agreement) before developed countries like New Zealand agree to binding (responsibility) targets for a second commitment period (e.g. 2013-20). If this did not occur there was a risk that the outcome would not be fair, especially for smaller countries like New Zealand. Dr Malte Meinshausen (Potsdam Climate Impact Research Institute) then discussed the principles, models and options for burden sharing, stressing both the need for a strong international treaty to tackle climate change and the importance of a global carbon market. He also highlighted the fact that New Zealand, as one of the four countries that has so far committed to the goal of carbon neutrality, was in a position to take a strong leadership on the issue of burden sharing. Paule Stephenson (Visiting Fellow, IPS) explained the ‘Effort Sharing’ framework developed by the European Union to divide emission reductions targets and renewable energy targets between its member states. She suggested that there was some potential to apply this approach more broadly to help determine effort shares between developed countries and possibly between other country groupings. The first session concluded with a brief presentation by Professor Jonathan Boston (Director, IPS) on the concept and meaning of ‘comparability of efforts’, and its potential implications for global burden sharing post-2012. Professor Martin Holland, Director of the European Centres Network, opened the second session, Perspective on Burden Sharing. His Excellency Bruno Julien (the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Australia and New Zealand) gave an EU perspective on burden sharing, emphasising that the EU is willing to take the lead on climate change. He also stressed that action against climate change should not be seen primarily as a cost to be shared amongst countries but rather as a necessary investment to avoid a global catastrophe. Dr Frank Jotzo (from the Australian National University) discussed Australia’s perspective on burden sharing and in particular, the proposals and recommendations of the Garnaut Climate Change Review. He suggested that a contraction and convergence approach was the most appealing of the available options for sharing the burden globally – partly because of its simplicity but also because it was the option most likely to win support across the developing world.
Dr Graham Sem presented a Pacific perspective, pointing out the disproportionately large impact that climate change was already having on the small island states of the Pacific ocean. He also highlighted the need for a greater focus to be placed on the issue of adaptation. Dr Lavanya Rajamani (from the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi) offered an Indian perspective on burden sharing. She highlighted the fact that India was not willing to take on binding emission reduction targets in the short-to-medium term, but also noted that India was prepared to limit its per capita emissions to the OECD average. If this average were to fall substantially over the coming decades then India’s stance would have potentially significant implications. She also commented on the need to distinguish between the responsibilities of China and India, given that China’s emissions per capita are over three times those of India. Professor Boston chaired the third session, Further Perspectives on Burden Sharing. It started with an audio-visual presentation from Ned Helme, President of the Centre for Clean Air Policy, who spoken on a number of topics surrounding the US position on burden sharing. In particular, he highlighted the fact that a new Administration is likely to take a more pro-active stance in international climate negotiations regardless of which candidate wins the presidential election. Dr Adrian Macey, New Zealand’s Climate Change Ambassador, discussed New Zealand’s position on burden sharing. He pointed out that the two-track process confirmed in Bali was not conducive to producing a fair agreement but counterpoised this with the fact that there was significant international commitment for reaching a deal. His Excellency Dr Beat Nobs, the Swiss Ambassador to New Zealand, talked about how Switzerland has addressed the issue of burden sharing on the national level by using a mix of carrots and sticks to get local industry to take action. He then reflected on the challenges facing the international community and suggested that to overcome the problem of climate change countries must focus on their wider collective interests rather than their narrow particularlistic concerns. Zhao Yanbo, the Political Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, observed that developed countries had created the overwhelming bulk of emissions and argued that developed countries should take responsibility for these emissions. He also noted, however, that China was taking significant action to address climate change as could be seen in their ambitious energy intensity and renewable energy targets. Tri Purnajaya, the First Secretary of the Embassy of Indonesia in Wellington, stressed Indonesia’s commitment to doing its part to address climate change, but pointed out that this was contingent upon adequate technological assistance and financing from the developed world. The fourth session involved a lively panel discussion chaired by Professor Boston. The Panel consisted of Dr Jotzo, Dr Macey, Dr Meinshausen, HE Dr Nobs, Dr Rajamani, Dr Sem and Tri Purnajaya. Finally, Professor Boston and Professor Holland offered some concluding remarks and closed the conference. This event was made possible by funding support from the European Commission’s Delegation to New Zealand, the Ministry for the Environment, the Climate Change Research Institute and the Emerging Issues Programme.
[edit] Research Project Grants
The EUCN provides small funding grants on a competitive basis for individual or groups of academics from the partner universities. The aim of these grants is to provide funding to establish research projects on new EU-NZ research areas, allow academics to access key research resources and undertake fieldwork
