Central London Europe Group a branch of the European Movement

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Events: Whilst only part of our work, quality speaker meetings and events - for members and others - are a longstanding tradition within CLEG. We take pains to ensure that the spread of speakers reflects our strong all-party base. For updates on forthcoming events in general, please contact John Preston. Some, though not all, CLEG events do involve payment by those attending. As an alternative to cheques, we can now accept payment by ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CLEG AGM 2008 Our AGM this year takes place n Monday 12th May. Peter Luff. Speaker will be Peter Luff, chairman of European Movement-UK - who is spearheading the revival both of our Movement and of the European cause in this country. 6.30 for 7pm at King's College London Franklin-Wilkins Building, Stamford Street, SE1 (very near Waterloo). No charge but please confirm to Richard Wassell if you intend to be there. We shall be very pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining the committee. Please contact CLEG chairman Áine McGuire. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Europe's Lisbon treaty - and you CLEG's first event of the year - Tues 11th March at St Bride's Institute, EC4 - investigated the Lisbon treaty. The EU has agreed a new Treaty that will reform its institutions and its policy-making structures. In the context of the current deliberations in the Parliament on the new Treaty, CLEG is organising a debate to discuss what difference will these reforms make, for the EU in general and the UK in particular? How will they affect European citizens as well as Britain's relationship with the EU? Is the new Treaty taking Europe to the right direction? What the EU Lisbon treaty is about: It is argued that a new treaty is necessary in an enlarged Union of 27 member states. It will streamline decision-making, make the EU more democratic by boosting the role of European and national parliaments as well as strengthening citizens' rights through a brand new Charter of Fundamental Rights attached to the document. But there are fears that Britain's famous opt-outs are not secure, that British freedom in foreign policy will be eroded by a dynamic de facto EU “Foreign Minister”, and that such a treaty is altogether too centralising and sovereignty-stealing. Speakers (with links to recordings of two of the speeches plus the discussion afterwards) were: Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP - President, European Movement-UK Derek Scott - Deputy Chairman, Open Europe and former Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair Sir Stephen Wall - Vice-chairman, Business for New Europe and former European Adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair. A lively discussion ensued. This event was heavily subscribed and regrettably we could not admit all who were interested. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Other past events CLEG events over the past year or more included: Annual Dinner 2007 At CLEG's annual dinner 2007 on 5th December our speaker was our president, Claude Moraes MEP . Claude spoke on: "The EU's role and record on human rights". The event formed part of a synchronised programme of events to commemorate Human Rights Day (10th December), orchestrated by DARE (Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe). Speak up Europe CLEG held three events at the St Bride Institute, EC4 in support of the national and Europe-wide Speak up Europe campaign - which involves 25 national sections of the European Movement International: Keeping the lights on... (Energy security for Europe) (27th March) with speakers: Dr Angelo Amorelli (Director Technology - BP Alternative Energy). Energy efficiency - how much can we produce ourselves? Jeffery Piper (Energy adviser, DG External Relations, European Commission). Energy security - can we trust recent agreements with Russia/Algeria? Francis McGowan (University of Sussex). Can Europe develop an efficient energy policy and speak with one voice? China - opportunity or threat (23rd May), examining how Europe is or should be contending with the emerging superpower. Speakers were: Dr Kerry Brown - Director, Strategic China Ltd; Andrew Leung - Chairman, Andrew Leung International Consultants Ltd; Dr Benedikt Madl - Coordinator, EU-China trade relations, Eur Commission. A full report is available. What has the EU done for women? (11th October) with speakers: Jacki Davis - Communications Director, European Policy Centre: What do women want from the EU? Agnès Hubert - Conseillère, Bureau des Conseillers de Politique Européenne (BEPA): What does the EU do for women? An overview and opportunities for women. Dr Annette Lawson - Chair, the Judith Trust and past vice-president, European Women's Lobby: What has the EU achieved for the woman on the Clapham omnibus? The programme is supported by the European Commission and by the information network Europe Direct: Annual general meeting: At CLEG's AGM on 16th April at University College London Maurice Fraser, Fellow in European Politics, London School of Economics, discussed in great depth "Britain's European Policy in the age of Brown and Cameron". The committee duly elected is mostly as last year - but has Eva Eberhardt as a new vice-chairman and Petros Fassoulas and Patrick Montgomery as new committee members. All are/will be introduced in due course on profiles. Annual Dinner 2006 CLEG's annual dinner for 2006 took place at SOAS on 29th November. Our speaker - Rt Hon Denis MacShane MP, former Minister for Europe - encouraged us with an upbeat address on "Britain and Europe: leading or following?". Citizens or Denizens? Joint event on 8th June 2006 with London School of Economics highlighting the prospects for ‘integration’ of 8 million Romanies across the EU. Speakers included: Baroness Ludford MEP - a past chairman of CLEG: Barbora Bukovska - human rights lawyer, Czech Republic; Angela Kocze - former director, European Roma Information Office; Martin Kovats - political scientist, Birkbeck College London; Florina Zoltan - Romani activist, UK. See our Links page for background material on the Roma in Europe.