25/09/2023
AEI AMBASSADORS LECTURE SERIES (ALES)
“Understanding the European Union: A Vision from a Member State” by His Excellency José Luis PARDO CUERDO, Ambassador of Spain to Malaysia & Brunei,
17 October 2023 (Tuesday), 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Auditorium, Asia-Europe Institute, Universiti Malaya.
The European Union is a unique regional integration process both in legal and political terms. The core reason of its "uniqueness" and what differentiates it to other important regional processes - like ASEAN, African Union, Mercosur or Arab League to mention but a few- is that it lies not just on a common will to cooperate, collaborate, integrate or distribute competences but on real transfer of State sovereignty. Taking into account this essential element is paramount to fully and correctly understand the European Union. This fact has extraordinary direct consequences for the legal, judicial and political systems of the EU 27 Member States who enjoy the benefits of integration in exchange of scarifying own sovereignty in many fields. This affects not only Member States but also the daily lives of their citizens and the shaping of a collective European identity.
It explains too the high degree of complexity of the EU institutional framework and policy-making processes, their strengths and shortfalls it affects the role of UE as an International global player too. The European construction began on 1957 and its main objective remains unchanged: to get an ever-closing union among their members internally and to act as a promoter of peace, prosperity, human rights, sustainable development and economic cooperation worldwide. The conference will try -in a straightforward and practical approach- to give clues for interested audience to better understand the EU.
Register at: https://bit.ly/aeialesspain