Events

The Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) organised the 4th European Interviews in Enghien-les-Bains in partnership with the Robert Schuman Foundation. The event was devoted to the urgent matter of "Rethinking Europe". Debate focused on three round tables on the future of the euro, European Defence and the European Policy adopted by France after the presidential election.

After the inaugural speech by the Mayor of Enghien-les-Bains, Philippe Sueur and Director of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations, Pascal Boniface, the Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giulliani presented "The Schuman Report on the State of the Union 2012".

Speakers at the first round table all pleaded in support of federalism. It is necessary to rethink the EU's institutional structure. Jean-Paul Betbèze, chief economist at the Credit Agricole, explained that to emerge from the crisis the State had to be modernised (public effectiveness) and private growth had to be stepped up (more competitive businesses create more growth and therefore employ more people). Jean Quatremer, a journalist in Brussels for the daily Liberation, denounces irresponsible politicians. In his opinion we were wrong to integrate "club med" countries into the euro zone. It is time, he said, to stop enlarging and to strengthen the institutions to settle democratic issues - a source of all of our problems.