The Rita Hauser Annual Event

The Future of Europe

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) held a two-day symposium on March 21 and March 22, 2016, which featured five panels discussing the future of the European Union. The symposium, held at CFR’s office in New York, brought together leading scholars and ambassadors from Europe to examine the current challenges facing Europe, including the potential for a Brexit, the possibility of revamping EU institutions and deepening European integration, and the effects of the refugee crisis, slow economic growth, and a growing populist movement. Videos from the symposium can be viewed below. This symposium was made possible by the generous support of the Hauser Foundation.

Session 1: A Conversation With Europe's Ambassadors

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Matthew Rycroft, Henne Schuwer, and Réka Szemerkényi join Lee A. Feinstein to discuss the migrant crisis, the future of the Shengen Area, the Brexit referendum, Russian military assertiveness, and the United State’s transatlantic ties. Zoning in on the political, economic, and cultural repercussions of the refugee crisis, the three diplomats offer their take on the evolving state of the EU as it strains to deal with the consequences of an unprecedented crisis on its doorstep.

Session 2: The European Idea

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Jaroslaw Cwiek-Karpowicz, Barbara Lippert, and Stewart M. Patrick join Walter Russell Mead to discuss the nature of the European Union: it’s creation, institutional effectiveness, approach to past crises, and outlook over the next couple of decades. By focusing on the constant tug and pull between state governments of member countries and EU institutions, the speakers aim at discerning the fundamental structural flaws at the core of the union and how the push for integration is jeopardized by the ongoing economic and migratory crises. 

Session 3: The Troubles of Europe

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Péter Balázs, Heidi Crebo-Rediker, and Anand Menon join Laura Zelenko of Bloomberg to discuss the current state of Europe’s shifting demographic reality. Faced with a massive influx of refugees coupled with an aging domestic population, Europe’s economic well-being is increasingly at stake. By tying demographic realities to economic affairs, the panel of experts assess the severity of the situation, its security implications, and potential geopolitical resolutions going forward. 

Session 4: More Europe, Less Europe, or a Different Europe

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Robert Kahn, Sebastian Mallaby, and Constanze Stelzenmüller join Gary Rosen of the Wall Street Journal to assess the current state of integration in the European Union and the threats it faces from the ongoing economic and humanitarian crises. The speakers focus their analysis on the fiscal policy deficiencies and lax security controls of the EU, which represent major impediments to successful integration, particularly in times of crises.

Session 5: Europe's Role in a Troubled World

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Thomas Gomart, Philip H. Gordon,and Barbara Lippert discuss with Michael Mandelbaum Europe’s ability and will to forge a common foreign policy, and whether the EU will remain America’s partner in meeting the world’s challenges.

Participants at the 2016 event
Participants at the 2016 event
Listening to a question
Listening to a question
The discussion continues
The discussion continues
Rita and Gustave Hauser
Rita and Gustave Hauser