Europe is surrounded by an arch of instability. Russia’s aggression in the East and the spread of radicalism, fundamentalism and instability in the Sahel, North Africa and the Middle East threaten Europe’s security and interests. The European Union’s diplomatic, economic and low-key crisis management responses to these situations has been denounced in some quarters, even if some of the member states – such as France in the Sahel – have shown resolve and purpose. How can the EU better respond to its neighbourhood and its global responsibilities?

With Sir Robert Cooper, Visiting Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science

Robert Cooper is presently a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. During a long and distinguished career in the UK Foreign Office, Cooper served as Head of the Policy Planning Staff and as the UK’s Special Representative in Afghanistan. In 2002 he began his career with the European Union, first as Director-General for External and Politico-military Affairs at the Council of the EU, and as a Counsellor with the European External Action Service. He is also the author of The Breaking of Nations: Order and Chaos in the Twenty-First Century (Atlantic Press, 2003).

This lecture is the first lecture of the IES Autumn Lecture Series 2014: “The Future of European Geostrategy” jointly organised by the Institute for European Studies-VUB and the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations. Read more about the lecture series!

To tweet about this lecture use the following hashtag: #EFSP14.

 

REGISTRATION & VENUE

All lectures are conducted in English and will take place from 18:00 until 20:00 at the premises of the Institute for European Studies, unless stated otherwise. For information and registration: daniel.fiott@vub.ac.be.

Karel Van Miert Building
Conference Rooms Rome & Lisbon
Pleinlaan 5
1050 Brussels

[Map & Directions]

 

CONTACT

Daniel Fiott (Academic coordinator)
FWO PhD Fellow
Institute for European Studies
+32 2 614 80 30
daniel.fiott@vub.ac.be

Jacintha Liem (Logistics)
Management and Events Coordinator
Institute for European Studies
+32 2 614 80 02
jacintha.liem@vub.ac.be

(Photo credit: LSE 2014))