Talking to stagiers
Since 2001 I have had the pleasure to give a talk to incoming stagiers (interns). I do it twice a year. The groups consist of 500-800 professionals who have come to do a 5 month work stint at the Commission or another EU institutions.
These lectures are a definite highlight for me. Every one of the 12 groups that I have talked to have been great.
For the past three years I have given a lecture on "The State of the Union". I like the title because the same title is often used in grand speeches of US Presidents. The title is supposed to be taken with a pinch of salt, but it does describe what I end up talking about.
This year I divided my talk into three parts. God bless Descartes...
First, I laid out my pendelum thesis (which I have borrowed from Helen Wallace). I argued that the EU pendulum is swinging back and that there are three reasons to be optimistic: the EU has found its raison d'etre (or at least a new project) in climate change and energy; the political trio of Merkel-Sarkozy-Brown is a hell of a lot more dynamic that Schröder-Chirac-Blair; and that the EU is currently focusing on essential legislation.
Secondly, I highlighted three key challenges on the EU agenda: the dual challenge of deepening (the Reform treaty) and widening (enlargement); the economy (competitiveness); and foreign policy. I tried to be as provocative and politically incorrect as possible. I think I succeeded...
Thirdly, I developed three visions for the future of the EU: the pessimist thinks that it will end in tears; the optimist believes in EU salvation; and the realist just faces up to the facts that the EU moves from one crises to another and manages to survive.
We had a good half an hour for questions and answers. The audience was brilliant. The questions were to the point and I tried to deal with them as thoroughly as possible.
Every time I come out of that lecture I feel reinvigorated. For me it is simply a great event. I hope the audience felt at least half as good as I did.
It would be great to get some some feedback from those present. All comments, observations and questions are welcomed.
6 kommenttia
Alex Stubb, is your vision based on EU government of the people, by the people, and for the people of the Union?
Regards
Ralf Grahn
Mr. Grahn - of course. I am delighted to see that you are a fellow federalist. Alex
Hello Alex,
First of all thanks for a really brilliant lecture, it was a pleasure to spend this hour among the audience.
The scope of subjects was vast, but I would like to concentrate on one thing that particularly struck me.
I think this was the first time that I actually heard a politician from the "Old EU" speak so frankly about the enlargement process.
There is a weird tendency to say that the accession of the new Member States was an act of one-sided effort from the 15 with positive effects concerning only the new 10. Your speach proved or at least tried to show that it's actually not 100% true.
I perfectly agree that the closing of job markets, opposed to the invasion of Western corporations flowing into the Central-Eastern markets was ksenophobic, nationalist, unfair and against the very principles of the EU. I think examples of Britain, Ireland and Sweden, who profited from the presence of new-comers, who contributed in a positive way to the economies of these countries made others realize that, but there are few who have the courage to speak about it. What do you think are the reasons for that?
Thanks again and good luck for the future,
Best regards
Mateusz Banaszkiewicz
Dear Mr. Stubb,
I was one of the stagiers yout talked to on Wednesday in Brussels. I must say you were the most interesting and entertaining speaker of the two day welcome conference. I hope your energy and enthusiasm will always be on such a high level I saw two days ago. Good luck!
Sadi Shanaah (EC Repr.Office, Prague)
Dear Alex,
I was in the audience for the 'State of Union' you delivered for the March 2007 stagiaires session. Your speech was excellent!!
I felt a - positive - envy towards you :) => you really know how to catch people in your discourse! You love to talk and people love to hear you!
I think I'd like very much to work with you as you are a person from which one can learn a lot!! At least this was my feeling...
Cheers,
Raluca
On erittäin tärkeää, että EU:lle saadaan kasvot. Tämän lisäksi Britannian integroitumista EU:iin on mahdollisuuksien mukaan edistettävä. Yhtenäinen ja samoihin päämääriin pyrkivä dynaaminen EU on minun ihanteeni.