A Jean Monnet Lecture: The European Union after Enlargement: Challenges and Opportunities

in association with the Australian Institute of Polish Affairs

Tuesday 7th March 1:00 - 2:00 pm
at Wood Theatre, Economics and Commerce Building, The University of Melbourne

presented by

Professor Marek Belka

(Executive Secretary of the UN's Economic Commission for Europe, former Prime Minister of Poland)

Abstract

The European Union is in crisis, at least so many say. Some attribute this to the still undigested enlargement of 2005. The rejection of the Constitutional Treaty by the French and the Dutch is interpreted by some as the main manifestation of this crisis. In fact, it is globalisation that puts new challenges before the established societies of Western Europe. Recent enlargement could have been something of a vaccine against the "perils" of globalization: A small, controlled dose of new competition making the European economy more robust in global confrontation. However first reaction was defensive, but it is too early to judge what the more lasting consequences of enlargement will be.

Biography

Marek Belka has outstanding qualifications and numerous accomplishments in the area of economics and global economic governance. He served as Prime Minister of Poland between May 2004 and November 2005. He helped to direct Iraq's post-war economy by serving first as Chairman of the Council for International Coordination for Iraq (responsible for international aid coordination for the reconstruction of Iraq, 2003), and later as Director of Economic Policy (responsible for the preparation of economic reforms in Iraq, 2003- 2004). He served as Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (1997 and 2001- 2002). He also served as Chief Economic Adviser to the President of Poland (1996-1997 and 1998 -2001).