In the context of its 75th anniversary, the College of Europe is paying a tribute to Jacques Delors, patron of the 2024-2025 promotion of the College.
Jacques Delors has a unique place in the history of the College. In 1994, he inaugurated the Natolin campus, marking a significant moment in the institution’s history — one that resonates particularly this year as we celebrate the opening of our third campus in Tirana. He also served as President of the College’s Administrative Council from 1995 to 2000, leaving an enduring mark on our institution. Throughout his political career and beyond, he consistently placed paramount importance on education and research, which he believed should remain independent and critical to provide policymakers with reliable data and alternative perspectives. Following the time of political celebrations, the College has decided to honor its former president by organizing a symposium over two half-days, highlighting his rigorous vision of education and research.
Each of the College’s departments and programs (with the exceptional addition of representatives from the French Institut National du Service Public - INSP, formerly ENA) will contribute to the discussions around two key themes: the first, Delors the European, will explore how Jacques Delors’ contributions to European integration are perceived across Europe and beyond; the second will reflect on the legacy of Jacques Delors’ tenure at the European Commission, thirty years after his departure. A group of students from all three campuses will also share their thoughts on his influence, exploring how his ideas resonate with the new transnational generation they represent.
The symposium is open to the College community, primarily its students, who will attend the event live. The symposium will also be recorded and subsequently shared more broadly with the alumni community, before being published in an academic journal.
2-DAYS OVERVIEW
Day 1 - Tuesday, February 4th - Delors from France to Europe
14:45 - 15:00 Welcoming of participants
15:00 - 15:45 Introduction
15:45 - 18:35 5 speakers (or group of speakers), including a 20-minute coffee break
18:35 - 19:15 Q&A and pre-conclusive remarks
Day 2 - Wednesday, February 5th - Delors' Legacies
09:00 - 09:15 Welcoming of participants
09:15 - 11:55 5 speakers (or group of speakers), including a 20-minute coffee break
11:55 - 12:30 Q&A and conclusive remarks
PROGRAMME
Introduction
Introduction of the two-day conference by Federica MOGHERINI, Rector of the College of Europe.
Speaker:
Enrico LETTA, President of the Jacques Delors Institute, former Dean of the School of International Affairs at Sciences Po Paris (PSIA), and former Italian Prime Minister.
Remarks:
Didier GEORGAKAKIS (Academic Coordinator of the European General Studies programme of the College of Europe, Professor of political science at Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, Membre honoraire de l'Institut Universitaire de France) on how the conference will proceed.
Chair of the first two groups of panelists by Mathilda SCHULENBURG and Nina GUIBERE.
1. Delors, the European viewed from France
Speakers (15.50-16.15):
- Céline HUSSON-ROCHCONGAR (Directrice de la recherche de l’INSP, ex-ENA: l’Intérêt de la Direction de la recherche de l’INSP pour Jacques Delors.
- Michel MANGENOT (Directeur de l'Institut d'études européennes (IEE) de l’Université Paris 8, Professeur de science politique) et Fabrice LARAT (INSP, ex-ENA): Les paradoxes d’un homme d’Etat européen.
2. Delors, the European viewed from Germany
Speakers (16.15-16.40):
Wolfgang WESSELS (Jean Monnet Chair ad personam at the University of Cologne, and Visiting Professor at the European Political and Governance Studies Department and at European Interdisciplinary Studies Department of the College of Europe): Studies on Delors as incentive for further research: the leadership issue.
Hartmut MARHOLD (Honorary Professor at the University of Cologne and Senior Research Fellow at CIFE): Jacques Delors and his relevance for Germany.
Chair of the second two groups of panelists by Íñigo MARTÍN MONTERRUBIO and Nour BEN MEFTEH.
3. Delors, the European viewed from the UK
Speaker (17.05-17.30):
- Martin WESTLAKE (Visiting Professor at the LSE-London and at the European Political and Governance Studies Department of the College of Europe).
4. Delors, the European viewed beyond and after the wall
Speakers (17.30-17.55):
- Pascaline WINAND (Director of Studies at the European Interdisciplinary Studies Department of the College of Europe).
- Georges MINK (Permanent Professor at the European Interdisciplinary Studies Department and European Civilization Chair of the College of Europe): Jacques Delors in empathy with the post-communist countries of Central Europe?
Chair of the students group by Paula ÁLVAREZ VIDAL and Erriketi TLA NTA.
5. Delors, the European viewed beyond time and generation
Speakers (18.00-18.35):
A gender-balanced group of students of the three campuses of the College of Europe (Bruges, Natolin and Tirana) on how the new transnational generation sees Delors’ legacy and a cross-national perspective on Delors.
- Isaline VAN SINAY (ECO department, Bruges)
- Louis ACCOU (IRD department, Bruges)
- Aritz CASTRO LANDAZURI (LAW department, Bruges)
- Harm VAN DE PLASSCHE (POL department, Bruges)
- Mina MILOVIC (ETI department, Tirana)
- Matthieu ROUBAUD (EIS programme, Natolin)
Q & A
(18.35-19.00)
Pre-conclusive remarks
Introduction
Introductory remarks by Federica MOGHERINI, Rector of the College of Europe, or Professor Didier GEORGAKAKIS, Academic Coordinator of the European General Studies programme of the College of Europe.
Chair of the first three groups of panelists by Benedetta BRAMBATI and Dmytro KAZAKOV.
1. Economic legacy - by the European Economic Studies Department
Speaker (9.25-9.50):
Jacques PELKMANS (Senior fellow at CEPS and visiting professor at the European Economic Studies Department of the College of Europe): Explaining EU internal market dynamics under Jacques Delors.
2. Political legacy - by the European Political and Governance Studies Department
Speaker (9.50-10.15):
Michele CHANG (Director of the Transatlantic Affairs programme and Permanent Professor at the European Political and Governance Studies Department of the College of Europe): The Legacy of the Delors Report for Economic and Monetary Union.
3. EU law legacy - by the European Legal Studies Department
Speakers (10.15-10.40):
Inge GOVAERE (Director of Studies at the European Legal Studies Department of the College of Europe): Legal and regulatory aspects/impacts of the internal market 1992 objective.
Sasha GARBEN (Permanent Professor at the European Legal Studies Department of the College of Europe): Delors’ Social Europe… Today.
Chair of the second two groups of panelists by Anatole BONNARDEAU and Aoife GRIFFIN.
4. Foreign policy legacy - by the EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies Department
Speaker (11.05-11.30):
Sieglinde GSTÖHL (Director of Studies at the EU international Relations and Diplomacy Studies Department of the College of Europe): Falling in love with the internal market? The European Economic Area, the EU’s Northern enlargement and lessons learned.
5. Integration/Enlargement record - by the European Transformation and Integration Studies Department
Speaker (11.30-11.55):
- Igor VIDAČAK (Director of Studies at the European Transformation and Integration Studies Department, Tirana campus of the College of Europe): How Delors’ legacy continues to inform the EU’s enlargement policy?
Q & A
Conclusive remarks
Speaker:
- Didier GEORGAKAKIS (Academic Coordinator of the European General Studies programme of the College of Europe) on some mysteries of Delors' ministry.