IES at UBC - EU-Canada - Institute Feed

Political Exploitation of the Crisis of the Eurozone (Policy Brief)

J Robertson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:06:08 +0000

Click here for the latest Policy Note from IES Director, Dr. K. Hübner titled 'Political Exploitation of the Crisis of the Eurozone'.

Double-Whopper (Commentary)

J Robertson — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:20:30 +0000

The German Chancellor got her way, and the European Union moved closer to a split that may go far beyond the British decision to refuse consonance with its European partners. The December 8 and 9 meeting of the heads of state in Brussels will enter text books of European integration as the days where Britain again decided to step out of the joint boat of Europe, and where democracy landed a huge defeat. Merkel may have won the battle but Europe lost the war.

The Charm of Small: Benefits of Shrinking the Eurozone (Commentary)

J Robertson — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:42:47 +0000

by Dr. Kurt Hübner

The German center-right coalition sticks to its tune even when the rest of the orchestra builds toward a shrill crescendo. Jointly with Jens Weidmann, head of the Deutsche Bundesbank and her economic advisor, Chancellor Merkel steadfastly opposes all versions of Eurobonds and any decisive bond purchase program for the ECB. Weidmann may have gone furthest by arguing that both tools are in violation of existing European and German law. Yet saying Merkel would have a more nuanced position would miss the point. Both are not even pretending to be subtle. A look at two scenarios is needed in order to understand this hardliner stance. The first scenario postulates that the crisis mechanisms already in place, or are in the making, and the planned change in policy rules that would come with changes to the Treaty are sufficient to deal with an ever-escalating process. Moreover, the tune goes that those mechanisms are strong enough to handle a Greek default and can stop any contagion. Unfortunately, the probability of this scenario diminishes on a daily base. Internal devaluation kick-starts vicious circles where negative growth drives debt and deficit ratios up and thus generates increases in yield. Higher yields demand, in austerity logic, more cuts and cost reductions that result in an ever-lower growth dynamic and eventually in further increases of yield. Sooner than later this circle runs into economic and political walls.

In Conversation with Kurt Hübner

J Robertson — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:58:32 +0000

IES Director, Dr. Kurt Hübner, was recently interviewed by the UBC artsWIRE about the ongoing Euro crisis. Click here to read the full interview.

Tensão no continente: Dr. Hübner interviewed for Brazil's leading newspaper. (Media)

J Robertson — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:29:43 +0000

Dr. Hübner was recently interviewed for a piece in Brazil's leading newspaper, Correio Brasiliense. The article was titled Tensão no continente and discussed the effects of the European sovereign debt crisis on economies in the Americas. Definitely worth reading if you speak Portuguese.

Diversity in Europe: a Canadian approach or business as usual?

Paco Beltran — Tue, 31 May 2011 22:19:53 +0000

The Remaking of the Euro: Changes to the Economic Mode of Governance of the Eurozone (Policy Brief)

J Robertson — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:34:18 +0000

The EU Centre in Singapore has published a policy brief by IES Director Kurt Hübner titled 'The Remaking of the Euro: Changes to the Economic Mode of Governance of the Eurozone'.

This policy brief discusses the reasons behind the sovereign debt crisis and the policies that will impact the future of the eurozone. It also looks at how the financial architecture of the eurozone is being rebuilt so that the eurozone can return to seeing economic growth.

(via EU Centre in Singapore)

Climate Policies, International Regimes & Global Trade (Conference)

J Robertson — Wed, 04 May 2011 21:11:09 +0000

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a conference titled 'Climate Policies, International Regimes & Global Trade: A Transatlantic Perspective' from 10-11 June 2011.

The conference will begin Friday 10 June with a keynote by Matthew Hoffmann of the University of Toronto followed by a roundtable discussion and reception. Saturday will be filled with three sessions and eleven presentations.

For more details click here.

If you would like to attend, click here to RSVP as space is limited. Also please indicate whether you plan on attending the entire conference or only Friday or Saturday.

<Update 14 June 2011> We would like to thank everyone who helped make the Climate Conference a success.

Click here to view photos from the Conference. The Rapporteur Report is available as a summary of the conference talks or you can view the presentations below for more details.

Canada-EU Economic and Trade Agreement: not yet a done deal (Media Tip)

J Robertson — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:55:18 +0000

Negotiations to seal a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the EU are expected to wrap up this year. The latest round of talks take place in Ottawa next week with some tough areas still to be negotiated, including the thorny issue of public procurement. With the federal election campaign in full swing Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the talks are very much on track. A number of Canadian groups are campaigning hard against a CETA. On the other side of the Atlantic the European Parliament, which now has the power to veto any deal, is raising questions about the environmental impact of Alberta's oil sands and asking whether the EU wants to import oil from that province. The CETA is far from a done deal.

Scholars from the Canada-Europe Transatlantic Dialogue are on hand to comment on the issues behind the talks.
Experts available:

Kurt Hübner is Director, Chair for German and European Studies and Jean Monnet Chair for European Integration and Global Political Economy at the Institute for European Studies, University of British Columbia. He is editor of the recently released book: Europe, Canada and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement; Routledge. Well-respected scholars from across Canada and Europe analyze the undercurrents of CETA as well as introducing the key areas which such a deal would encompass. The book provides analytical insights of relevance to policy-makers and students and scholars alike. Denis Saint-Martin's work focuses on public policy, federalism and intergovernmental affairs in Canada and in the EU. In the context of the CETA negotiations, he is interested in the governance arrangements related to global trade agreements. Amy Verdun is Jean Monnet Chair ad Personam and Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Victoria. She is an expert in European Union Politics, and the relations between Canada and the EU.

(via EUCAnet

2011 Western US Graduate Research Workshop on the EU (Call for Papers - DEADLINE IMMINENT)

J Robertson — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:43:30 +0000

The European Union Centers of Excellence at Boulder and Seattle present:

2011 Western U.S. Graduate Research Workshop on the European Union

May 13-14, 2011

University of Colorado at Boulder

The European Union Centers of Excellence in Seattle, Washington and Boulder, Colorado are pleased to announce an application deadline extension for their upcoming Western United States Graduate Research Workshop on the European Union, to be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder on May 13-14, 2011. Applications will now be accepted through April 8, 2011.