UL FEM professor Mihails Hazans on October 22, 2015 will participate in stakeholder meeting for upcoming My!Europe conference

The main goal of the stakeholder meeting on October 22, 2015 will be to discuss relevant angles on:

1. The Refugee Crises and the Baltic responses in terms of public opinions and integration initiatives, and, the role of the EU and other EU-countries in these perspectives.
2. The Labor Migration and the demographic, economic and social consequences in relation to both the Baltic States and other European Countries, such as the western European receiving countries.

As seen form the Baltic, internal migration within the EU can well be seen as a question of free movement of labor and of a healthy and beneficial exchange, but it is arguably also a brain drain from especially East European countries, bringing new challenges to new EU member states with limited welfare support capabilities. “With December’s My!Europe conference we want to create a platform where Europeans have the possibility to engage in discussions and knowledge sharing on one of the most striking and challenging topics for the EU at the moment”, says Simon Drewsen Holmberg, the Institute’s director. Today’s geopolitical and demographic challenges call for knowledge sharing, and for preparing short and long term plans that are sustainable seen in a national and EU-perspective, he says, concluding: “Thorough debate is needed in order to ensure responsible action as well as a democratic and solidarity development of EU”. The My!Europe-Conference in Riga will consist of both inspiring keynote speeches and debate among the participants. 

1. As the first point on the agenda will be a focus on the present refugee crises in Europe. Where are the critical points within the single Europeans states and the Union as such regarding what seems to be a constant flow of refugees arriving at the European boarders? And what should the respond be – here and now and in the long term – to the multifaceted issue of integration?
2. Besides the current issue of immigration to the EU, an ongoing issue of internal migration within the EU – the Baltic labour emigration and the free movement of labour – will be the second focus of the conference. Resulting in a healthy and beneficial exchange and competition between the various parts of the EU, but also arguably brain drain from especially Eastern European countries, this brings challenges to the member states with very diverse welfare support systems etc.  

“In order to engage as many European citizens as possible in the conference, we at the Danish Cultural Institute, a broad scope of Europeans will be invited, such as members of the European Commission, the European Parliament, members from the International Sonnenberg Association, NGO’s from all three Baltic Countries and Denmark, international academia and universities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and public in general”, says Simon Drewsen Holmberg. Partners The conference is organized by the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in close cooperation with: - the Baltic offices of the European Parliament - the European Commission - Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian NGO’s - academia - the International Sonnenberg Association. This will be the second of eight My!Europe conferences running from August 2015 to December 2016. The next one will be in Germany in May 2016. To make sure you receive the final program as early as possible, send an email to Johanne Buur Bruntse, Project Assistant, The Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania johanne@dki.lv  More information about the conference on the website: www.myeurope.today/