The Europa Institute of the University of Edinburgh is organising a one-day conference on The Treaty of Rome, the European Parliament and the Regions and Substate Nations of the European Union, which will involve a number of high-profile, international speakers. The conference aims to highlight the role of the European Parliament in the development of European integration in the context of the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome with a particular focus on Scotland and its status within the EU and the UK. It takes into account the particular perspective of the evolution of the European Parliament as a representative and democratic institution, accountable to its electorate and reinforces the specific meaning of this in the Scottish context, by looking at the challenges of parliamentary democracy in a multi-level context, for a substate region/nation such as Scotland.
The conference promises to bring together politicians from Scotland and beyond, representatives of civil society, academics and students, and other interested parties.
It is organised with active involvement of Scotland's MEPs, and Neil MacCormick, the Scottish First Minister's Special Advisor on European and External Affairs. Giuliano Amato, Italian Minister of the Interior and former Vice President of the Convention on the Future of Europe has already given his informal acceptance to an invitation to address the conference. High profile speakers from the European Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive will be involved.
Essay Competition for Students of Scottish Universities