*** CAROLINE BROSSAT: La culture européenne: définition et enjeux. Etablissement Emile Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Bruxelles. Tel: (32-2) 5129845, fax: 5117202, Bruylant@pophost.eunet.be, http: //http://www.bruylant.be ). 1999, 548 pages, FEB 2,700. ISBN 2-8027-1187-3.
There are books so rich, so filled with enlightening information that trying to present them in a few lines is doubtless a form of betrayal particular to journalism. And this will necessarily be the case for Caroline Brossat's book, because the doctoral dissertation (in political science) on which it is based cannot be summarised, even if the comment is inspired by a desire to pay tribute to the work accomplished by the author. A former trainee at the European Commission' Forward Studies Unit, Brossat has achieved with this masterly work (which is not to say that it is always a delight from the literary point of view, a research work being less an exercise in style than a demonstration based on a sometimes repetitive accumulation of relevant facts), an imperative -because unprecedented, unless we are mistaken- perspective on the stakes of the cultural cooperation that has developed in the European context in the broad sense, from the Council of Europe to the European Union, the Communities, Unesco and even the WEU. While reaching far back in time, the study is highly topical because, as Rüdiger Stephan, Secretary General of the European Culture Foundation, writes in the preface, these stakes go well beyond the cultural dimension: "Political union also comes into play"!
In Part One, Caroline Brossat endeavours to clarify, through a systematic study of the documents of European organisations and the contributions of intellectual circles, the meaning and limits of concepts such as European culture, civilisation and cultural identity. This groundwork -somewhat tedious to read- leads to a distinction between two groups of concepts: on the one hand, European culture and civilisation, the heirs of culture and civilisation, invested with a "historic debt" whose accumulations and evolutions in terms of meaning are explored by the author through a semantic approach. Then, the derived terms -mass culture and European cultural identity- which have led, through the cultural crisis being experienced by Europe since the 1970s, to raised awareness (among intellectuals in particular, who tend to be turned to less confined but more uncertain ideological or geographical horizons) of common cultural roots and the necessity of anchoring them in the present. Which has led, demonstrates the author, to major difficulties in all the European organisations.
In Part Two, Caroline Brossat goes beyond the complex meanings assigned to "basic" research concepts to "deepen the ideas of European culture and cultural identity as fermenting agents of a future-oriented project, a political project". She observes in detail two important phenomena. First, "Member States' growing involvement in culture in Europe" since immediately after World War II. An involvement that has been demonstrated, inter alia, in the politicisation of Unesco, an organisation doomed over the years (notably at the initiative of the United States) to "politicking unfamiliar to the intellectual milieu", which long ago deserted this body. An involvement that is also characterised by the ongoing intergovernmental nature of the Council of Europe, which is legally normal but also reflects a weakening of the idea that culture could constitute the ideal path to political union. An involvement that has also been reflected in the long and obstinate "Community will to deal with culture on an intergovernmental basis", in spite of the constant efforts of the European Parliament -alone- and ad hoc interventions by the Court of Justice, which has favoured an "economic interpretation of the Treaties" and consequently authorised, up until the Treaty of Maastricht, a "negative integration" of culture within the scope of the Community's competences. The States have all desisted, beginning with Germany which argued that it had constitutional problems (linked to the powers of the Länder) and Denmark, which was largely responsible for the fact that it took until 22 June 1984, upon the insistence of Greece, for the first Culture Council to meet. And even then, only "cultural cooperation" was dicused. To say nothing of the execution on the baptismal font of the European Culture Foundation which, recommended in the Tindemans report, perfectly illustrated "Member States' bad will and especially that of their Ministers when it came to the sacrosanct area of culture". One might be tempted to laugh, or at least smile, were culture not inseparably linked to the ambitions of building a political Union and were it not an issue of power. Caroline Brossat does not neglect these aspects, giving her remarkable study additional aura.
Michel Theys
*** JACQUES PERTEK, Ed.: La reconnaissance des qualifications dans un espace européen des formations et des professions. Etablissements Emile Bruylant (see above). 1998, 370 pages. ISBN 2-8027-1111-3.
This work originates in part from a research seminar sponsored jointly in May 1997 by University of Lille II, the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, the Foundation for European Studies and the Trier Academy of European Law. The objective of the workshops was to enable participants -academics, legal experts and national and European senior officials- to study the results obtained or expected from academic and professional recognition, considered an essential element of free movement of persons in the EU. Freedom to provide services and the free movement of lawyers and other legal professionals was the subject of particular attention. After an overview of the principal recommendations contained in the report by the High-Level Group on Free Movement of Persons requested by the European Commission, there follows a set of contributions examining the free movement of students, the activities of the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC), sectoral professional directives, the Convention concluded between the Council of Europe and Unesco on the recognition of higher education qualifications and Court of Justice case law. Different legal acts and extracts of public reports are published in annex, along with a rich bibliography.
(ED)
*** SOFIA CORRADI: Le Conferenze dei Rettori delle Università italiana (CRUI), comunitaria, paneuropea (CRE), mondiale (AIU-IAU). Storia e documenti. Aracne Editrice (133 Via Raffaele Garofalo, I-00173 Roma, Tel: (39-06) 72672222, fax: 72672233, s.corradi@educ.uniroma3.it). 1998, 298 pages, ITL 25,000, 12 euros. ISBN 88-7999-216-3.
A Professor of Education at Roma Tre University, Sofia Corradi brings together in this work a collection of texts tracing the history of the creation, after World War II, in Italy, Europe and worldwide, of associations and conferences of university rectors. It describes in detail the objectives of dialogue and cooperation pursued by each of these non-governmental structures and simultaneously presents the European dimension and gradual internationalisation of the Italian university system. Professor Corradi also examines Community initiatives in the area of transnational research and student mobility, which led to the adoption in 1987 of the Erasmus programme, from which it draws lessons for the future. The nature and activities of the Confederation of Conferences of EU Rectors are also examined in detail, as are the Placement Project and the EURES network, which seek to encourage the free movement of workers holding diplomas through an exchange of information on jobs available in the EU. Professor Corradi then takes a look at the mechanisms at work in the evaluation and validation of the quality of academic programmes and in mutual recognition of titles and qualifications relating to higher education in Europe, in line with the autonomy of university institutions.
(ED)
*** Between Europe and Nation State. The Reshaping of Interests, Identities and Political Representation. 1999-2000 Academic Year, The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies-European Forum-European University Institute (9 Via dei Roccettini, I-50016 San Domenico di Fiesole (FI), Tel: (39-055) 4685791, fax: 4685775, http: //http://www.iue.it/EF/Welcome.html , forinfo@iue.it). 1999, 68 pages.
This brochure describes the research programme of the European Forum, which, in close association with the Robert Schuman Centre, constitutes a permanent centre for research in the social sciences at the European University Institute in Florence. The publication reviews the research activities and different projects for the academic year 1999-2000 and describes the research team involved in this international activity, listing their relevant publications.
(ED)
*** SANDRA D'ANGELO: 225 questions sur l'Union européenne. Institut d'études européennes de l'Université catholique de Louvain (1 place des Doyens, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve. Tel: (32-10) 478550, fax: 478549, infoiee@euro.ucl.ac.be, http: //http://www.euro.ucl.ac.be/euro/home_iee.html ). 2000, 96 pages.
A research assistant at the Jean Monnet "Pôle européen" at Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium), Sandra D'angelo published this work with a view to the recruitment examination the European Parliament will be holding early this year. Noting that such examinations require extensive preparation going well beyond traditional general studies, she put together 225 multiple-choice questions that will give users a final review before the competition. The questions are highly specialised and technical, meant for a very well informed public: even a journalist "specialised" in European affairs is obliged to give up in many cases... With coverage including the outcome of last June's elections and the creation of the Prodi Commision, the volume has three sections on "Policies and Programmes", "Community Law and Institutions" and "EMU and External Relations". Part Four contains 75 questions on the new EP Rules of Procedure, which adds much to its originality and interest for those seeking to become officials of this institution.
(MT)
*** MIKE COOPER: Free on the EU. A Guide to Free Sources of Information about and from the European Union. European Information Association (Central Library, St. Peter Square, Manchester M2 5PD, UK, Tel: (44-161) 2283691, fax: 2366547, http: //http://www.eia.org.uk , eia@manchestergb.demon.co.uk). 1999, 72 pages. ISBN 0-948272-64-3.
The second edition of this practical, self-teaching guide describes a large number of sources of information on the activities of the European Union and on each of its institutions. In addition to periodicals and brochures put out by the Office for Official Publications, the guide also refers readers to documentation available in Great Britain and highlights the growing number of sources on Internet that publish information on the European Union.
(ED)
*** UGO DRAETTA: Elementi di diritto dell'Unione europea. Parte istituzionale: Ordinamento e struttura dell'Unione europea. A. Giuffrè Editore (40 Via Busto Arsizio, I-20151 Milano, Tel: (39-2) 380891, fax: 38009582, http: //http://www.giuffre.it , giuffre@giuffre.it ). 1999, 311 pages, ITL 38,000, 19.63 euros. ISBN 88-14-07769-X.
In this university textbook, already in its third fully revised edition, Ugo Draetta -Professor at Catholic University of Milan- provides a general but precise overview of the sources and principles of European institutional law. Beginning with a historical background that is updated to include the Treaty of Amsterdam, Draetta examines the areas of competence, the operation of the institutions and the scope of the external relations of the Community and the European Union. Based also on considerable case law, he then describes the nature of the Community legal system and how it ties in with national legal orders, with particular attention to the Italian situation. An updated international bibliography provides useful references.
(ED)
*** JEAN-MARC FAVRET: Droit et pratique de l'Union européenne. Gualino éditeur (31 rue Falguière, F-75741 Paris, Tel: (33-1) 56541600, fax: 56541649). 1999, 430 pages, FRF 200, 30.49 euros. ISBN 2-84200-247-4.
Deputy to the Head of the Legal Section of the Secretariat General of the Interministerial Committee for Questions of European Economic Cooperation (SGCI) and Professor of Community law at several institutes which train French civil servants, Jean-Marie Favret has published a useful work with this university textbook, the second edition of which includes the latest developments in EU law introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam. After the usual historical overview of the foundation and constituent principles of Community integration, the author describes in detail the characteristics of the EU institutional system and decision-making process. He then examines the relations France maintains with the different European institutions and the conditions of the maturation of French positions on Community questions. Then follow critical studies examining the areas of the Union's powers, the sources and procedures for implementation of its budget, the sources and principles of European law and the entire Community judicial system. Numerous references to case law and a rich bibliography make this work a gold mine of information for students, practitioners of Community law and those preparing for examinations for the European civil service.
(ED)
*** The ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE FRANCAISE (Kiosque de l'Assemblée nationale, 4 rue Aristide-Briand, F-75007 Paris, http: //http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr ) has published the following reports:
- Budget communautaire pour 2000: un budget de transition. Rapport d'information No 1675, 41 pages., FRF 20. This report analyses different aspects of the Community preliminary draft budget for 2000, highlighting the many uncertainties -the consequences of the Kosovo conflict, in particular- still in the balance. The rapporteur regrets the lack of implemenation of new policies -inter alia, in space and biotechnology- owing to the renewal of the financial perspectives.
- Un cadre communautaire pour les "accords verticaux". Rapport d'information No 1539, 41 pages., FRF 20. This report outlines the principles of the new policy the Commission is considering implementing in relation to "vertical agreements" between operators at different stages of distribution circuits. The mechanism foreseen should be a balanced compromise between legal certainty and economic realism, concludes the rapporteur.
*** Treaty of Amsterdam: What Has Changed in Europe. Distributed in all the Community languages by European Parliament Offices (in Belgium: rue Wiertz, B-1047 Brussels, Tel: (32-2) 2842005, fax: 2307555, EPBruxelles@europarl.eu.int). 1999, 30 pages. ISBN 92-828-7400-1.
After outlining the different phases of development of the Treaty of Amsterdam, this brochure explains how it will change citizens' lives, discusses the identity of the Union on the international scene and, in conclusion, presents the changes the Treaty introduces in the decision-making process.
*** Les préalables de l'Union économique et monétaire à succès - Preconditions for a successful Economic and Monetary Union - Voraussetzungen für eine erfolgreiche Wirtschafts- und Währungsunion. Beirat für Wirtschafts- und Sozialfragen (Wiedner Hauptstraße 63, A-1045 Wien, Tel: (43-1) 5010542). 1999, 68 pages.
This trilingual (French, English and German) study presents the conclusions of an international conference held on 28 and 29 September 1998 in Vienna under the Austrian Presidency. Four workshops were organised to analyse development of the environment of European economic policy. The workshops discussed the margin of political and economic manoeuvre at national level, institutional preconditions at national level, the margin of political and economic manoeuvre at European level, and institutional preconditions at European level.
*** The Federalist Debate. Via Schina 26, I-10144 Torino, Tel/fax: (39-011) 4732843, federalist.debate@libero.it, http: //http://www.federalist-debate.org. Nos 1-3, November 99, 75 pages.
This review brings together a number of studies on international political events analysed from the federalist point of view. Articles in this issue discuss European security, the Galileo European project, the European regions, the role of the United Nations in East Timor, the fight against child labour, the future of the Balkans, international peace making and the Kosovo crisis, and more.
*** Europa-Europe. Bollati Boringhieri editore ( Fondazione Istituto Gramsci, Via Portuense 95, I-00153 Roma. Tel: (39-0658334151 or 065817017, fax: 0658349186, http: //http://www.europaeurope.it , redazione@europaeurope.it). No 5/99, 155 pages.
In this issue: a dossier on Europe of the 21st century and three articles on the impact of the European elections on the process of political integration of the Union, Europe between a market and a democracy, and welfare reform in Europe.
*** Revue du Marché commun et de l'Union européenne. Editions techniques et économiques (3 rue Soufflot, F-75005 Paris, Tel: (33-1) 55426130, fax: 55426139). No 433 (Nov.-Dec. 99), 66 pages. Annual subscription: FRF 1,010 (France) or 1200 (outside of France).
In this issue: the ECB's steps to prevent an upsurge in inflation, the spirit and ambitions of Tampere, stability in South East Europe, the European Commission and the European defence industry, the new Prodi Commission, anti-democratic tendencies in the WTO, bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU, health protection and consumer safety in the wake of the dioxin crisis.