WP VII - Team 23 (Paul Luif)
Vienna, 8/9 May 2008

The European Union policies relating to the internal security of the EU have been growing rapidly in recent years. "Justice and Home Affairs" of the Maastricht Treaty evolved into an "Area of Freedom, Security and Justice", introducing new and remarkable tools, a case in point being the European Arrest Warrant.

But the way the EU has tried to tackle its internal security problems (such as illegal/irregular migration, organised crime and terrorism) has also induced changes in its relations to third countries. EU policy-makers have increasingly emphasised the external (even extra-European) origins and dimensions of these threats and strived to tackle them at their sources. As a result, the distinction between internal security and foreign policy has gradually been blurred.

At the Conference, first the challenges for the EU were discussed. After presentations of the theoretical approaches and the potential of the Lisbon Treaty the focus of the discussions was the main geographical hot spots. Finally, the cooperation of the EU with the United States and international organizations was examined.

The host was the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip).

Further information on the contents of the Conference from Dr. Paul Luif.

Programme

Thursday, 8 May 2008

Friday, 9 May 2008 (Europe Day!)