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The Bruges Group spearheads the intellectual battle against the notion of "ever–closer Union" in Europe and, above all, against British involvement in a single European state. Honorary President: The Rt Hon. the Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, FRS Vice-President: The Rt Hon. the Lord Lamont of Lerwick, Co-Chairmen: Dr Brian Hindley & Barry Legg Director: Robert Oulds MA, Head of Research: Dr Helen Szamuely Washington D.C. Representative: John O'Sullivan, CBE Founder Chairman: Lord Harris of High Cross, Former Chairmen: Dr Martin Holmes & Professor Kenneth Minogue If you do not wish to receive these news-bulletins please send an e-mail to: unsubscribe@brugesgroup.com Please write unsubscribe in the subject heading DINNER IN THE PRESENCE OF THE RT. HON BARONESS THATCHER Monday, 27th October 2008 - REMINDER VOTE ONLINE Your views on the financial crisis being used to justify even more EU integration BRUGES GROUP ANNUAL CONFERENCE How EU and Government Waste is Costing You Money Saturday, 22nd November 2008 INSIDE TRACK The insider’s diary of events and the workings of the European Union BRUGES GROUP BLOG Visit the Bruges Group's interactive blog for critical and controversial comment on EU affairs DINNER IN THE PRESENCE OF THE RT. HON BARONESS THATCHER Bruges Speech 20th Anniversary Dinner Monday, 27th October 2008 - From 6.30pm A unique opportunity to celebrate with Lady Thatcher her seminal speech. With; LORD TEBBIT Former Chairman of the Conservative Party. & PRESIDENT VÁCLAV KLAUS President of the Czech Republic speaking via a video address. In 1988 Lady Thatcher, as Prime Minister, famously said to the College of Europe in Bruges; “We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them reimposed at a European level, with a European super state exercising a new dominance from Brussels.” Shortly afterwards the Bruges Group was set up to campaign vigorously for the goals outlined in the Bruges Speech. It is time for the principles so eloquently set out by Lady Thatcher 20 years ago to be embraced. For further information, including how to purchase tickets, please contact: Robert Oulds, The Bruges Group, 227 Linen Hall, 162- 168 Regent Street, London W1B 5TB Tel: 020 7287 4414 or reply to this e-mail E-mail: info@brugesgroup.com Click here for a form to book your place AGENDA Sparkling Reception: 6.30pm – 7.30pm Three Course Dinner (including wine, coffee, refreshments and petit fours): 7.45pm - 9.15pm Speeches: From 9.15pm Followed by Auction DRESS CODE: Lounge Suit LOCATION To be held at a very prestigious venue in Central London. For security reasons guests shall be notified of the location when the tickets are issued. VOTE ONLINE Your views on the financial crisis being used to justify even more EU integration EU INTEGRATION AND THE FINANCIAL CRISIS Campaigners for ever-closer union are arguing that the credit crunch justifies more European integration. Now President Sarkozy of France is pushing for the creation of a European economic government and a €300 billion EU fund to shore-up the financial system. Q. How should the leaders of EU member states tackle the financial crisis? Click here to vote online BRUGES GROUP ANNUAL CONFERENCE How EU and Government Waste is Costing You Money Saturday, 22nd November 2008 - 10.30am - 6.15pm Well meaning, but misplaced, environmental policies, corruption and waste by the European Union and the British government is costing you money and threatening jobs. The Bruges Group conference will focus on those issues and discuss the solutions to the problems that the European Union is forcing upon us. ADMISSION: £20 payable on the door or in advance Including lunch, coffee, wine, orange juice, mineral water, tea and cheese and biscuits Click here for a form to book your place THE SPEAKERS CHRISTOPHER BOOKER is a columnist for The Sunday Telegraph. He is the author of the Bruges Group paper Britain and Europe: The Culture of Deceit. And also co-wrote Scared To Death: From BSE To Global Warming, Why Scares Are Costing Us The Earth. Christopher will discuss the wrongheaded policies which are forcing up our energy bills. ROGER HELMER MEP is a Conservative MEP for the East Midlands. Prior to entering the European Parliament Roger was a businessman. Roger is the author of two books on European issues, Straight Talking on Europe and A Declaration of Independence. Roger will talk on how the EU is using climate change as an excuse to expand its power. IAIN MURRAY is a Director of Projects and Analysis and Senior Fellow in Energy, Science and Technology at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, an influential American think tank. Iain will talk on the EU’s threat to the global economy and the damage caused by misplaced 'environmental' policies. MARTA ANDREASEN was the Chief Accountant to the European Commission. There she raised concerns about fraud within the EU. The European Commission considered this an act of disloyalty and sacked her. She is now the Treasurer of UKIP. Marta will talk on fraud and corruption in the European Union. GERARD BATTEN MEP, UKIP MEP for London, is an expert on the costs of EU membership. He is a member of the European Parliament’s Security & Defence Committee, and is the UKIP spokesman on defence. Gerard Batten will be launching at the conference the 2008 edition of the groundbreaking annual report exposing the costs of EU membership. DAMON LAMBERT is the UK Corporate Tax Director of a major European Bank. Previously, he worked for 11 years in KPMG’s financial sector practice providing advice on the impact of the EU on UK tax law. He regularly writes on European tax matters and was a member of the Conservative Party Tax Reform Commission. Damon will discuss how the EU is costing the taxpayer billions and holding up economic recovery. TIM AKER is the Grassroots Coordinator of the Taxpayers’ Alliance. He contributed to the Bumper Book of Government Waste 2008, writing about how readers can and must spread the low tax message. He has written for several journals including Freedom Today and The European Journal. He also writes for conservativehome.com and regularly appeared on the internet political TV station 18 Doughty Street. Tim will talk on government and EU waste; arguing that Big Government is Bad Government. GUY HERBERT is the General Secretary of NO2ID; which campaigns against ID cards and the database state. His role in NO2ID includes ensuring that the campaign is coherently focussed on its single issue and as thoroughly non-partisan as possible. Guy will talk on threats to our civil liberties and the waste and costs of ID cards, the database state and the EU's plan to incorporate the Treaty of Prum into EU law. Which will allow EU member states to share DNA, fingerprint and vehicle registration databases. LOCATION: The Great Hall King's College London The Strand London WC2R 2LS AGENDA: Registration and Coffee: 10.30am Morning Session: 11am – 1pm Lunch: 1pm – 2pm Afternoon Session: 2pm – 4pm Refreshments: 4pm - 4.15pm Evening Session: 4.15pm – 6.15pm INSIDE TRACK The insider’s diary of events and the workings of the European Union The Bruges Group details the forthcoming meetings in the European Union whose decisions increasingly undermine democracy and shape our lives. The schedule of key events over the next fortnight include: 23rd October 2008 European Central Bank Governing Council meets in Frankfurt The Governing Council of the European Central Bank is scheduled to meet in Frankfurt. It usually meets twice a month to set interest rates in the euro zone, and it consists of the ECB executive board and the governors of the national central banks of EMU participating countries. Chaired by Jean-Claude Trichet, the ECB’s main task is to maintain the purchasing power of the euro and thus price stability in the euro area. The euro area comprises the 13 European Union countries that have introduced the euro since 1999. European Parliament debates 2009 budget, climate change, regional policy and application of EU law The European Parliament is scheduled to hold a plenary session in Strasbourg. The agenda is due to include a report on the European Ombudsman's activities for 2007; the votes on the draft general budget of the European Union for 2009; votes on draft amendments to and proposals for modification relating to the appropriations in Section III of the 2009 draft general budget; the system of the Communities' own resources; a report on building a global climate change alliance between the EU and poor developing countries; governance and partnership at a national, regional and project basis in the field of regional policy; the 24th annual report from the Commission on monitoring the application of Community law; the strategy for the future settlement of the institutional aspects of regulatory agencies. 24th October 2008 EU Political and Security Committee meets in Brussels The EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The PSC is responsible for the drafting of opinions for the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The committee is composed of national representatives of senior or ambassadorial level and usually meets at least twice a week in Brussels, chaired by the member state holding the rotating EU presidency. EU justice and home affairs council meets in Luxembourg The EU justice and home affairs council is scheduled to meet in Luxembourg. Chaired by the French EU presidency, ministers from the 27 EU member states are due to attend. The agenda is due to include a political agreement on a proposal for a Regulation on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations. Ministers are also due to adopt the decision espablishing Europol, the European Police Office. A press conference takes place at the end of the meeting. 24th - 25th October 2008 Asia-Europe summit meeting takes place in Beijing The seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) is scheduled to take place in Beijing. Founded in 1996, the Asem has 45 members, including China, Japan, Republic of Korea, 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the 27 nations of European Union (EU). The theme of the meeting is 'Vision and Action: towards a win-win solution', and will focus on expanding and deepening dialogues between Asia and Europe for the benefit of both continents. The financial crisis and other major issues challenging the world are also expected to be discussed, including food safety, climate change and energy issues. South Korea has also called for a tripartite summit with it's neighbours China and Japan to discuss the ongoing financial crisis on the fringe of the meeting. 27th - 28th October 2008 EU agriculture and fisheries council meets in Luxembourg The EU agriculture and fisheries council is scheduled to meet in Luxembourg. Ministers from the 27 EU member states are due to attend. The agenda is due to include fishing opportunities in the Black Sea, and TACs and quotas for the Baltic Sea. A press conference will be held at the end of the meeting. 28th October 2008 EU Political and Security Committee meets in Brussels The EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The PSC is responsible for the drafting of opinions for the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The committee is composed of national representatives of senior or ambassadorial level and usually meets at least twice a week in Brussels, chaired by the member state holding the rotating EU presidency. 31st October 2008 European Commission releases monthly business & consumer survey Eurostat, the EU statistics agency, is scheduled to release the business and consumer survey results and the business climate indicator for the euro area for October 2008. Eurostat releases unemployment figures Eurostat, the European Union statistics agency, is scheduled to release the unemployment figures for September 2008. The unemployment rate represents unemployed persons as a percentage of the civilian labour force. Figures are broken down by regions, the EU member states, gender and by two age groups. 1st - 2nd November 2008 European Parliament foreign affairs committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on foreign affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the common foreign and security policy and the European security and defence policy; relations with other EU institutions and bodies, the UN and other international organisations; the strengthening of political relations with third countries, particularly those in the immediate vicinity of the EU; the opening, monitoring and concluding of negotiations concerning the accession of European states to the Union; issues concerning human rights, the protection of minorities and the promotion of democratic values in third countries. The chairman is Jacek Saryusz-Wolaski (EPP-ED). 3rd November 2008 European Commission releases autumn economic forecasts The European Commission is scheduled to release its autumn economic forecast. Published twice a year, in spring and autumn, the macroeconomic projections cover a set of variables for the European Union member states as well as the aggregate figures for the EU as a whole and the euro zone. The autumn economic forecasts include data for economic growth, inflation, employment, general government debt and deficit, and investment. 3rd - 4th November 2008 European Parliament agriculture and rural development committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament agriculture and rural development committee is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The remit of this committee relates to the operation and development of the common agricultural policy; rural development, including finance; the improvement of the quality of agricultural products; supplies of agricultural raw materials; the Community Plant Variety Office; forestry. European Parliament committee on budgetary control meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on budgetary control is scheduled to meet in Brussels. It aims to check the lawfulness, correctness and financial soundness of the budgetary operations across a broad range of EU expenditure. The chairman is Herbert Bösch (PES). European Parliament constitutional affairs committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on constitutional affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the institutional aspects of the European integration process, the implementation of the EU Treaty and the assessment of its operation; the institutional consequences of enlargement negotiations of the Union; interinstitutional relations; uniform electoral procedure; political parties at European level. European Parliament human rights committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on human rights is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The chairwoman is Hélène Flautre, from the Greens/European Free Alliance. European Parliament legal affairs committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on legal affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the interpretation and application of European law, compliance of European Union acts with primary law; the interpretation and application of international law; the simplification of Community law; the legal protection of Parliament's rights and prerogatives; Community acts affecting member states, ie. civil and commercial law, company law, intellectual property law, and procedural law; environmental liability and sanctions against environmental crime; ethical questions related to new technologies. European Parliament security and defence committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament sub-committee on security and defence is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The committee is part of the committee on foreign affairs. The chairman is Karl von Wogau (EPP-ED, Germany). Security and Defence Agenda holds international conference on security and defence in Brussels The Security and Defence Agenda think tank is scheduled to hold an international conference on security and defence in Brussels. 3rd - 5th November 2008 European Parliament industry, research and energy committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on industry, research and energy is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit covers the EU industrial policy and new technologies, including measures relating to small business; research policy; space policy; the Joint Research Centre and the Central Office for Nuclear Measurements; the security of energy supply and energy efficiency; the Euratom Treaty and Euratom Supply Agency; nuclear safety, decommissioning and waste disposal; information technology and telecommunication infrastructure. European Parliament transport and tourism committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on transport and tourism is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit covers the development of a common policy for rail, road, inland waterways, maritime and air transport, postal services; and tourism. 4th November 2008 EU Ecofin Council meets in Brussels The EU Ecofin Council is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Economy and finance ministers from the 27 EU member states are due to attend. European Parliament climate change committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on climate change is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The remit of the temporary committee includes formulating proposals on the EU’s future integrated policy on climate change; analysing and evaluate the state of climate change and propose appropriate measures; drawing up an inventory of recent progress made and future prospects in combating climate change; and studying the environmental, legal, economic, social, geopolitical, regional and public-health impact of recent progress made and of future prospects. 4th - 5th November 2008 EU Political and Security Committee meets in Brussels The EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The PSC is responsible for the drafting of opinions for the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The committee is composed of national representatives of senior or ambassadorial level and usually meets at least twice a week in Brussels, chaired by the member state holding the rotating EU presidency. European Parliament committee on justice and home affairs meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The remit of the committee includes citizens' rights, human rights and fundamental freedoms, discrimination on grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, personal data and the free movement of such data, the development of an area of freedom, security and justice. European Parliament development committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament development committee is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the development and cooperation policy of the EU, notably: political dialogue with developing countries, bilaterally and in the relevant international organisations and interparliamentary fora; aid to, and cooperation agreements with, developing countries; promotion of democratic values, good governance and human rights in developing countries; matters relating to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement and relations with the relevant bodies; election observation missions. The chairman is Josep Borrell (PES). European Parliament economic and monetary affairs committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on economic and monetary affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The committee is responsible for economic and monetary union, economic and monetary planning, monetary policy, balance of payments, capital movements and borrowing and lending policy, relations with the European Central Bank, the world monetary system, application of the rules on competition, restrictive practices and monopolies, public aid, tax harmonisation, and financial services. The chairman is Pervenche Berès (PES). European Parliament employment and social affairs committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on employment and social affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit covers employment policy and all aspects of social policy such as working conditions, social security and social protection; health and safety measures at the workplace; the European Social Fund; vocational training policy, including professional qualifications; the free movement of workers and pensioners; social dialogue; all forms of discrimination at the workplace and in the labour market except those based on sex. 4th - 6th November 2008 European Parliament environment, public health and food safety committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament environment, public health and food safety committee is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The committee oversees the activities of the European Medicines Agency, the European Environment Agency, the European Food Safety Authority, the European Veterinary Office and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The chairman is Miroslav Ouzky, (EPP-ED). European Parliament foreign affairs committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on foreign affairs is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the common foreign and security policy and the European security and defence policy; relations with other EU institutions and bodies, the UN and other international organisations; the strengthening of political relations with third countries, particularly those in the immediate vicinity of the EU; the opening, monitoring and concluding of negotiations concerning the accession of European states to the Union; issues concerning human rights, the protection of minorities and the promotion of democratic values in third countries. The chairman is Jacek Saryusz-Wolaski (EPP-ED). 5th November 2008 European Commission adopts enlargement strategy paper in Brussels The European Commission is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Members are expected to adopt a strategy paper in enlargement, which gives an updated overview of the EU's enlargement policy and a summary of progress made over the past twelve months by each of the countries that wish to join the EU. These are the three candidate countries; Croatia, Turkey and Macedonia, and the potential candidates; Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Serbia, and Kosovo. A conference by is due to take place with Olli Rehn, the enlargement commissioner. European Parliament fisheries committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament fisheries committee is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The remit of the committee covers the common fisheries policy, conservation of fishery resources, the market in fishery products, structural policy in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, and international fisheries agreements. 5th - 6th November 2008 European Parliament international trade committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on international trade is scheduled to meet in Brussels. It is responsible for matters relating to the establishment and implementation of the EU's common commercial policy and its external economic relations, including relations with third countries and regional organisations, technical harmonisation or standardisation, and relations with the WTO. European Parliament regional development committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on regional development is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit covers regional and cohesion policy, in particular, the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund; the impact of EU policies on economic and social cohesion. European Parliament budgets committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on budgets is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The committee is responsible for the multi-annual financial framework of the EU's revenue and expenditure and the Union's system of own resources; the European Parliament's budgetary prerogatives; the budget of the decentralised bodies; the financial activities of the European Investment Bank; the European Development Fund; keeping track of and assessing the implementation of the current budget; and financial regulation. The committee agenda is due to include the annual meeting with the directors of EU agencies. European Parliament committee on the internal market and consumer protection meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on the internal market and consumer protection is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The committee is responsible for co-ordination of national legislation in the sphere of the internal market and of the customs union, in particular the free movement of goods and the freedom to provide services except in the financial and postal sectors; the identification and removal of potential obstacles to the functioning of the internal market; the promotion and protection of the economic interests of consumers. European Parliament culture and education committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on culture and education is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the cultural aspects of the European Union, including the knowledge and dissemination of culture, the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity, safeguarding cultural heritage, education policy, promoting the European schools system and lifelong learning; audiovisual policy and the cultural and educational aspects of the information society; youth policy and the development of a sports and leisure policy; information and media policy. 6th November 2008 European Central Bank Governing Council meets in Frankfurt The Governing Council of the European Central Bank is scheduled to meet in Frankfurt. It usually meets twice a month to set interest rates in the euro zone, and it consists of the ECB executive board and the governors of the national central banks of EMU participating countries. Chaired by Jean-Claude Trichet, the ECB’s main task is to maintain the purchasing power of the euro and thus price stability in the euro area. The euro area comprises the 13 European Union countries that have introduced the euro since 1999. A press conference is due to take place after the meeting. European Parliament women's rights and gender equality committee meets in Brussels The European Parliament committee on women's rights and gender equality is scheduled to meet in Brussels. Its remit includes the definition, promotion and protection of women's rights in the EU; the promotion of women's rights in third countries; equal opportunities policy, including equality between men and women with regard to labour market opportunities and treatment at work; removal of all forms of sex discrimination. 6th - 7th November 2008 EU-China energy conference takes place in Brussels The seventh EU-China energy conference is scheduled to take place in Brussels. High-level European and Chinese representatives from industry and government are due to attend the conference, which takes place every two years, alternating between China and Brussels. It is co-organized by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the EU Directorate General for Transport and Energy. The EU energy commissionner, Andris Piebalgs, will deliver the opening address, as will Shang Yong, Chinese vice minister for science and technology, and Fatih Birol, of the IEA. The six main themes of the conference are: renewable energy for power generation; increasing the role of biofuels; promoting hydrogen energy and fuel cells; coal and gas hydrates; carbon capture and storage; and nuclear energy. The conference takes place in the Charlemagne Building in Brussels. 7th November 2008 EU Political and Security Committee meets in Brussels The EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) is scheduled to meet in Brussels. The PSC is responsible for the drafting of opinions for the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The committee is composed of national representatives of senior or ambassadorial level and usually meets at least twice a week in Brussels, chaired by the member state holding the rotating EU presidency. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For further information contact: Robert Oulds Director The Bruges Group 227 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London W1B 5TB UK Tel: +44(0) 20 7287 4414 Mobile: 07740 029787 E-mail: info@brugesgroup.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------