Lunch seminar on energy and security: the securitisation of a vital resource, University of Leuven, 3 February 2010

Traditionally, the concept of ‘energy security’ never formed a part of security studies terminology. It is only since the concept of security has been fiercely debated over the last decades, ultimately leading to a widening of the concept, that it now commonly comprises environmental, societal (identity), political and economic security issues alongside traditional concerns of military security. Energy security has gained particular prominence in light of the cuts in the supply of natural gas to the EU as a result of the ‘gas crises’ between Russia and Ukraine. This Panel Debate aims to stimulate a discussion on (i) why energy is or should also be approached from a security perspective and (ii) the specific implications thereof for the role of the EU, NATO and other international organisations as security actors. More info and programme of this panel debate can be found here.

 

Workshop on Traditional and New Security Issues, University of Leuven, 3-5 February 2010

The second workshop of the EU-GRASP project jointly organized by University of Gothenburg and KULeuven (respectively leaders of WP4 and WP5) will be held in Leuven from 3 to 5 February 2010. This workshop will focus on the six security issues that are covered by EU-GRASP project and the case studies that will be undertaken under this framework.

Additional information about this event will soon be made available.

After having held its first workshop on conceptual issues and levels of cooperation in Bruges on 1-3 July 2009, EU-GRASP organised its second workshop in Leuven on 3-5 February 2010 on Traditional and New security issues. This event corresponds to the association of two deliverables, namely Deliverable 4.1 and 5.1 and marked the launch of the second year of the project and the beginning of the case study research. The workshop also served to discuss several elements on how to tackle the case studies by having the theoretical framework of EU Security Governance in mind. The workshop itself was followed by a Management Committee Meeting and an Advisory Board meeting to review the progress of the first year and plan for the year ahead.

The workshop in Leuven was preceded by a public panel debate on “Energy and Security: the Securitisation of a Vital Resource”. The panellists were Jamie Shea, Director of Policy Planning at NATO, and Danila Bochkarev, Associate for Energy Security at the East West Institute. The debate was chaired by Prof. Jan Wouters of KULeuven and partner of the EU-GRASP Project. The audience was a mix of students, academic researchers and practitioners.

Workshop on Conceptual Issues and Levels of Cooperation, 1-3 July 2009

The first workshop of the EU-GRASP project was jointly organized by Warwick University and UNU-CRIS. This workshop was held from 1 July to 3 July at the College of Europe in Bruges. Warwick University and UNU-CRIS (respectively leaders of WP2 and WP3) had previously agreed to jointly organize the event.

The workshop was attended by members of each of the EU-GRASP partners except from ISS which had to be excused from the event. Despite not being able to attend the ISS still contributed to the workshop by sending their written contributions. All the other partners were able to present their papers and send in a written copy.

In addition to the EU-GRASP partners the workshop also welcomed Dr. Caroline Bouchard from the University of Edinburgh representing FP7 project MERCURY, Dr. Astrid B. Boening from the University of Miami and Dr. Andrea Ellner from King’s College London and UK Defence Academy. Dr. Caroline Bouchard presented a paper on MERCURY’s approach of Multilateralism; Dr. Astrid Boening presented a paper on the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership while Dr. Andrea Gellner served as a discussant for the paper on EU Security Governance.

You can view the programme of this event here.