In a short time, our world looks completely different. Europe is also undergoing important evolutions. On Tuesday 3 June 2025 at 6 pm, Prof. Hendrik Vos (UGent) will present his vision in a lecture: The European Union, a history (and how it casts its shadow over today and tomorrow).

The lecture will be in Dutch. Moderator and discussant is ambassador Pol De Witte, director-general of the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations (N/F). A debate will follow.

Participation: 25€ pp. Registration up to 26 May. Registration form.

The subject:

 

The European Union, a history (and how it casts its shadow over today and tomorrow). Based on the book: “This is Europe – the history of a Union” (in Dutch)

 

The European Union is important. It is a market without barriers but with many rules. We expect answers from Europe for all the major challenges of today. But where does this European Union come from? Was there ever a grand plan? Or did it grow almost ‘stumblingly’?

 

In this lecture, Hendrik Vos uses anecdotes and petite histoire to tell how the European Union came into being after the Second World War and how it grew into the political machine it is today. The course was never certain and often had to do with coincidences, unexpected events, friendships or clashing characters. It is the history of ministers who played the cello, a constitution that ended up in a roasting chicken, a wedding in Moscow, the signing of blank sheets and so much more. It is a story that is sometimes gripping, sometimes funny, sometimes serious, and then again full of misunderstandings.

 

The speaker

 

Hendrik Vos is a professor of European politics at Ghent University (Department of Political Science) and is a columnist for De Standaard. He tries to explain European politics in an understandable way and was awarded the Wablieft Prize for clear language a few years ago, together with VRT journalist Rob Heirbaut. With Heirbaut he also made the television series 'Het IJzeren Gordijn', which was shown on Canvas in 2014, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. With radio maker Sven Speybrouck he traveled through Europe for the podcast 'Het mirakel van Schuman' in 2021, in search of stories about the history of unification. This podcast is based on the book 'Dit is Europa - de geschiedenis van een Unie', which tells the story of the origins of the European Union with many anecdotes and petite histoire. There is also a theatre version of that book that has already been performed in a hundred halls, both at home and abroad.

 

The discussant/moderator

 

Pol De Witte is director general of the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations. He studied law and specialised in international and European law at the VUB. From 1984 to 2022 he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1995 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2005 he was with the International Secretariat of NATO where - as head of Multilateral Affairs from 2002 to 2005 - he was responsible for relations with the EU. Between 2009 and 2016 he was ambassador of Belgium in Ankara (Turkey) and Copenhagen (Denmark). He was with the Royal Palace where he was Secretary General of the Household of His Majesty the King until his retirement in 2022.