Programme
Since 1992 Maastricht has been inextricably linked with Europe. The signing of the Maastricht Treaty started an experiment, which carries on to this day. Thirty years after this milestone in European history, Studio Europa Maastricht will examine the challenges and achievements that brought us here. Explore together with the people of Maastricht, Limburg, the Euregion, and beyond, the value and relevance of this heritage for contemporary society. And engage through research and public debate in the conversations on the future of Europe. Our programme ‘Re:Generation Maastricht’ calls upon all generations to work on a better Europe, together. Are you ready to take the future of Europe into your hands? Explore our upcoming events and projects here.
Kick-off G30
1 November 2021
The G30 is a group of 30 Maastricht University students who will be closely involved in the activities of Studio Europa. They will meet with politicians, policymakers, and thought leaders who will provide them with an abundance of knowledge and insights and will participate in workshops on storytelling, imagining alternative futures, and creative expression. Together they will work towards a reflection in which they present their ideas for the future of Europe. On 1 November, the G30 will meet for the first time and discuss the programme that lays ahead.
Kick-off anniversary season 30 years Maastricht Treaty with opening exhibition
8 November 2021
The kick-off of the 30 years anniversary season of the Maastricht Treaty at the Gouvernement at the Maas. This kick-off includes the opening of the exposition on the Maastricht Treaty, developed by Studio Europa and its partners, as well as the programme in support of the European Heritage label. In addition, the broader programme of the celebratory season for the thirty years of the Maastricht Treaty will be presented.
Essay competition finalists announcement
28 December 2021
In collaboration with the Financieele Dagblad, we are organizing an essay competition for young people up to the age of 25. The theme this year is ‘The euro, what next?’. The essays address the questions: How should the EU improve the governance of the monetary union? Does the euro have a future? The FD will publish the three best essays at the end of 2021.
G30 Meeting with French ambassador Luis Vassy and Wepke Kingma
14 January 2022
On the first day of the citizen’s panels, the students of the G30 initiative will meet with the French Ambassdor to the Netherlands, Mr Luis Vassy and Wepke Kingma, Special Envoy for the Conference on the Future of Europe at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Together they will discuss the participation of the youth in the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Café Europa podcast
14 January 2022
Recording of Café Europa, a well-known podcast in The Netherlands that focuses on European current affairs and European integration. In this episode the (non)sense of the Conference on the Future of Europe, as well as the topics of the citizen panels: migration in the EU and EU in the world, will be discussed with Belgian author David van Reybrouck.
Webseries on the Conference on the Future of Europe
February 2021
A series of 6 explainer videos on the Conference on the Future of Europe. The YouTube videos explore the Conference’s relevance for Maastricht, Limburg, and Europe. Speakers include the mayor of Maastricht, a provincial minister, Maastricht University’s rector magnificus, and Europa Chair professor Mathieu Segers.
The Sound of Economics podcast about 30 years EMU in collaboration with Bruegel
02 February 2022
In this special episode, Bruegel director Maria Demertzis talks with professor Mathieu Segers and professor Amy Verdun about the emergence of EMU in 1992, the financial crisis in 2008 and COVID and the future of European economic integration. The podcast series The Sound of Economics by Bruegel has 20k monthly listeners and mainly concerns a listening audience consisting of policy makers, journalists and the business community.
30 years of the Maastricht Treaty and the European Union: in conversation with Frans Timmermans
07 February 2022
On the occasion of the anniversary of the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, speaks about the legacy of the Maastricht Treaty and 30 years of European integration. What has been achieved? Which ambitions remain unfulfilled? How can we link old ideals with new ideas to create an intergenerational dialogue? Accompanied by journalist Eveline van Rijswijk, Timmermans will talk to young people from the Euregion in order to find answers to these questions.
Expats X Migrants, street exhibition about prejudice towards migration
7-20 February 2022
In the week that Maastricht welcomes the citizens’ panel, portraits from the Expats x Migrants project hang in various bus shelters in Maastricht. This photo project is an initiative of photographer Tetsturo Myazaki, researchers at UM and the Diversity Office of the university. With the text “Expat or Migrant, who do you see and why?” passers-by are challenged to reflect on the implicit prejudices of these words.
Café Europa podcast with Frans Timmermans
08 February 2022
In this episode of the podcast, with Frans Timmermans as a guest, the anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty and the ambitions of the European Commission for the new year are extensively discussed.
Cartoon Cube in Maastricht
10-13 February 2022
The cube showcases the shortlisted cartoons of the 2021 European Cartoon Award in a spectacular fashion. The award, founded by Studio Europa and European Press Prize, recognises courage and quality in the field of cartooning and fosters conversation on the topic of Europe.
Conference on the Future of Europe, European Citizens’ panel
11-13 February 2022
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) and Studio Europa Maastricht from Maastricht University (SEM) have been selected by the European institutions to offer expertise and support to a pan-European citizens’ summit that will be organised as part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. In addition to Maastricht, citizens’ panels will be held in Dublin, Florence and Warsaw.
EU in the world and migration in focus
The Maastricht panels will become a platform for dialogue addressing the topics EU in the world and migration. Two hundred randomly selected participants will have a chance to engage at various locations.
European Youth Parliament in Rotterdam
11-13 February 2022
Simultaneously with the European Citizens’ Summit in Maastricht, the 22nd national conference of the European Youth Parliament will take place in Rotterdam. More than 100 young people from all over Europe travel to Rotterdam to discuss the central theme: “30 Years and Counting: On the Past and Future of the European Union”. Studio Europa Maastricht is involved as the main partner in terms of content and supports and advises in the organisation of the conference. UM scientists will participate in the conference as experts and a panel discussion with regional and national politicians will be organised in which the legacy and significance of the Maastricht Treaty will be discussed.
Kids-special Launch
7 February 2022
In collaboration with the Historisch Nieuwsblad, the online magazine ‘Europe comes together: The Maastricht Treaty in 1992′ was published. This Europe special has been turned into an interactive children’s special that can be used as a teaching module.
Debate on the future and freedom of the press in Europe
05 March 2022
As part of the cultural program of the French EU presidency, a meeting between a leading Dutch and French journalist will take place from Maastricht. Together they reflect on the future and freedom of the press in Europe. They will also talk to students from the Euregion who will form the audience. The conversation will take place in an authentic Maastricht café, as cafés are vibrant places where the city comes together to engage in conversation and debate.
RELAY-conference: The Missing Puzzle Piece: reconciling labour migration and the European social model
24 March 2022
Postdoctoral researcher Clare Fenwick, associated with Studio Europa Maastricht, is organising an online event on labour migration in Europe. Speakers and audiences from the sciences, local, regional and European government institutions, advocacy groups and journalism come together in several sessions to exchange views on the regulation and reality of labour migration and migrants in the EU and their alignment with ideas on a European social model and the principles of the European social market economy. The aim of the interactive sessions is to provide policy advice for the European Commission.
Kingsday – minting of special Maastricht Treaty commemorative coin
27 April 2022
On the occasion of the anniversary year, a special Maastricht Treaty commemorative coin will be minted on the route of King’s Day at the request of the partners of Maastricht Working on Europe.
Exhibition Mestreech ’92
May 2022
We are collecting the stories of ‘ordinary’ residents of Maastricht and Limburg – because all the memories of the 1991 European Summit and the signing of the treaty in 1992 are cultural heritage, also those of the general public. They show how a local community responded to an event of global importance. The research project is led by prof Joep Leerssen, Special Chair Limburg and Europe.
Creathon
11-13 May 2022
Every year, the Lille European Metropolis (MEL) and the French-Dutch Network (RFN), an operator of the French Embassy to the Netherlands based at the University of Lille, organise a creathon. This pressure cooker style event focuses on developing innovative entrepreneurial projects and lasting ties between Lille Metropole, Belgium and the Netherlands. The topic of this edition will be circular economy in border regions.
Workplace Europe: circular economies without borders
13 May 2022
As part of the créathon programme, Studio Europa Maastricht is organising an event on 13 May where the participants of the créathon will engage in dialogue with entrepreneurs, policymakers, civil society organisations and active citizens who are committed to developing a circular economy in the border region. The exchange of knowledge and expertise is central to this event, with specific attention to the importance of a European approach to this theme.
Princess Beatrix lecture
3 Juni 2022
Princess Beatrix, former Queen of The Netherlands, has given us the honour of bestowing her name upon an annual lecture that invites a leading European personality to deliver a speech devoted to an assessment of the legacy of the Maastricht Treaty and its relevance for contemporary Europe. The first lecture will be delivered by Ms Elisabeth Guigou, former Minister of European Affairs under French President François Mitterand.
Launch Oral History Project
26 September 2022
The oral history project (OHP) focuses on memories of politicians, among others, about (Dutch) European politics before, during and after the establishment of the Maastricht Treaty. The heritage staff of Studio Europa interviewed key political players at the time of the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1991/1992. The digital database with the first interviews will be presented in February.
Sketch of Europe on the Euro
September 2022
The video series Sketch of Europe takes the dialogue about Europe to the public space. A thought-provoking cartoon by famous Limburg artist Joep Bertrams, exhibited in the street, is the starting point for discussions on a central theme in the events and projects by Studio Europa Maastricht. The February episode will revolve around the theme of Euro at 30.
Euro@30: Lessons learnt and ways forward
26 & 27 September 2022
In 1992, European leaders agreed in Maastricht upon launching the European Monetary Union. 30 years later, it is time to take stock and reflect: what of the Eurozone framework as designed in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s remains relevant after the financial debt crisis, Brexit, the pandemic and climate change? Eminent speakers discuss how we can join the dots to create a European Monetary Union that protects the common good of citizens across Europe and ensures welfare and well-being for future generations.
On 26 and 27 September, Maastricht will bring together critical thinkers, policymakers, researchers, journalists and interested citizens for a structured debate around three major topics.
Session 1: Rethinking European economic policy in the “E”MU
26 September 2022
This session will focus on the role of the recovery fund in transforming European economies. Professor Agnes Bénassy Quéré, Chief Economist of the French Treasury, Professor Kenneth Dyson, author of The Road to Maastricht (1999), and professor Benedicta Marzinotto will discuss the resilience of national economies as building blocks of the Euro and boosting Europe’s priorities in key domains such as climate, digitalisation and social market economy.
Session 2: Monetary and Fiscal Policy -What’s Next?
27 September 2022
This session will focus on recent developments in EU fiscal and monetary policies. Mr Rolf Strauch (Chief Economist at the European Stability Mechanism), Ms Maria Demertzis (Deputy Director at Bruegel) and professor Erik Jones will reflect on the ramifications of current circumstances on the rules laid out in the Maastricht Treaty, the instrumentarium of the ECB and the role of the ECB in more general terms (treaty mandates).
Session 3: Finance in Europe, what vision for the future?
27 September 2022
This session will focus on the “Europe of banks” and more specifically on the role of banks and the financial sector in the coming about and the evolution of the EMU. Mr Klaas Knot (President of the Dutch Central Bank), Ms Linda Zeilina (CEO International Sustainable Finance Centre), professor Daniela Gabor and Mr William de Vijlder (Chief Economist at BNP Paribas) will reflect on the responsibility of banks in overcoming crises as well as their influence in designing institutional frameworks for the EMU.
