Marc De Buck, gedeputeerde Annie Mervillie, gemeenteraadslid

It is a great honour for me as an executive member of the Provincial Government of East Flanders in charge of Economic Affairs and International relations to welcome you all here at this Monday Evening Seminar.Unfortunately it is not in the familiar hemisphere of the County council where the lectures of Ambassadors normally go. Caused by provincial budget debates. You hear it, Mr Ambassador. It's really become a strong tradition that we receive Ambassadors here to express their vision and insights into the relationships of their country to the European Union. We started five years ago with the Monday Evening Lectures in cooperation with the European Institute chaired by Prof. Marc Maresceau. The talks were continuing with the label of Jean Monnet.

Over the years we received more than twenty Ambassadors. Last week we even had the pleasure to greet the Ambassador of Albania and now tonight yourself. We were told that the ambassadors accredited in Brussels, considered giving a guest lecture as a very nice challenge. But not only the Ambassadors think it's a nice opportunity. Also, the European Union welcomed and supported this initiative very much. Last year the Commission selected out of 800 projects from the Jean Monnet label fifty leading projects. The Monday evening lectures were selected.

Three weeks ago we organized a seminar in the same cooperation around the possible accession of Turkey to the EU with 250 participants. The Commission sent two observers who were so enthusiastic about the quality that Prof. Maresceau was invited to witness this month in Brussels to bring in the project that the Commission regards as a model of best practices.

We are also pleased that the Department of Political Science under the guidance of Prof. dr. Jan Orbie takes part in this project and intends to give more lectures in the frame of the Monday Evening Lectures. Lectures by an act primarily on the relationship between the EU and the ACP countries. I must confess that my knowledge in this regard is quite limited. I know the two-Lome agreements which formed an initial framework for such relations and cooperation, but the rest of the story is less familiar to me. We are very much interested in your analysis.

Finally, allow me to briefly say something about our relationship with the University of Ghent. This initiative is one of the many partnerships between the provincial government and Ghent University. We find each other in various European programs. The university and the colleges use it more and more. In addition, the University is strongly involved in various studies and advisory assignments.

But cooperation is strongest in international collaborations. And with success! Since last year, the university and the provincial government have a representative office in Beijing, each with its own ambitions and expectations. In addition, the University also takes part of the Flanders Economic Office that the provincial government has established two years ago in Ho Chi Mih City, Vietnam, a second country outside Europe with strong provincial commitment where support is given to projects of the university. Our choice of university is clear. With the university we have a great export product! This activity is part of this philosophy.

We are really excited to hear your point of view, Mr Ambassador.

But before I give you the floor, Mr Ambassador, I would like to give the word to Professor Jan Orbie, Co-organizer. Thank you for your attention.