EST newsletter: Bare Bones

Dear EST-ers,

Another semester has gone by and we are slowly drawing towards the beautiful European summer time. Despite spring being in the air, many more sombre events have taken place in these last months ranging from the Brussels’ Attack to the Ukrainian Referendum in the Netherlands, and events in Burundi. April’s theme of highlighting “Terrorism” has not necessarily been pleasant but it has most certainly been confronting. We live in a globalized world were incidences which occur on other continents can and do affect our foreign and national security policies. The EU has however failed in many regards to address a unified foreign security policy which places the member states at odds with one another concerning how Europe should deal with the only growing threat of terrorism.

In our newsletter this month we are featuring articles from diverse topics:



a) WHAT DO THE GREENPEACE TTIP-LEAKS ACTUALLY TELL US? – By Melle Scholten



https://europeanstudentthinktank.com/2016/05/18/what-do-the-greenpeace-ttip-leaks-actually-tell-us/

b) THIS IS THE ENDGAME: THE CHOICE EUROPE FACES IS BETWEEN UNITY AND DISSOLUTION – By Project for Democratic Union, as part of the Pitching Europe series with Campus Europe.
https://europeanstudentthinktank.com/2016/05/03/this-is-the-endgame-the-choice-europe-faces-is-between-unity-and-dissolution/

c) ’BETTER TOGETHER?’: WHY THE EU SHOULD UNDERSTAND ‘BREXIT’ AS A VIRTUE, NOT A VICE – By EST Ambassador Johannes Tropper
https://europeanstudentthinktank.com/2016/04/29/better-together-why-the-eu-should-understand-brexit-as-a-virtue-not-a-vice/

And as we continue the tradition of highlighting our ambassador of the month, this coveted and honoured title goes to Hester Mennes

Hester Mennes has been ambassador to the Netherlands since late October. Besides her research master program in Social Sciences at the University of Amsterdam, she has put her effort in the mobilisation of fellow students to meaningfully invest their skills and knowledge in thinking about the European policymaking process. Currently, she organized and leads an Amsterdam based working group on the European ‘refugee crisis’; a team of eleven students and professionals with interdisciplinary backgrounds, who critically reflect on the causes and consequences of the refugee crisis.

In other news the EST’s President and Secretary, Kate Perdikis and Sietse Blom, attended the annual Student Forum Maastricht conference in Brussels to present the work, aims and achievements of the EST. Other events the EST have participated in, and hosted by the gifted Events Manager, Tamira Vossen, was another successful trip to the ICC in the Hague as well as a visit to the Europa Gebouw. Since the Netherlands is the holding the EU presidency in 2016. And if you didn’t know that, check out the events and information on the Dutch presidency!

Thank you for your support and remember that if you have enquires, suggestions or are interested in contributing to our monthly content theme, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,
Kate Perdikis
President