Raising the EU flag in The Hague
On 9 May, the EU flag was ceremonially raised at the Hofvijver in The Hague, an initiative of the Municipality of The Hague. Together with ambassadors based in the city, a representative of the European Commission, and the Head of the European Parliament Liaison Office in the Netherlands, professor of practice Mendeltje van Keulen marked the day by reflecting on the unique European character of The Hague.
"In The Hague, we are surrounded by all the EU institutions and embassies," Van Keulen said afterwards. "That's what makes this city so unique. And Europe Day is a moment when we deliberately take time to reflect on that."
Europe in Groningen
The Municipality of Groningen also embraced Europe Day as an opportunity to offer its civil servants more insight into the EU. In his lecture, researcher Gijs Giesen addressed the broader geopolitical context, but focused particularly on how European decisions and regulations can impact local and regional levels – and what role decentralised governments can sometimes play in that process.
Europe at the Ministry
Finally, the Dutch Ministry of Finance hosted a panel discussion in the Glazen Zaal in The Hague, centred on the question: What must Europe do to remain competitive? The room was filled with civil servants from the ministry.
Mendeltje speaking at the panel discussion in de Glazen Zaal, The Hague to the Ministry of Finance.
During the event, several ministry staff members receive dan EU Award for their efforts to raise awareness of European topics within their organisation. In the panel discussion, professor of practice Van Keulen underlined the importance of regional involvement in European policy themes:
“When we talk aboutthe Dutch economy, it's not enough to talk about ASML alone – we need to bring Sittard and Den Helder along as well," Van Keulen argued. "That means investing in skills and vocational education. That's where universities of applied sciences have a vital role to play."
