EUIJ WASEDA

Prof Nakamura gave an overview of the 50-year history of European integration and then pointed out its significance. The development of the EU was considered to be the transformation of the sovereign nation-state system. According to him, the reconciliation of France and Germany had formed the basis for a sense of European communal identity. Europe as a 'space of no-war' had been encouraged by this identity and, at the same time, by the common market.

The EU had brought peace and prosperity not only to its members but also to external countries, he said. As for the impact on external countries, the EU had actively become involved in the areas of trade policy and development assistance policy at the international level. The EU was thought of as a 'civilian actor' because its behaviour was thought to be different from the conventional behaviour of sovereign states, for example, the US. He concluded the lecture by saying that East Asia could learn a lot from the experience of the EU and more importantly, if it was to be integrated, the region should have a strong political desire for integration.

Finally, Prof Nakamura closed the lecture by giving an introduction to the EUIJ Waseda and its rich EU-related programmes, including refined and expanded academic courses and scholarships for undergraduates. The attendees listened keenly to his speech and took notes.

Credit © European Union, 2009