[Summer school] CLEER 2025

CLEER and the T.M.C. Asser Instituuut present their 10th summer school in EU external relations law, from 23 to 25 June 2025 at the campus of VUB University in Brussels, Belgium.

The programme will comprise interactive lectures delivered by renowned academic experts and discussions led by experienced practitioners. All lectures will be held in English. We ask for an in-person participation. The organisers reserve the option to switch to an online format if necessary. 

Admission requirements:

• For students, civil servants or practitioners with an academic background or practical experience in law, political science or international relations.
• Please register by clicking on the red button.
• 6 scholarships are available for students attending in person, waiving the tuition fee, which will be awarded on the basis of merit and financial need. If you apply for a scholarship, do not register but please provide a statement of interest, explanation and CV with your application before 31 May and send it by email to Elke Hundhausen. You will be informed by Friday, 6 June.

Tuition fee:

Tuition fee for participation in-person includes lecture material, visit to the EEAS, certificate of attendance and catering. Accommodation is not included.

• Tuition fee Maastricht University students/Maastricht University alumni: € 310 pp
• Tuition fee VUB students: € 310 pp
• Tuition fee non-VUB/non-Maastricht University students: € 350 pp
• Tuition fee practitioners: € 650 pp
• Tuition fee practitioners 1 day attendance: € 150 pp

Programme – Day 1: 23 June 2025

• 10:00 – Registration

• 10:30 – Welcome & Introduction by CLEER Governing Board

• 11:00 – Andrea Ott: Strengthening the EU's actorness in view of global developments – legal competences and external representation

• 12:30 – Lunch break

• 14:00 – Ramses Wessel: Increasing CFSP and CSDP effectiveness in times of external challenges

• 15:30 – Coffee break

• 16:00 – Elaine Fahey: Keynote: Mapping the constitutional contours of the EU as a Global Digital Actor

• 17:00 – Drinks

Programme – Day 2: 24 June 2025

• 09:30 – Eva Kassoti: The EU and the rules-based international order – territorial disputes before the CJEU in an era of geopolitics

• 11:00 – Coffee break

• 11:30 – Eleftheria Neframi: Green and digital transition – external dimensions

• 13:00 – Lunch

• 14:00 – Peter Van Elsuwege: EU enlargement as a geostrategic investment – legal and political challenges

• 15:30 – Coffee break

• 16:00 – Joris Larik: Weaponising market power – EU trade policy in an era of trade wars

• 17:30 – Merijn Chamon: Mixed agreements – undermining EU autonomous action?

• 19:00 – End of Day 2

Programme – Day 3: 25 June 2025

EU External Relations: A Practitioner's Perspective

• 09:30 – Anders Neergaard: The European Parliament in EU external relations

• 11:00 – Coffee break

• 11:30 – Antonios Antoniadis & Josephine Norris: Recent developments in EU external relations – Council and Commission perspectives

• 13:30 – Lunch break & travel to the EEAS

• 15:15 – Visit to the EEAS

  • Lóránt Havas: Role of the EEAS in EU external relations

• 18:00 – End of the Summer School

Speakers

• Dr Antonios Antoniadis is member of the legal service of the Council of the European Union.
• Prof. Merijn Chamon is professor of EU law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and visiting professor at the College of Europe (Bruges). He is member of the governing board of CLEER.
• Prof. Peter Van Elsuwege is professor of EU law at Ghent University, and member of the governing board of CLEER.
• Prof. Elaine Fahey is professor of EU Law at the City Law School, City St. Georges, University of London and Deputy Head of Department.
• Lóránt Havas is deputy head of unit in the Legal department of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Brussels.
• Eva Kassoti is senior researcher in EU and International law at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut and the academic co-ordinator of the Centre for the Law of EU External Relations (CLEER).
• Dr Joris Larik is assistant professor of Comparative, EU and International Law at Leiden University. He is member of the governing board of CLEER.
• Anders Neergaard is Head of Unit in the Legal Service of the European Parliament.
• Prof. Eleftheria Neframi is professor of European Union law at the University of Luxembourg. She is member of the governing board of CLEER. 
• Josephine Norris is member of the legal service of the European Commission. 
• Prof. Andrea Ott is professor of EU External Relations Law and Jean Monnet Chair in EU law at Maastricht University. She is member of the governing board of CLEER. 
• Prof. Ramses A. Wessel is Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor of European Law and Head of the European and Economic Law Department at the University of Groningen. He is member of the governing board of CLEER.