Awards and graduation ceremony Montesquieu Institute - Hoofdinhoud
19 June 2009, the Montesquieu Institute celebrated a special day. On this day the Montesquieu Awards were presented and the graduates of the Montesquieu Masterclass received their well-earned certificates.
To honour this special ocasion, which took place in the House of the Dutch Senate, short speeches were held by mr. Ludolf van Hasselt, director of the Dutch Representation of the European Commission, and mr. Ed d'Hondt, Chairman of the board of the Montesquieu Institute and former Mayor of Nijmegen. The Masterclass student whose paper has received the highest grade has also taken the stage to elaborate on her subject.
Click here for the photo's.
Click here for the speech of mr. Ludolf van Hasselt.
Awards were handed out in the following categories: Bachelor thesis, Master thesis and the Europe Award for Junior Academics. The subjects of the nominated pieces are within the interest range of the institute: parliamentary history and constitutional developments in (European) comperative perspective. After the presentation of the jury report the winners received their certificates and cheques worth respectively €750,- (Bachelor and Master thesis) and €1000,- (Europa Award). The awards were presented by mr. van Hasselt.
Winner in the category Bachelor thesis was Ms. Nelly Stratieva. The jury said the folllowing about her thesis 'Locus Standi for Private Applicants under article 230 EC...And Justice for All?':
This thesis deals with the important issue of the limitations for private persons to gaining access to judicial review of EU measures. The author argues convincingly how the conditions under article 230 EC are too limiting. She draws an interesting comparison with the French and British rules for locus standi and the reluctance of the European Court of Justice to enforce. The jury found Mrs. Stratieva’s treatment of the case very conscientious, with interesting comparative dimensions being introduced. They considered her analysis of the problematic of high standing. The subject should interest anyone who is keen in furthering democratic legal checks and balances."
Read the thesis here
Winner in the category Master thesis was Mr. Bart Luttikhuis. On his thesis, the jury said the following:
"In the category Master thesis, the award goes to Mr. Bart Luttikhuis for his ‘Ich scheue mich nicht zurückzublicken. Geschichtsinterpretationen in den Reden und Veröffentlichungen Walter Hallsteins (1944-1982)'. This thesis treats the use of historical reference by Walter Hallstein, a crucial figure in German foreign policy in the foundational years of both the Bundesrepublik Deutschland and the European Commission. The jury judged Luttikhuis to have achieved a very mature treatment of the multilayered nature of the problem. He draws on a rich variety of source materials, provides some excellent introductory chapters and overall demonstrates an intelligent approach to the various questions he raises. In short, the jury deemed this an excellent cultural historical treatment of the subject of historical reference systems, with the additional advantage of furthering the long overdue research into Hallsteins life and works."
Read the thesis here
The Europe Award for Junior Academics went to Ms. Madalina Busuioc:
"Finally, the Montesquieu Europe Award of 2009 goes to Ms Madalina Busuioc, for her ‘Accountability, Control and Independence. The Case of European Agencies’. Her article addresses the tensions which exist between the acclaimed independence of various European agencies and their need for accountability. The jury judged the article to be very clear in its treatment of this subject-matter, demonstrating an inquisitive, independent and critical mind. Busuioc’s multidisciplinary handling of the subject and style of argumentation were fully convincing."
Read the article here
Read more about the Montesuieu Awards here
In February 2009 the Montesquieu Institute started its second Masterclass, with the title: ''Two-way traffic. The interaction between EU policy makers and lower government levels'. During eleven meetings the students exchanged ideas with experts from the scientific world as well as from the daily practice on how local and regional interests are looked after in the European Union. To conclude the Masterclass the students have written papers on several of the treated subjects. Mr. d'Hondt handed out the certificates.
Find out more about the Masterclass here
