Launch of the book: “European Union: Views from Brussels” (author – Dan LUCA)

I have studied the EU, in theory and in practice, on a daily basis for years now and I am glad to have been invited to various European universities in cities such as Brussels, Gorizia, Bucharest and Cluj, to deliver lectures to their students about EU communication techniques.

Over six years ago I launched a blog (www.casaeuropei.blogspot.com) with articles and opinions about the EU and how Romanians are affected by changes in contemporary Europe. The amount of information collected in over 1,500 messages is considerable and for me it was time to try to project the "Web 2.0 world" into the "serious world" of books. So in 2009, I published a book on "EU Communication Dilemmas" in Romanian.

The impact of the book exceeded my expectations, and the feedback I received led me to this initiative to present my articles and opinions in English as well, so that the messages could be received by a wider audience. That is why in 2009 I started publishing views on topical European issues from a Brussels perspective in English. In early 2012, I took the decision to publish weekly messages in English, and what I published in 18 months allows me to assemble approximately 70 articles in book form.

The material this book contains is a reflection of how it was published on the blog, thus maintaining a "scent" of the period it was written in. The messages are presented chronologically; however, I introduce segmentation following certain topics: EU Actors & EU Citizens, Future EU, EU Communication, Romania in EU, Management & Business, EU Education and Technology & Media.

It would have been hard to imagine such a book five years ago, when I published the first article in English on the blog, but I am happy with the consistency of the work, which includes ideas about EU decision making and the impact of those decisions on European citizens. Just months before the European elections of May 2014, publishing these messages is particularly timely now.

I want to thank everyone who supported this idea - a book about the EU, seen from a Brussels perspective, with Romanian views filtered through it. Many thanks to those who believed in this project: Mr. Johannes Swoboda, MEP and leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament and eminent professor Vasile Puşcaş for their kindness in introducing this book:

“For the European elections in 2014, it will be crucial that information and communication goes both ways, from member state to the EU institutions and from Brussels to Bucharest, Baia Mare, Timişoara and Iași. I therefore welcome that Dan Luca, with this collection of articles, is aiming to bridge the gap between Europe and his home country, Romania”, said Hannes SWOBODA, President of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament.

Prof. Vasile PUŞCAŞ added: “This volume compiled by Dan Luca, European Union: views from Brussels, is a European communication exercise - both for the European citizen and European policy experts. The title immediately highlights the author's personal belief in the validity of the European project. Whether the public notes are made from Bucharest, Brussels, Cluj-Napoca or other places in the European Union, the central message is that the citizens of all Member States of the European Union want a structural transformation of the EU.”

The European launch of the book will be held in the European Parliament building, in Brussels, on Wednesday, 4^th of December 2013, from 18:30. For those interested to participate, please confirm your interest to dan.luca@psdbruxelles.eu.

Dan LUCA / Brussels