Summary: Paul Barclay from ABC’s Radio National leads the discussion between Dr Bruno Mascitelli, President of the Contemporary European Studies Association of Australia (CESAA); H.E. Mr Sven-Olof Petersson, Ambassador of Sweden to Australia and H.E. Mr Patrick Renault, Ambassador of Belgium to Australia. "Australia and Europe in Conversation" took place at the EU Centre at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. H.E. Mr Sven-Olof Petersson, Ambassador of Sweden to Australia, H.E. Mr Patrick Renault, Ambassador for Belgium to Australia, and Dr Bruno Mascitelli, President of the Contemporary European Studies Association of Australia; Swinburne University, together discussed The EU as a regional institution and democracy? The place of smaller member states' . Mr Paul Barclay from ABC's Radio National moderated the discussion. An edited version of this discussion is available at: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/features/eu-series/ Background 50 years ago, in March 1962, Sir Edwin McCarthy took up his position as the first Australian Ambassador to the EU. Since then EU-Australia relations have had their ups and downs but today the relationship is broader, deeper and stronger than ever - but many challenges lie ahead. Every month this year, two or three Ambassadors and/or High Commissioners from EU Member States, together with Australian Ambassadors to Europe and other experts, will gather at the ANUCES to talk about their country and why it joined the EU, their current position and how their country interacts with Australia. Most of the events will be recorded and broadcast by Radio National's 'Big Ideas' program, and filmed by the Sky A-Pac Channel.
