On Tuesday 3 February 2015, a group of 12 College of Europe students participated in a study trip to Brussels, organized by the DevCoe Team. They had a first meeting with Ms Tamira GUNZBURG, Director of ONE Brussels, who talked about the scope and activities of her organization and shared her experience as lobbyist for a better Transparency Directive that obliges European companies involved in extractive industries in developing countries to report on their profits.
The students also met MEP Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP), EP Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, among others. He informed them about the debates of the European Parliament on the use of drones, on human rights in Egypt and Yemen, and on the controversial EU-Mauritania fisheries agreements.
During their visit at the European Commission, the students were received by Mr Gustavo Martin PRADA, College of Europe Alumni and Director of the Directorate EU Development Policy at DG DEVCO. The discussion with Mr PRADA revolved around the dilemmas and difficulties of development policy, the increasing relevance of environment and human rights in development policymaking, and the important relation between development and trade.
In the evening, the group celebrated the success of their study trip over drinks with College of Europe alumni.