Europe without Alternative? / WDR Europaforum 2012 - on 9th May in Brussels

Cologne (ots) -

- Crossreference: a response-form can be dowloaded here:
http://ots.de/AogS8 - please register to participate -

The 15th international WDR Europaforum at the European Parliament
in Brussels will address topics relating to the debate surrounding
the future of Europe and, on 9th May, will provide the opportunity
for those in attendance to exchange thoughts with high-ranking
politicians from across Europe. The focus will be on the challenges
of the growing debt crisis as well as the economic and social
consequences for Germany and Europe.

You are hereby cordially invited to take part in the WDR
Europaforum 2012, on

Wednesday 9th May 2012, 10:15 - 17:00
European Parliament, Brussels | Belgium |
Entrance: "Altiero Spinelli Building - ASP"
(accessed from the Place de Luxembourg).

The patron of the WDR Europaforums is the President of the
European Parliament, Martin Schulz. The ARD Board Member and Director
of the West German Broadcasting Corporation (Westdeutscher Rundfunk),
Monika Piel, will open the forum.

Participants include: President of the European Council, Herman
van Rompuy; President of the European Commission, José Manuel
Barroso; Finance Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany,
Wolfgang Schäuble; Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of
Germany, Guido Westerwelle; former Federal Minister Peer Steinbrück;
EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Integration,
László Andor; representative of the EP Group of the Progressive
Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Francoise Castex; Chairman of
the Council of the German Protestant Church, Präses Nikolaus
Schneider; EU Commissioner for Energy, Günther H. Oettinger; Vice
President of the European Parliament, Alexander Alvaro;
Representative of the EP Group of the Greens / Free European
Alliance, Sven Giegold; Foreign Affairs Spokesperson for the EPP
Group in the European Parliament, Elmar Brok; Chairman of the Group
of the Greens / FEA in the European Parliament, Daniel Cohn-Bendit;
Member of the Group of the European Left, Lothar Bisky; Head of
Representation of the European Commission in Germany, Matthias
Petschke; and Representative of the EP Group of the Progressive
Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Dagmar Roth-Behrendt.

Moderating the event are: Andreas Cichowicz, NDR Editor-in-Chief
for television; Ulrich Deppendorf, Head of the ARD main studio in
Berlin; Ellen Ehni, Head of WDR Economy and Law programme group;
Joachim Görgen, Head of the SWR Trimedial News; Rolf-Dieter Krause,
Head of the ARD television studio in Brussels; and Jörg Schönenborn,
WDR Editor-in-Chief for television.

The central task of European politics is the resolution of the
debt crisis. The financial system of the Euro Zone, with its current
structure and high liability risks, is the subject of controversial
political and economic discussion. The goal is to provide financial
stability to the Euro States over the coming years. A call has gone
out to Europe! Only if Europe works together will we successfully
overcome the challenge of the crisis - is Europe without
alternatives?

A few weeks prior to the EU Summit in Brussels, the WDR, together
with the European Commission and the European Parliament, the NDR and
the SWR, ORF Television and PHOENIX, are organising a one-day radio
and television conference in Brussels. The Head of the WDR
Europaforum is Michael Radix, WDR Editor-in-Chief for television.

We would be delighted for you to take part in the event.

Please return the attached response form to us by 7th May 2012.

Gudrun Hindersin
WDR Corporate Spokesperson

If you have any queries please contact
Annette Metzinger
WDR Press and Information
annette.metzinger@wdr.de
Telephone +49(0)221-220-7100

Further information: http://www.europa-forum.wdr.de