The European Union Centre of Excellence (EUCE) was established at Dalhousie University in the Fall of 2006 with a grant from the European Commission in Brussels.

The dual aim of the Dalhousie EU studies Initiative, which was taken a few years ago, is to integrate existing research and teaching activities on the European Union at Dalhousie University and to establish a framework through which these and other activities related to the EU can be facilitated and promoted. The initiative is designated to build on and strengthen the foundational work that led to the creation of the BA Honours Program in European Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in 2003-2006 and recruitment of internationally recognized scholars as Canada Research Chairs in European and EU Studies.

The plans for 2006-2009 include a number of research projects by individual faculty members covering various aspects of EU policies and EU-Canada relations, Canada and EU comparative public policy as well as constitutionalism and federalism in the EU.

New EU-related classes have been offered in the Law, Economics and Political Science Departments, and several coordinated and interconnected series of visiting speakers have been aimed at fostering the maximum academic and wider public interest in EU matters.

The EUCE conducts  annual research workshops. The following three have taken  place: the EU Constitutional Treaty (Spring 2007), the EU in the global political and economic system (Spring 2008) and the EU in a comparative perspective (Spring 2009)

Books published in 2009 under the auspices of EUCE at Dalhousie University

• The EU as a Foreign and Security Policy Actor. Edited by Finn Laursen. Republic of Letters Publishing. Dalhousie University, 2009. 382 pp. ISBN 978-90-8979-007-1 
• The EU in the Global Political Economy. Edited by Finn Laursen. Peter Lang Publishing Group. Bruxelles, Bern, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2009. 352 pp., 6 fig.
  ISBN 978-90-5201-554-5 

First Jean Monnet Conference “From Paris to Lisbon: EU Treaties and their Reforms” Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada, 22-23 March 2010 (program)

Silver Economy Summit, May 13-14, 2010, Halifax, NS, Canada (Call for Papers)

4th Annual Research Conference of the EU Centre of Excellence (EUCE) - The EU’s Lisbon Treaty: Negotiation, Ratification and Implementation. June 6-8, 2010, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS (Call for Papers)

News and Events

• "The Politics of Fear in EU Referendum Campaigns: do voters decide based on the issues or based on the size of the consequences of a no vote" – Dr. Derek Beach, Assoc. Prof, Aarhus University, Denmark. Monday, November 30, 2009, 1:00-2:00 PM, Lord Dalhousie Room, Henry Hicks Building, 6299 South St.

• "Canada - Portugal Relations A Fresh Perspective" - Canada's Ambassador to Portugal Anne-Marie Bourcier. Thursday, September 24, 2009, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon, Lord Dalhousie Room, Henry Hicks Building, 6299 South St.

• "European Health Law and the Increasing Commodification of Health Care Services" - Dr. Derek Morgan, School of Law, Sheffield University, U.K. Friday, September 18, 2009, 12:10-1:30 pm, Room 104 Weldon Law Building, 6061 University Ave.

• Dr. Finn Laursen awarded the prestigious "ad personam Jean Monnet Chair" by the European Commission