Shaping and Communicating Europe

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has Europe close to its heart. As a port city, it has always traded with its European neighbors. The city’s dynamic development is closely linked to European integration: Hamburg has benefited greatly from the achievements of European integration over the past decades. These include the elimination of customs borders, the reduction of trade barriers, the introduction of the euro, and the creation of a common internal market.
For this reason, one of the Hamburg Senate’s most important guiding principles is to actively help shape European decision-making processes in the interest of Hamburg, to make use of the advantages of the European Union, and to inform citizens about Europe.

SHAPING EUROPE

Hamburg is one of the most pro-European states in Germany. Due to its interests, location, and tradition, the Hanseatic city, as a vibrant and cosmopolitan metropolis, supports the further development of the European Union.
The Hamburg Senate actively helps shape European decision-making processes and brings the interests of the Hanseatic city into discussions at the European level. This applies particularly to the policy areas of economic and financial policy, science and research, transport, and the environment.
Close cooperation with the European institutions is essential for this participation.
This involvement takes place at three main levels: the European level, the federal level, and the state level:

Hamburg in Europe:
The Hanse-Office has actively represented Hamburg’s interests in Brussels since 1985. The Hanse-Office is a joint institution of the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg.
It provides early information on current EU policies, legislative procedures, and funding programs. With the help of its extensive network, the Hanse-Office enables the interests of both states to be incorporated into decision-making processes at the European level. In addition, the Hanse-Office informs the citizens of Northern Germany about the processes of decision-making at the European level and about the opportunities offered by European integration. At events, meetings, and cultural occasions, the Hanse-Office also showcases the diversity of both Northern German states and promotes the region as a business location.

Visit the website of Hamburg’s European Affairs Department here: www.hamburg.de/europa/

Participation at the Federal Level:
Hamburg is also involved in EU legislation through the Bundesrat, as Article 50 of the Basic Law provides for the states’ participation in federal legislation and administration and in matters concerning the European Union.
The Bundesrat plenary meets about 12 times a year. In addition, there is the Europakammer for urgent cases and confidential consultations, whose decisions are considered decisions of the Bundesrat plenary.
Participation in matters concerning the European Union generally takes place within the Committee on European Union Affairs. This committee takes the lead in advising on all EU legislative proposals.
Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr. Tschentscher, is a member of the Bundesrat’s Europakammer as well as both the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on European Union Affairs.

Participation at the Conference of European Affairs Ministers:
In the Standing Conference of the European Affairs Ministers of the German states, to which each state sends a government representative, the city is represented by the State Councillor, who represents the city’s interests there. The conference generally meets three times a year. Here, matters concerning the European Union are discussed and common positions are agreed upon.

COMMUNICATING EUROPE

Issues relating to European policy concern the public as a whole. The Senate Chancellery supports decentralized public relations work on European policy, for example through various events designed to bring European policy topics closer to citizens. Regular annual events include European Week and the Long Night of the Consulates.
The Long Night of the Consulates offers interested visitors the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of the consulates and learn more about the respective host country.

Follow the link for more information on European Week.

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