Introduction

Citation

Barnes, P.M. (2006), "Introduction", Managerial Law, Vol. 48 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ml.2006.01048daa.002

Introduction

The articles in this special edition of Managerial Law are based upon papers presented at a series of research seminars during the academic year 2005-2006 at the University of Lincoln in Lincoln. The seminar series was supported by the European Commission's Jean Monnet Action Programme for Universities, the Law and EU Governance Research Theme Group and the Engaged Research Group from the Faculty of Business and Law of the University of Lincoln.

The European Commission began the Jean Monnet Action Programme for the Universities in 1990. This action programme is intended to support the development and delivery of programmes of study of European integration. The main vehicle of this support is through the award of Jean Monnet Chairs in aspects of integration to individuals teaching and researching in universities. Individuals receiving these awards are considered by their universities, their national educational authorities and the European Commission to be making a significant contribution to the study of European integration.

Currently there are 650 individuals who are Jean Monnet chairs. These awards have been made not just to academics in the EU states. Of the total of 650 there are Jean Monnet chair-holders also in the candidate states of Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Croatia, and in other areas of the world – Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, and New’Zealand. The European Commission uses the Jean Monnet chair-holders as an advisory body and when meetings are held of the Chairs in Brussels for this purpose they are truly international gatherings. A number of the contributors to the articles in this volume are Jean Monnet chair-holders.

The last of the seminars, held on 1 March 2006, was dedicated to the memory of Phillip Whitehead, Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands, Labour Party. Phillip was to have given the last of the research papers but he died suddenly on 31 December 2005. Following Phillip's death Bill Newton-Dunn MEP for the East Midlands (Liberal Democrat), stepped in at very short notice, and spoke with great authority and clarity about the work of the European Parliament and its contribution to the development of Law, Justice, and Democracy in Europe. His paper forms the final article in this volume.

Pamela M. BarnesGuest Editor