In the first part of the first day of the seminar, chaired by Simon Usherwood from the University of Surrey, Valentina Vardabasso from Paris I University looks at the position taken by the Italian Communist Party on the European Defence Community (EDC). Patrick Bredebach from the Goethe University Frankfurt describes the European policy of German Social Democracy in the 1950s.

In the second part of the first day of the seminar, chaired by Birte Wassenberg from the University of Strasbourg, Julien Bonnet from the University of Montpellier III Paul Valéry discusses the endorsement of a European development model by the advocates of the left-wing ‘No’ vote to the European Constitutional Treaty.

In the third part of the first day of the seminar, chaired by Michel Mangenot from the University of Strasbourg, Grégory Hû from the University of Strasbourg looks at the criticism in France within the Socialist Party (PS) to the European Constitutional Treaty, and within the Rally for the Republic (RPR) to the Maastricht Treaty. Nathalie Brack from the Université Libre de Bruxelles then describes the perceptions and practices of the representative mandate by the elected representatives of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in the European Parliament. Finally, Mehmet Bardakci from Gediz University, Izmir, discusses opposition to the European Union in Turkish political parties between 1999 and 2006.

In the first part of the final day of the seminar, chaired by Éric Bussière from Paris IV University, Laurent Warlouzet from the University of Arras describes criticism of the Common Market in economic circles in France and by Pierre Mendès-France from 1956 to 1957. Guido Thiemeyer from the University of Siegen goes on to describe the opposition to Economic and Monetary Union in Germany in the 1990s.

Continuing the first part of the final day of the seminar, chaired by Rainer Hudemann from Saarland University, Martial Libera from the University of Strasbourg describes the conceptions of German people and Germany among the French public. Julia Lis from the University of Münster then discusses anti-Western stereotypes in the Orthodox Church and their impact on the European integration process in Bulgaria and Greece.

In the second part of the final day of the seminar, chaired by Philippe Hamman from the University of Strasbourg, Inès Ferreira Rivaben from the University of Strasbourg describes anti-European resistance in the agricultural industry to the establishment of the Natura 2000 network. Georgia Terzakou from the University of Strasbourg then discusses how Europe is perceived by young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in France. Finally, Martin Mlodecki from the University of Strasbourg looks at Euroscepticism in Poland in the light of historical heritage, societal changes and political opportunism.

In his conclusion, Martial Libera from the University of Strasbourg thanks the various institutions that have contributed to the seminar cycle run by the Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme — Alsace, or Alsace Interuniversity Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institute (MISHA), entitled ‘Against Europe? Anti-Europeanism, Euroscepticism and Alter-Europeanism in European integration history from 1945 to the present’. He goes on to summarise the contributions made during the final seminar, ‘Against Europe? Political parties and civil society’.

Jacques F. Poos, former Luxembourg Foreign Minister and former President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, outlines the past and present role of the Council of Europe now that it has been enlarged to include Russia.

In this interview excerpt, Mark Eyskens, Prime Minister of Belgium in 1981 and Minister for External Relations from 1989 to 1992, discusses the origins of his interest in and commitment to the European cause, and describes his meeting as a young man with German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

On 9 February 1956, in an interview with RTL journalist Robert Diligent, the Belgian, Jean Rey, President-in-Office of the Special Council of Ministers of the ECSC, gives a positive progress report on the first three years of existence of the common market in coal and steel.