1. European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) is organizing a two-day event closing the
European “One-stop mobility shops” project
Evening Debate
“Free movement of persons in the recession period”
11 May 2009, Brussels
This debate is the first part of the event. It will address a number of questions concerning
the impact of the economic crisis on mobility as well as preventing protectionism and
xenophobic reactions to the free movement of persons. We hope Commissioner for
Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimír Špidla delivers the
keynote speech. Given the profile of the speakers, we expect to attract around 200
participants.
Speakers will include:
Mr Tony Venables, Director, European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)
Ms Madeleine Sumption, Associate Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Mr Jakob Von Weizsäcker, Research Fellow, BRUEGEL think-thank
Conference
“Who is responsible for the vulnerable intra-EU migrants and how
does the current economic crisis affect them?”
12 May 2009, Brussels
The conference will be held at the European Economic and Social Committee. It opens
with a Citizen’s Group as the first item on the agenda and closes with a summary of
conclusions and recommendations. We hope to have a wide range of professional groups in
attendance, including European and national level decision makers, local authorities,
various non–government organizations and academics.
Speakers will include:
Mr Tony Venables, Director, European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)
Dr Dirk Gebhardt, Programme Officer, Migration and Integration, EUROCITIES
Ms Ewa Sadowska, Chief Executive Officer, Barka UK
Ms Siobhan O’Donoghue, Director, Migrant Rights Centre (MRCI)
Mrs Bernadette Mc Aliskey, Director, South Tyrone Empowerment Programme, S.T.E.P.
Dr Catherine Péquart, Director General, Association Charonne
Mr Freek Spinnewijn, Director of European Federation of National Organizations Working
with the Homeless (FEANTSA)

2. You are welcome to register for both, the Evening Debate as well as the Conference. The
attendance is free of charge.
For more information about the project please visit www.ecas.org. For further information
and to register please contact Clelia Casalino on (+32) 02 548 98 27 or by e-mail:
clelia.casalino@ecas.org.
ECAS and Partners are grateful to the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and
Equal opportunities for its financial support