On May 9, 1950, the Schuman declaration lay the first brick for the creation of the European Union (EU) with the call for the establishment of Europe's first supranational Community, the European Coal and Steel Community, as a demonstration of solidarity. 70 years later, Europe comes together once again to fight the coronavirus and this demonstrates the importance of standing together one more time.
Mr. Thomas Wiersing, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the EU Delegation to the Philippines will be talking about how solidarity built the EU and how today it serves as the guiding force for a Team Europe Response to COVID-19. He will discuss the EU response while stressing the importance of defeating the coronavirus through a global approach and cross-border coordination. He will also discuss how the EU is mobilizing its resources to address the pandemic not only in Europe but also beyond the EU borders.
The current COVID-19 crisis is also challenging the current form of globalization and this is leading to a growing clamor for a better balance between open markets and security of countries. He will also share how the EU is perceiving the new normal in a post-COVID-19 world.
Mr. Maurizio Cellini, Head of Trade and Economic Affairs, First Counsellor of the EU Delegation to the Philippines will share his views on the impact of COVID-19 on EU-Philippines economic relations. He will likewise highlight the continuing opportunities for building a stronger economic partnership between the EU and the Philippines. Also, he will explain the EU support programs that can help in supporting the recovery of EU-Philippines trade and investments.
Thomas Wiersing is Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines as from September 2019, one year after taking up his post as Head of Political, Press and Information Section and Deputy Head of Delegation. Prior this posting, he was the Desk Officer for the Philippines and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in the Southeast Asia Division of at the European External Action Service in Brussels.
Beforehand, he was Head of Section for Africa/Middle East in the Directorate for Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) - Operations Division at the European External Action Service. He previously served in the Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs - Division for Civil Protection of the Council of the European Union General Secretariat in Brussels.
Mr. Wiersing has worked at the German Federal Ministry of Justice (Bundesjustizministerium) International Treaty Law Division and at the German Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt), Directorate-General for European Affairs and Office of the Special Counsellor of the Chancellor for German-French relations.
He underwent a paid training programme for lawyers at the Ministry of Justice of the Federal State of Saarland, Saarbrücken, which included a four-month internship at the Delegation of the European Commission to the United Nations, New York, and led to the Second State examination in Law (Bar exam).
Mr. Wiersing holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration and Diploma in Public Administration from École Nationale d'Administration; as well as Maîtrise in Public International Law and First State examination in Law (Master level).
Mr. Wiersing is married with two daughters.
Maurizio Cellini is the current head of the economic and trade section at the EU Delegation to the Philippines. He joined the European Commission in the 1990s and covered positions at the EU headquarters in the EU Fishery, Development and Trade policies.
He has also an extensive experience in EU external representation having served as trade counsellor at the EU delegations in Burkina Faso, Canada and India.
Maurizio is an Italian national; he graduated in Political Science from Pisa University and holds a MA in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies of the Johns Hopkins University. He is married with Vera and has two grown up children attending university.
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