Since 2004 when the European Commission granted me the Jean Monnet module: "Challenges and priority fields of action of the European Union in the coming years: enlargement, Constitution and ESDP" until the year 2020 when he awarded me, for the second time, a chair Jean Monnet "EU, promoter of the free trade and multilateralism", practically and uninterruptedly I have had the enormous privilege of leading a series of actions Jean Monnet in the University of Lleida: a first chair in 2008: "Law and External Relations of the European Union”, a Center of Excellence, in 2012, and a project in 2016. My enormous gratitude to the European Commission for having repeatedly recognized a long and fruitful career in teaching and research on European issues , but also an indisputable European vocation etc.
All this has allowed a large number of activities to be carried out over the years around the process of European integration, as well as more current international issues: conferences, seminars, round tables, publication of various books, chapters and articles , have highlighted the intense activity developed on European issues. For this I have had the invaluable collaboration of an academic committee, in which, in addition to professors from the UdL, professors from other universities have participated, representing a balance between professors with a very consolidated career and young professors and researchers. My most sincere gratitude to the various Academic Committees for the splendid work carried out throughout these years.
The main objective, in particular of the Center of Excellence and of both Chairs, has been, and continues to be, also one of the objectives present in all the actions of Jean Monnet developed through these intense years, a goal that has materialized through research projects (local, regional, state and European), publication of several books, as well as dozens of book chapters and magazine articles specialized that have contributed and continue to contribute, to the generation and transfer of knowledge about the European construction process.
Dr. Antoni Blanc Altemir