Herman Van Rompuy awarded honorary doctorate from the University of Carleton
In November this year Herman Van Rompuy will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Carleton. The Canadian university thus acknowledges the contributions Van Rompuy has made to Belgium and Europe, and more specifically the CETA trade agreement between Europa and Canada.
From 2009 to 2014 Herman Van Rompuy was the President of the European Council. The honorary doctorate is a way of rewarding him for his contributions to the CETA trade agreement. On 26 September 2014 the European Union and Canada reached an agreement on everything, and Van Rompuy also signed the - at the time - provisional agreement. In the meantime this agreement has been ratified.
The Centre for European Studies in Canada is based at the University of Carleton in the Canadian capital city Ottawa. This centre receives subsidies from the European Union and brings together the five most important Canadian centres for European studies. The University of Carleton is also closely linked to the political decision-making centres of Canada and possesses wide expertise in political studies. It is therefore of great significance that they are granting Van Rompuy an honorary doctorate.
The university has a long-standing admiration for Van Rompuy's exemplary role within European politics. The honorary doctorate will be awarded on 18 November 2017, followed by a short speech for approximately 4,000 attendees. The ceremony will take place within the framework of the 75th anniversary of the university, and will thus generate considerable interest for this memorable occasion.