The Honorable Margot Wallström, Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communications Strategy discussed the challenges of communicating Europe to 500 million citizens in 27 member states, and the methods in which the European Union is utilizing to bridge the information gap between Brussels and the rest of Europe. Dr. Beth Noveck, Deputy Technology Officer for Open Government in the Executive Office of the President presented the American perspective and how methods of new media impacted the U.S. 2008 Presidential election. Ian Koski, Senior Manager at Blue State Media and Aaron Smith, Research Specialist with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, also offered their views.

In his first public speaking engagement since assuming his new position, The Honorable Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs addressed the Obama Administration’s transatlantic policy and provided an overview of key priorities as the United States seeks to strengthen its political, economic and strategic ties with Europe. Speaking to an audience consisting of 17 European and Eurasian Ambassadors - including His Excellency Sergey Kislyak, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, as well as members of The European Institute’s Board of Directors and Advisors, he pointed to the U.S. interest in closer cooperation with European allies and suggested that pragmatic cooperation between Moscow and Washington also offered a way forward amid so many global challenges for both countries.

As French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP party exceeded expectations to win 28.5% of the vote the European parliamentary elections, a top-level delegation from the French National Assembly’s Committee for European Affairs, led by Pierre Lequiller, UMP Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee for European Affairs, assessed the implications of these elections on Europe’s governance, and offered their perspectives on prospects for greater transatlantic cooperation on economic, security and environmental issues. The delegation included Michel Herbillon, Vice-Chairman of the Committee for European Affairs; Bernard Deflesselles, Second Vice President of the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) Group of the National Assembly and Member of the Committee for European Affairs; and Jerome Lambert, Member of the Commission of Laws and the Committee for European Affairs.
The Honorable Péter Balázs, Foreign Minister for the Republic of Hungary, discussed the challenges facing Hungary during this current economic downturn and their impact on Europe and the transatlantic relationship. He also reviewed the results of the European Parliamentary elections and their implications for the future of Europe.

With both Chrysler and now GM acquiring buyers for their European operations, a score card is emerging about the winners and losers in Europe in the biggest-ever upheaval in the global car-making industry.

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