European Institute

On April 5, 2013, The European Institute hosted a discussion with Viviane Reding, Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Citizenship. Vice President Reding outlined the “ambitious and controversial” goal of a “United States of Europe” in which a federal political system would be of full measure with Europe’s global economic clout. Key would be the popular election of the European Commission President and the establishment of a bicameral legislature with one house representing E.U. member states and the second representing the people. Jacqueline Grapin, Founder and co-chair of the Board of Directors of The European Institute, offered opening remarks, noting that there was no one better to “address the institutional coordination and democratization” of the EU than Vice President Reding.