On July 16, 2013, The European Institute welcomed The Honorable Peter Liese, Member of the European Parliament and Rapporteur for inclusion of aviation in the ETS, The Honorable Julie Oettinger, Assistant Administrator for Policy at the Federal Aviation Administration, and John Schmitz, Partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP, to discuss the future of global regulation of aviation emissions. The panelists discussed the contested extension of the Emissions Trading Scheme to the aviation sector by the European Union and the prospects for reaching agreement on a global framework at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s plenary meeting this September. The discussion was moderated by Annie Petsonk, International Counsel at Environmental Defense Fund.

On July 12, 2013, The European Institute welcomed The Honorable Eamon Gilmore, TD, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, to discuss the achievements of Ireland’s recently completed Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Key among them were breakthroughs in the creation of a European Banking Union, securing the EU’s 2014-2020 Multi-Annual Financial Framework, and corralling support for a negotiating mandate for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

Click here to read the Tánaiste's remarks.

On July 9, 2013, The European Institute welcomed a leadership delegation from the European People’s Party (EPP Group) in the European Parliament, including The Honorable Corien Wortmann-Kool, Vice President for Economic, Financial and Monetary Affairs; The Honorable Marian-Jean Marinescu, Vice President for Budget, Budget Control and Structural Affairs; The Honorable Jozsef Szajer, Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs, and The Honorable Manfred Weber, Vice President for Homeland Security, to discuss the future of European-American relations.

On June 19, 2013, The European Institute welcomed The Honorable Daniel Caspary, International Trade Spokesman for the EPP Group in the European Parliament and Member of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, to discuss the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and assess the prospects for ultimate ratification by the European Parliament. A strong proponent of the historic initiative, Mr. Caspary called for a truly comprehensive agreement, a tight negotiation time line so as to finalize the agreement by the end of 2014, and urged business leaders from both sides of the Atlantic to help build popular support. Michael Smart, Vice President at Rock Creek Global Advisors moderated the lively discussion.

On June 4, 2013, The European Institute welcomed Philippe G. Nell, Head of the Americas Division at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, to discuss the challenges that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will pose for Switzerland and its strong economic ties with both the EU and the U.S.  Calling the TTIP “a huge development in global trade policy”, Mr. Nell outlined the main options for Switzerland: negotiating a free trade agreement with the U.S. after the conclusion of TTIP; negotiating TTIP membership after the fact; or lastly, seeking to eliminate specific TTIP disadvantages for Swiss access to the U.S. market through the Swiss-U.S. Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum or multilateral fora.

Click here to read Mr. Nell's presentation.

On May 30, 2013, The European Institute held a breakfast discussion with The Honorable Lucinda Creighton, Ireland’s Minister for European Affairs, who outlined the progress of Ireland's European Union presidency and the future of the European Union. Ms. Creighton addressed the current economic situation in Europe, the status of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and how to make the European Union a more effective, legitimate, and prosperous alliance for the future.

Click here to read Minister Creighton's remarks.