On April 23, The European Institute welcomed His Excellency Sir Peter John Westmacott, British Ambassador to the United States, to a private discussion of Britain’s changing role within the EU and the attendant implications for relations between his country, the European Union, and the United States. Ambassador Westmacott was introduced by Yves-André Istel, Senior Advisor for Rothschild, Inc. and Co-Chair of The European Institute’s Board of Directors.
On April 20, The European Institute welcomed The Honorable Vítor Constâncio, Vice President of the European Central Bank (ECB), to a discussion of the current challenges to European monetary policy. Noting the ECB’s ability to adapt policies to shifting economic conditions as its significant strength, Vice President Constâncio forecast his institution’s continued success in reacting to the debt crisis and encouraged Eurozone member-states to become more proactive. The discussion was moderated by Stephen Gallagher, Managing Director and Head of Research for Société Générale in the Americas.
On April 20, The European Institute hosted Klaus Regling, Chief Executive of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) for a discussion on the European debt crisis. Created barely two years ago, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) has proven to be pivotal in the Eurozone’s efforts to safeguard financial stability and build a sustainable firewall to contain the effects of pressing sovereign debt among some member states. Mr. Regling assessed the progress made to date on Europe’s important reforms of economic and financial governance and the key challenges that still remain in achieving an effective resolution of the debt crisis. The discussion was moderated by Clay Lowery, Vice President of Rock Creek Global Advisors LLC.
On April 19, The European Institute, in cooperation with the Embassy of Latvia, welcomed Andris Vilks, Latvian Finance Minister, Ilmars Rimševics, Governor of the Bank of Latvia, and Jeffrey Baker, Director of the Office of Europe and Eurasia of the U.S. Treasury Department, to a roundtable breakfast discussion on Latvia’s economic recovery and its lessons. Emphasizing key qualities in their government’s approach, Mr. Vilks and Mr. Rimševics explained how these might be applied towards wider strategies involving other European nations in crisis. Mr. Baker singled the flexibility of its labor market as being instrumental to Latvia’s turnaround.
On April 17th, The European Institute, in cooperation with the Embassy of Latvia and the Embassy of the Russian Federation, held a breakfast discussion on the Northern Distribution Network (NDN) and its potential transformation into a key economic and commercial transcontinental corridor. Panel speakers, including Aivis Ronis, Latvian Minister of Transportation; Oleg Stepanov, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Russian Federation; Antonio de Lecea, Principal Adviser at the Delegation of the European Union; The Honorable Robert Hormats, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment; and Susan Kurland, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Transportation, offered their perspectives on current efforts to shift the NDN from a military logistics system into a viable commercial link between Afghanistan and the international community. Beyond economic benefits, the panel speakers indicated that the harmonization of regional attitudes, as well as transnational movement of ideas, promise to be products of this ongoing process to establish a “modern Silk Road.”
© COPYRIGHT THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTE 2009
You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from our site and redistribute by email or post to the web.