On May 14, 2013, The European Institute hosted a seminar in Brussels on the opportunities and challenges for e-payments in the evolving global economy.  Speakers included: The Honorable Sampo Terho, Member, Committee on Economic & Monetary Affairs (ECON) & Rapporteur for the ECON Committee’s E-Payments Report, European Parliament; Erik Nooteboom, Head of Unit, Retail Financial Services & Consumer Policy, DG Internal Market, European Commission; Francisco Tur, Advisor, European Central Bank; Ceu Pereira, Senior Payment Systems Expert, Payment Systems Development Group, World Bank; Mikael Conny Svensson, Senior Business Leader, Government Affairs and Public Policy, MasterCard Europe; and Antonio Longo, President, Italian Citizens’ Rights Movement.

On April 30, 2013, The European Institute held a seminar in cooperation with the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe to examine the challenges and opportunities for transatlantic cooperation in multilateral governance, in monetary, trade and investment policy, and in medical science research and innovation. Speakers included: The Honorable José Maria Gil-Robles, President, The Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe & former President of the European Parliament; François Rivasseau, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States; Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations; Ambassador Kurt Volker, Executive Director, McCain Institute for International Leadership, Arizona State University & former U.S. Ambassador to NATO; Antonio de Lecea, Principal Advisor, Delegation of the European Union to the United States; Mark Sobel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Monetary and Financial Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Michael Smart, Vice President, Rock Creek Global Advisors LLC; James Mendenhall, Counsel, International Trade & Dispute Resolution Group, Sidley Austin LLP; The Honorable Bart Gordon, Partner, K&L Gates & Former Chairman, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology; The Honorable Chaka Fattah, Member, Committee on Appropriations & Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies, U.S. House of Representatives; Dr. James Gavigan, Minister-Counselor & Head of the Science, Technology & Education Section, Delegation of the European Union; Professor Henry Markram, Founder & Director, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Brain Mind Institute & Coordinator, Human Brain Project; and Dr. Adrian Ivinson, Director, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Harvard University Medical School.

On April 19, 2013, The European Institute awarded The Honorable Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and former President of the Eurogroup the Institute's Transatlantic Leadership Award in recognition of his unique and lasting contributions to the European Project and European-American Relations.

Click here to read Prime Minister Juncker's remarks.

On April 18, 2013, The European Institute held a discussion about prospects and challenges of Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union with Rimantas Šadžius, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania. Minister Šadžius addressed the prospects of Lithuania’s entry into the Eurozone, the formation of the European Banking Union, and the importance of reaching agreement on the EU’s Multi-Annual Financial Framework. Oliver Moss, Director of Global Government Division at Bank of America, moderated the lively discussion and Q&A session that followed the speech. This event was generously hosted by Bank of America.

paul_horne_realMired in depression and record unemployment, Greeks may not greet the New Year with joy. But the euro-zone, the E.U. and even the world, owe Greece a big “Thank You” for triggering major institutional, structural and financial changes that are saving the euro and making Europe more competitive.

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