Washington Comes to Brussels
BRUSSELS (November 10, 2011) - The US Congress, US foreign policy, and the US administration were front and center at the European Parliament (EP) on November 10, when the Bertelsmann Foundation hosted another of its “Washington 101” briefings. This workshop delved into the ways these American institutions function and their roles in current US debates on the economy and military intervention abroad. Speakers included Bertelsmann Foundation Project Manager for Transatlantic Relations Meghan Kelly, John Hopkins SAIS Bologna Professor of European Studies Center Erik Jones, and US Mission to the European Union Economic Counselor Michael Dodman. National Public Radio (NPR) freelance journalist Teri Schultz moderated the discussion. Approximately 40 EP staff attended.
“Washington 101” is part of the Congressional European Parliament Initiative (CEPI), a program jointly administered by the Bertelsmann Foundation and Bertelsmann Stiftung Brussels office with the support of the European Commission. The CEPI aims to foster legislative dialogue at the staff level.
Following the briefing, the Bertelsmann Foundation, in cooperation with the Bertelsmann Stiftung Brussels office, co-hosted a dinner on the eurozone crisis with the Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN) for a Congressional staff delegation led by the United States Former Members of Congress Association (USFMCA). Speakers at that event included Financial Times Brussels correspondent Peter Spiegel and Professor Erik Jones. Bertelsmann Foundation Director for Transatlantic Relations Tyson Barker moderated that discussion. Participants were especially interested in hearing the speakers’ views on the political ramifications of the crisis.