The New School Graduate Program in International Affairs

GPIA Seminar Series

Today's European Union

A Talk by Alfred H. Kingon
former U.S. Ambassador to the E.U.

Wednesday, October 15th
6 - 8 p.m.
Orozco Room
66 W 12th St., 7th Floor

Of the great institutions born after World War II's misery, the European Union is one of the most important. After a half century it is larger than ever and still growing. But how is it really going, and more importantly, where does it go from here?

Are E.U. member countries really getting along with one another? Can the Union survive its internal strains? Will there be further integration of the countries that are already members, and what will happen to the countries waiting to get in? What about the euro in a time of growing worldwide financial strains? What is  the"Lisbon Treaty" all about--why is it needed and will
it be enacted? And, importantly, what steps should a new US President take to improve relations?

Alfred H. Kingon served as the US Ambassador to the European Union from 1987-1989. Prior to this, he occupied a number of key positions in Ronald Reagan's administration, including Assistant to the President and Secretary of the Cabinet from 1985-1987, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Policy Planning and Communications in 1984 and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Economic Policy in 1983. Ambassador Kingon was also a member of the Investment Policy Advisory Committee to the United States Trade Representative (for the GATT Round) and the Board of Advisors of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In addition to this, in the early 1990s, Ambassador Kingon was a frequent guest on CNBC, Fox News, and CNN.

Part of the Seminar Series.