The EU Inside Out: Conversations with European Ambassadors

In our conversations with Europe’s ambassadors, moderated by Alan Berger, retired editorial writer for international affairs at the Boston Globe editorial page, we explore what the EU is becoming, how its policies and institutions are evolving, how its role as international actor is enhanced (or not) in response to new global challenges, and why, under conditions of globalization, its relationship with the United States remains more important than ever. Our aim in these discussions is to provide a glimpse into the inner workings of the European Union from the perspectives of different member-states. The “official” perspectives are important not only because they are part of the “educational directives” of the European Union, but also because they will help “educate” our target audience. Sorting out the conflicting viewpoints regarding Europe’s crisis has become a challenge, in particular, given the uncertainties Europe’s crisis creates for Americans as well as Europeans. The crisis, which continues to dominate news headlines, has generated among Americans unprecedented interest in the European Union. Our project, seizing what might be termed a “teachable moment,” invites Europe’s ambassadors to help Americans to sort through the confusion and to think “beyond the crisis.”