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September 25, 2008

French ambassador discusses EU

French ambassador to the United States Pierre Vimont visited Pitt Sept. 15, speaking to a packed house in the William Pitt Union lower lounge.

In his public address, sponsored by Pitt’s European Union Center of Excellence, Vimont discussed the positives and negatives of the European Union, the 27-member economic union that he had served as France’s ambassador from 1999 to 2002.

On the plus side, Vimont said, the EU has created a single economic market, a common identity and a common currency for its members, which have enjoyed economic growth and prosperity as a result of the coalition. EU membership requires that countries be at peace with their surrounding neighbors, a condition that has eased tensions between long-standing rivals, he said.

On the negative side, Vimont said institutional reform has been slowed by internal bickering, communication inefficiencies and the lack of a clear mission. He added that the EU still struggles to take a leading role on the world stage, too often deferring to the United States, something he attributed to a lack of confidence in the EU by its members.

Vimont hopes that the next United States administration will work more closely with the EU, instead of dealing directly with individual states, as is done currently.

—Peter Hart

Filed under: Feature,Volume 41 Issue 3

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