UnknownThe Irish American Business Chamber and Network (IABCN) in conjunction with the British American Business Council (BABC) of Greater Philadelphia and KYW News Radio hosted The Ambassador of the European Union to the United States of America, David O’Sullivan for his first official visit to the region.

To listen to the Ambassador’s interview on KYW, please click HERE. To view photos from the Ambassador’s visit, please click HERE.

The Irish and British Chambers welcomed Ambassador O’Sullivan to Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 14th for a luncheon at CBS Broadcast Center. The Ambassador addressed current developments in the European Union as well as the state of play in the current round of negotiations to conclude a Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP) with the United States. At this meeting, the Ambassador had the unique opportunity to engage in valuable dialogue with the leadership of the European Chambers of Commerce of Philadelphia.

According to Ambassador O’Sullivan: ‘TTIP is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to update the rules that govern transatlantic trade and investment. Although the EU and the US remain the most important economic corridor in the world, a new deal is needed to unleash the full potential of our economic relationship and remain competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. This means getting rid of tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade, cutting costly duplication by better aligning our regulatory apparatuses, and making it easier to invest in each other’s economies. This is good for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic and will bring new export and jobs prospects to Pennsylvania. ‘

TTIP negotiations, formally launched in July 2013, enter a 10th round in Brussels on July 13th. For more on the TTIP negotiations, visit www.euintheus.org.

 

About The Delegation of the European Union to the United States

The EU is represented in the United States by the Washington, DC  Delegation of the European Union, which works in close coordination with the Embassies and Consulates of the 28 EU Member States.

 

The delegation is a full-fledged diplomatic mission and represent the European Union in dealings with the U.S. government in areas that are part of the EU’s remit. They promote EU policies in the United States, which includes presenting and explaining EU actions to the U.S. Administration and Congress.  By engaging with political actors, the media, academia, business, and civil society, we raise awareness of EU issues and concerns, and promote the importance of the EU-U.S. relationship among the American public.  We also analyze and report on the political, social, and economic situation in the U.S. to our headquarters in Brussels.

 

Ambassador David O’Sullivan took up his current position as EU Ambassador to the United States in November 2014. He has previously served as Chief Operating Office of the European Union’s External Action Service (2011-14), as Director General for Trade (2005-10) and as Secretary General of the European Commission (2000-10). He began his diplomatic career in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and has also served at the EU Delegation to Japan. He is an Irish citizen, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and is married with two children.

 

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