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"Global Europe: Game Over? A Conversation with Estonian President Toomas Ilves", GMF.org, 13 April 2012

13.04.2012

On Friday, April 13th The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) hosted a conversation with Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia.

The event "Global Europe: Game Over?" was centered around current and future state of affairs in Europe, future prospects for the European Union as a whole, and the increasingly diverse relations between the EU states, both internally and externally.

President Ilves touched on major issues such as the need for all European states to follow the rules of the common market to avoid further Eurozone crises. He placed a major emphasis on the need for the EU to address the growing divide between eastern and western states within the union adding that German leadership would be decisive going forward on this issue.

Other issues discussed in this forum, moderated by GMF's S. Enders Wimbush, varied from the role of the EU in democratization, the continuation of the free movement of services within the EU, the issue of cyber security in the context of the NATO Chicago summit, and the problems with the Common Agricultural Policy.

The President underscored the importance of making sure that, as the EU moves forward, it takes into account the importance of the values that all member states, regardless of whether they use the euro, signed onto.

Through this candid and open conversation, President Ilves provided very insightful comments on the present and future of Europe all the while expanding upon what he sees as the major obstacles facing the wider European Community.


Original article on the German Marshall Fund of the United States webpage.