Brussels Study Trips

Two times a year I have brought my students of "Doing Business in the European Union" from Temple Rome to Brussels.  We would normally leave on a Thursday evening and come back on Sunday afternoon.  The trip would include a visit to the European Commission to discuss with the officials there US-EU relations, the EU trade relations with the rest of the world, the competition policy of the EU, the status of the TTIP negotiations, standards-setting, etc.  Afterwards we would go to either the European Parliament or to the Council of the EU to discuss similar topics with officials at those institutions.  At times we have met with the Secretary General of the European Economic and Social Committee, or with the Honewywell Vice-President in charge of Governmental Relations, or with officials of the Office of the US Permanent Representative to the EU.  In the afternoon we would go to NATO to discuss the role of that international organization and the challenges it faces.  The US Deputy Representative or the Italian Representative to NATO has at times addressed the group.  The cultural aspect of the visit would envision a tour of the city of Brussels as well as a one-day trip to Bruges or Antwerp.