NATO 6/20/19

We visited NATO today.  Our speaker was from Spokane, Washington!!
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on April 4, 1949.

Romanian Ambassador to the EU 6/19/19

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work in the Council.

Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. This system was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009. The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda determining the topics and major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18 month period. On the basis of this programme, each of the three countries prepares its own more detailed 6-month programme.

The current trio is made up of the presidencies of the Romania, Finland and Croatia. Romania currently holds the presidency.

Today we listened to Luminita Odobescu, Romanian Ambassador to the EU.

We were gifted a bag and necklace at this presentation.

European Parliament 6/19/19

Today we visited the European Parliament.
The European Parliament is an important forum for political debate and decision-making at the EU level. The Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters in all Member States to represent people’s interests with regard to EU law-making and to make sure other EU institutions are working democratically.

We listened to a presentation on "The legislative procedures of the European Union and the role of the three main institutions."