European Parliament Liaison Office with the US Congress

History and Activities

In January 1999 at the 50th Interparliamentary meeting in Strasbourg, European Parliament and US Congress delegations agreed to establish the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD), an ongoing effort to fortify the parliamentary ties called for in the New Transatlantic Agenda of 1995 (EP-US Congress ties date to 1972, when the first US Congressional delegation visited the EP in Strasbourg). EPLO facilitates this growing legislative exchange. Today, the TLD comprises bi-annual meetings (alternating between the US and EU capitals) on a number of topics of common interests (e.g., job creation and competitiveness, trade, cybersecurity, energy, foreign policy). The TLD brings together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) with their US Congressional counterparts.

EPLO facilitates other inter-parliamentary activities including videoconferences, special working groups, and the facilitation of committee-to-committee exchanges between legislative committees of the European Parliament and the US Congress. EPLO coordinates its efforts with those of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States, under the direction of EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis.

The current EPLO director has been Walter Goetz since September 2023. EPLO comprises a number of European staffers and policy experts and American interns.

References

References

1. "Home".
2. Archick, Kristin. (January 2, 2013). "The U.S. Congress and the European Parliament: Evolving Transatlantic Legislative Cooperation". [[Congressional Research Service]].
3. "Overview {{!}} About {{!}} Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue {{!}} European Parliament".
4. "About Us".