The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organized a Public Talk under its Distinguished Lecture Series titled, “The Role of the European Union in the Global Scenario” on November 7, 2019. General Claudio Graziano, Chairman of the European Union (EU) Military Committee was the guest speaker at the occasion. Ms. Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the EU to Pakistan also spoke on the occasion.
Welcoming the speaker and guests, Chairman, ISSI Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, said the topic was important, especially for EU-Pakistan relations. He talked about the background and progression of EU starting from the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, followed by the European Economic Community providing for a Common Market and Custom Union in 1957, which was converted into the present-day EU after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. Ambassador Mahmood further added that from a humble free trade and a customs union among six Western European countries, the EU has grown into a supranational entity that governs many aspects of the daily lives of some 508 million people spread across 28 European countries. It has its own flag, anthem, currency, President and a diplomatic service. The result is that there is free flow of goods, services, people and capital among the member states.
