Role for the Euro in the Global Economy

Joaquín Almunia, member of the European Commission for Economic and Monetary Affairs, delivered the Peterson Institute's fifth Whitman Lecture on April 11, 2008. European Commissioner Almunia assessed the performance of the euro as it enters its second decade and how new global trends are reshaping the future of the eurozone policy agenda.

Joaquín Almunia joined the European Commission in April 2004. He was a member of the Spanish Parliament from 1979 to 2004, serving in the government of Felipe González as minister of employment during 1982–86 and minister of public administration during 1986–91. He was also leader of the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) from 1997 to 2000 and was the PSOE candidate for prime minister in 2000. Mr. Almunia has written several books, directed research at two think tanks, and served as an economist for both a Spanish trade union and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Brussels.

The Whitman Lecture series was created in 2001 by Robert and Marina von Neumann Whitman. Dr. Marina Whitman is professor of business administration and public policy at the University of Michigan. She formerly served as vice president and group executive for public affairs at General Motors, as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers, and as distinguished public service professor of economics at the University of Pittsburgh. She has been a member of the Institute’s board of directors for many years. Previous Whitman Lectures have been presented by Martin Wolf, Mario Monti, Noboru Hatakeyama, and Assar Lindbeck.

Event Materials

Event summary [PDF]