• The Center selected two externs as part of the CIFD-Grinnell College Externship Program. View Announcement.
  • Read Part Six of the E-Book on the European sovereign debt crisis.
  • The Center sponsored a visit and talk by the EU ambassador to the US on March 28, 2012. Watch the video here.
  • Click here to take the Center's poll question on whether Greece should abandon the Euro.
The State of the European Union


On Wednesday, March 28, 2012, the European Union’s Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable João Vale de Almeida, visited Iowa City as guest speaker of the University of Iowa Center for International Finance & Development (UICIFD). The Ambassador gave a free, public talk, “The State of the EU,” at 3:30 p.m. in Levitt Auditorium, Boyd Law Building. A full video of the presentation is available below.

The following is a brief bio of the Ambassador taken from the EU’s website:
Ambassador João Vale de Almeida is the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States. In this capacity, he represents European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, under the authority of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

Mr. Vale de Almeida presented his credentials to US President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony on August 10, 2010. Prior to his appointment in Washington, he served as the Director General for External Relations at the European Commission, the European Union’s executive body. As the most senior official under the authority of the High Representative/European Commission Vice-President Baroness Ashton, he helped formulate and execute the EU's foreign policy and played a key role in preparing for the new European External Action Service (EEAS) introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon.

From 2004 to 2009 Mr. Vale de Almeida was the Head of Cabinet (Chief of staff and main adviser) for European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. He accompanied President Barroso in all European Council (EU Summit) meetings and ensured coordination with the private offices of Heads of State and Governments in all 27 Member States of the EU. He also acted as President Barroso's permanent Personal Representative ("Sherpa") for G8 and G20 Summits and as his Personal Representative for the negotiations on the Treaty of Lisbon. Earlier in his career, Mr. Vale de Almeida held several senior positions in the European Commission and worked closely, in different capacities, with former Commission Presidents Jacques Delors, Jacques Santer and Romano Prodi.

Before joining President Barroso's team in 2004, Mr. Vale de Almeida held a senior position in the Directorate General for Education and Culture and served as Deputy Chief Spokesman of the European Commission.

Mr. Vale de Almeida joined the European Commission in 1982 at the European Commission Delegation in Lisbon, after spending seven years as a journalist. He holds a degree in history from the University of Lisbon and has studied journalism and management in the United States, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Vale de Almeida is Portuguese, born in Lisbon in 1957. He is married and has two children.