The mission of the European Union Center of California is to advance public understanding of European integration and transatlantic relations through education, research, and outreach.
The European Union is an international organization composed of 27 member states, with a total GDP of 11.5 trillion euros and population of 494 million people.
The EU is represented by a single negotiator in international trade negotiations, has introduced a single currency (the euro), and is developing an integrated European Security and Defense Policy.
The EU is California's number one trading partner and number one source of foreign investment. The EU Center of California serves as a bridge between the richest and most populous state in the nation, and the world's largest economic bloc.
Our Background
The European Union Center of California was founded in 1998 with the assistance of the European Commission as part of a network of 10 European Union Centers in the United States. Undergraduate education about the European Union is the Eu Center's top priority. To that end, the EU Center:
- Sponsors a curriculum in European Union Studies at the Claremont Colleges
- Provides opportunities for students to study in Europe and to intern at various international organizations based in Europe
- Hosts scholarly conferences as well as lectures by distinguished visitors, including the semi-annual State of the European Union Address
- Partners with the EU Center of Seattle, based at the University of Washington, in organizing the West Coast Model European Union
- Hosts the only regularly-scheduled academic conference in the United States dedicated to undergraduate research on European Union topics.