Participants to Include Representative of the Presidency of EU Council, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

AUSTIN – Event organizers for the 2014 Texas-EU Business Summit have announced several new additions to the agenda, adding further substance to what is already the state’s premier venue for promoting trade between Texas and the nations of the European Union.

Newly announced speakers include:

• George Papanikolaou, Consul General of Greece in Houston, who is the representative of the nation currently holding the presidency of the European Union Council.

• James Clad, former deputy assistant secretary of defense and currently an advisor on energy policy, will take part in a panel on US/EU energy partnership opportunities.

• Josh Stanton of The Bertelsmann Foundation, Germany’s largest non-profit foundation, will present a briefing on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a proposed EU-US trade agreement that would further expand commercial opportunities between the two, with Texas poised to become a major beneficiary.

“I am excited to be participating in the 2014 Texas-EU Business Summit in my capacity as EU local chairman,” says Consul General Papanikolaou. “The event gives me the special opportunity to update participants on the Greek presidency’s goals and priorities, the current economic and political situation in the EU and discuss EU-US bilateral relations. Both myself and the rest of the European diplomats based in Houston believe that the upcoming summit is a unique opportunity to connect Texas entrepreneurs, businesses, and policymakers to trade and expanding business opportunities in Europe”.

The Texas-EU Business Summit provides Texas businesses, entrepreneurs, policymakers and economic development professionals with the opportunity to interact with business leaders with proven track records in Europe, trade and investment officials from EU countries, trade policy experts and political officials.

The 2014 Texas-EU Summit is organized under the auspices of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States and the EU Center of Excellence at the University of Texas at Austin. It occurs in partnership with Austin Community College, Austin US Export Assistance Center — US Department of Commerce, the City of Austin, French-American Chamber of Commerce in Houston, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Greater San Marcos Partnership, Kozmetsky Center for Excellence in International Finance at St. Edwards University, the World Affairs Councils of America and the World Affairs Council of Austin.

For additional information visit http://conferences.la.utexas.edu/texaseusummit/