The most important thing I learned about the EU is the large number of programs, directives, and committees that they oversee. After visiting the European Commission and listening to a few guest speakers, I feel like I understand a lot more about how the EU operates and what its goals are. Especially hearing about the economics of the European Union and the very large goals that the EU has for its economy is impressive to hear about. I liked learning about the integration of the Euro into the economy and how it had a big impact on trade. I also enjoyed listening about how the Euro is compared to other currencies in the world. Our speaker explained that the Euro is behind the U.S. dollar and the Japanese Yen but is still holding strong in world markets. The Euro continues to be a solid currency and especially provides a good basis for the European Union. I believe that this presentation tied into global leadership. It is difficult to see how you cannot be a global leader without understanding global economic trends. Having a firm understanding of the European Commission and how the EU economy ties into the rest of the world is of the upmost importance to being a global leader. I thought that it was very interesting how different industries are being regulated in the European Union as well. Being a global leader and understanding different European industries is a great skill to learn. I found that both of the presenters that our group saw to be very intelligent and understanding of their topic. Especially hearing about the European automotive industry and how different regulations stifled competition and provided a good lesson on over-regulation. In short, I have learned a lot of different types of niche information on the EU and how it operates. Being able to get firsthand experience on these types of topics is crucial to my development as a global leader.
