Global Business Briefing with His Excellency Jaume Duch, Director General, European Parliament

 

Power is shifting in Brussels due to the European Union’s 2024 parliament election results. On June 18, 2024, the Meridian Corporate Council partnered with Bank of America to host a Global Business Briefing with His Excellency Jaume Duch, Director General for Communication, European Parliament. The discussion, moderated by Mr. Frank Justice, Vice President, Center for Diplomatic Engagement, Meridian International Center, covered the recent context that yielded European Union 2024 Parliamentary Election Results, their subsequent effects and European Priorities moving forward. 

About His Excellency Jaume Duch

Jaume Duch Guillot is the Director-General for Communication of the European Parliament and its Spokesperson. He graduated in Law from the University of Barcelona (1980-1985), where he later also served as a Professor of International Public Law. In 1990 he became a European Parliament official and since then has always worked in communication-related positions, such as Spokesperson for the then President of the European Parliament, José María Gil-Robles, Head of the Press Room or Media Director, a position to which he was appointed in 2006. In February 2017 he was appointed as Director General of Communication, a role which he combines with being the Spokesman of the institution. Jaume Duch speaks Spanish, French, English, Italian and Catalan, has a basic knowledge of German. He is the author of various publications, articles and communications on issues related to the European Union, the role of the European Parliament and communication policies.   

Here are some takeaways from the program:

The discussion centered on the results of the European Union Parliamentary Election results, beginning with a contextualization of the events that preceded it: Brexit, the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. The 2024 European Parliament elections showed diverse political shifts, with the center right European People’s Party maintaining its lead, alongside significant growth for the right-wing parties, signaling a nuanced political landscape with continuing influence from centrist blocs. France’s National Rally secured a third consecutive victory, reflecting a rise in conservative and anti-immigration sentiment, while Germany’s far right party attained second place with 16% of the vote, indicative of continued fragmentation. Brussels is focusing on implementing the European Green Deal and new directives on corporate sustainability reporting, artificial intelligence regulation, and product liability, highlighting the EU’s commitment to sustainability and modernizing corporate standards. Looking ahead, The European Union faces he imperative to develop strategic autonomy by reducing dependency on Russian energy, managing complex relations with China, and navigate potential challenges in transatlantic ties amid U.S. political shifts.