European-Atlantic Group
Encyclopedia
The European-Atlantic Group was founded in London
in 1954 by Michael John Layton, 2nd Baron Layton (1912 - 1989) (then a Vice-President of the Council of Europe
), together with other members of both Houses of Parliament, Industrialists, Bankers, Economists, and Journalists and Mrs Elma Dangerfield. Its main object was to promote closer relations between the Europe
an and Atlantic countries by providing a regular forum in Britain
for informed discussion of their problems and possibilities for better economic and political co-operation.
The Founders stated that their purpose was to disseminate authoritative information concerning the work of International Organizations such as the Council of Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Western European Union
, the European Coal and Steel Community
, Euratom, the European Economic Community
, as well as the European Free Trade Association
, the Association for General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, and the Economic Commission for Europe.
In addition to holding monthly dinners and meetings in London, the group sent many delegations abroad to study at first hand the European and NATO institutions in Brussels
, Paris
, and Luxembourg
, as well as visiting Germany
, Italy
, Turkey
, and Greece
, as the guests of governments and International Organizations. Group representatives have also visited the United States
, the Soviet Union
and the Eastern Bloc
with the object of improving relations between West and East.
The Group has also held Discussions on European-Atlantic relations with the rest of the world, including the Middle East
, Far East
, and Latin America
n countries.
In 1989 the Group's London office was at 6 Gertrude Street, Chelsea. The President was the Rt.Hon. The Earl of Bessborough
, D.L.,(a Founder), and there was an impressive list of Vice-Presidents, including the Marquess of Lansdowne
, the Earl of Limerick
, the Earl Jellicoe
, The Lord Carrington, The Lord Chalfont, The Lord Shawcross, The Lord Granchester. Sir Nicholas Henderson
, Sir Frederic Bennett, Sir Fitzroy Maclean, Bt., General Sir Harry Tuzo
, and Douglas Fairbanks junior. The Chairman was the Rt.Hon. Geoffrey Rippon
, Lord Rippon of Hexham, Q.C., Vice-Chairmen were Sir Antony Buck, Q.C., M.P., and Sir W Hugh-Jones. The Hon.Director was Mrs Elma Dangerfield, O.B.E. and Mr Justin Glass.
At their Banquet (24 April 1989) in the Guildhall, London
, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of NATO, the guests-of-honour and speakers were HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
, K.G., the Secretary-General of NATO, and General John Galvin, US Army, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
The E-AG has consistently held events of a standard commensurate with its past. In 1996 for instance the 50th Anniversary celebration on the founding of NATO was also held at Guildhall with HRH the Duke of York, the Secretary-General of NATO Herr Manfred Worner, the Foreign Minister of Poland and 525 influential delegates. The monthly events of the E-AG have been addressed by figures as diverse as President Nyerere of Tanzania, King Hussain of Jordan and more recently his brother Prince Hassan, Ian Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Blunkett, a list that can be found in detail on the website www.eag.org.uk. There is also a Journal and the Group is evolving into a Policy Institute. Elma Dangerfield was appointed CBE for her work with the Group prior to her decease in 2006.
The communication address of the E-AG in 2007 is PO Box 37431 London N3 2XP
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1954 by Michael John Layton, 2nd Baron Layton (1912 - 1989) (then a Vice-President of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
), together with other members of both Houses of Parliament, Industrialists, Bankers, Economists, and Journalists and Mrs Elma Dangerfield. Its main object was to promote closer relations between the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Atlantic countries by providing a regular forum in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for informed discussion of their problems and possibilities for better economic and political co-operation.
The Founders stated that their purpose was to disseminate authoritative information concerning the work of International Organizations such as the Council of Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
, the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
, Euratom, the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
, as well as the European Free Trade Association
European Free Trade Association
The European Free Trade Association or EFTA is a free trade organisation between four European countries that operates parallel to, and is linked to, the European Union . EFTA was established on 3 May 1960 as a trade bloc-alternative for European states who were either unable to, or chose not to,...
, the Association for General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, and the Economic Commission for Europe.
In addition to holding monthly dinners and meetings in London, the group sent many delegations abroad to study at first hand the European and NATO institutions in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, as well as visiting Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, as the guests of governments and International Organizations. Group representatives have also visited the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
with the object of improving relations between West and East.
The Group has also held Discussions on European-Atlantic relations with the rest of the world, including the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries.
In 1989 the Group's London office was at 6 Gertrude Street, Chelsea. The President was the Rt.Hon. The Earl of Bessborough
Earl of Bessborough
Earl of Bessborough is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1739 for Brabazon Ponsonby, 2nd Viscount Duncannon, who had previously represented Newtownards and County Kildare in the Irish House of Commons...
, D.L.,(a Founder), and there was an impressive list of Vice-Presidents, including the Marquess of Lansdowne
Marquess of Lansdowne
Marquess of Lansdowne, in the County of Somerset, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the head of the Petty-Fitzmaurice family. This branch of the family descends from the Hon...
, the Earl of Limerick
Patrick Pery, 6th Earl of Limerick
Patrick Edmund Pery, 6th Earl of Limerick KBE , was an Irish peer and public servant. He was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford....
, the Earl Jellicoe
Earl Jellicoe
Earl Jellicoe is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created, along with the subsidiary title Viscount Brocas, of Southampton in the County of Southampton, on 29 June 1925 for Admiral of the Fleet John Jellicoe, 1st Viscount Jellicoe, on his return from being Governor-General of...
, The Lord Carrington, The Lord Chalfont, The Lord Shawcross, The Lord Granchester. Sir Nicholas Henderson
Nicholas Henderson
Sir John Nicolas Henderson, GCMG, KCVO was a distinguished British career diplomat and writer, who served as British Ambassador to the United States from 1979 to 1982....
, Sir Frederic Bennett, Sir Fitzroy Maclean, Bt., General Sir Harry Tuzo
Harry Tuzo
General Sir Harry Craufurd Tuzo, GCB, OBE, MC was a British Army officer who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and GOC of the British Army in Northern Ireland during the early period of the Troubles.-Early life:...
, and Douglas Fairbanks junior. The Chairman was the Rt.Hon. Geoffrey Rippon
Geoffrey Rippon
Geoffrey Frederick Rippon, Baron Rippon of Hexham, PC, was a British Conservative politician. He was Chairman of the European-Atlantic Group....
, Lord Rippon of Hexham, Q.C., Vice-Chairmen were Sir Antony Buck, Q.C., M.P., and Sir W Hugh-Jones. The Hon.Director was Mrs Elma Dangerfield, O.B.E. and Mr Justin Glass.
At their Banquet (24 April 1989) in the Guildhall, London
Guildhall, London
The Guildhall is a building in the City of London, off Gresham and Basinghall streets, in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap. It has been used as a town hall for several hundred years, and is still the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City of London and its Corporation...
, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of NATO, the guests-of-honour and speakers were HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
, K.G., the Secretary-General of NATO, and General John Galvin, US Army, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
The E-AG has consistently held events of a standard commensurate with its past. In 1996 for instance the 50th Anniversary celebration on the founding of NATO was also held at Guildhall with HRH the Duke of York, the Secretary-General of NATO Herr Manfred Worner, the Foreign Minister of Poland and 525 influential delegates. The monthly events of the E-AG have been addressed by figures as diverse as President Nyerere of Tanzania, King Hussain of Jordan and more recently his brother Prince Hassan, Ian Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Blunkett, a list that can be found in detail on the website www.eag.org.uk. There is also a Journal and the Group is evolving into a Policy Institute. Elma Dangerfield was appointed CBE for her work with the Group prior to her decease in 2006.
The communication address of the E-AG in 2007 is PO Box 37431 London N3 2XP