Visit of EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner to San Francisco

EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner, Isabella Tomas and Karin Emprechtinger pictured with students from UC Berkeley and MCI Innsbruck. Photo: Open Austria

EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner visited San Francisco and the Bay Area in early April. During his visit, Commissioner Brunner exchanged perspectives on key topics shaping the transatlantic agenda, including technology solutions in the areas of security, border management, and migration diplomacy. Just as important, the visit provided an opportunity to gain firsthand insights into how European innovation, policy, and partnerships are experienced beyond the federal level here in the United States.

OPEN AUSTRIA hosted a networking reception in his honor, inviting Austrians and friends of Austria that live in the Bay Area as well as European Colleagues to give him the opportunity to engage directly with the local ecosystem and the European community on the ground. OPEN AUSTRIA is grateful for the open dialogue and the time taken to connect with the European community in the Bay Area.

While in San Francisco, EU Commissioner Brunner also took part in a panel discussion at the University of California, Berkeley on April 9. The panel discussion, entitled “USA & Europe: How can we win together?”, took place at the International House. The discussion featured Jeroen Dewulf, head of the Program in Austrian Studies at UC Berkeley, and Susan Giesecke, head of the “Global Engagement” division at UC Berkeley.

In addition to several students from UC Berkeley and MCI Innsbruck, attendees included Karin Emprechtinger, director of the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation and Ken Singer, director of the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (SCET) at UC Berkeley. Commissioner Brunner spoke about his optimistic outlook on transatlantic relations in the area of security, efforts in migration diplomacy, and new technologies being used in European border control systems. He repeatedly emphasized the importance of transatlantic cooperation.

Visits like EU Commissioner Brunner’s continue to strengthen the ties between Europe and the United States, and highlight the importance of ongoing exchange.

EU Commissioner Brunner and Open Austria Director Isabella Tomas at a reception in honor of EU Commissioner Brunner’s visit.