Atlantic Partnership is a bipartisan initiative that aims to foster debate about the relationship between America and Europe while promoting the benefits of a strong and stable Atlantic community of nations.

Founded by leader of the Conservative Party Michael Howard in 2001, AP seeks to influence the transatlantic debate through sought-after breakfast meetings, occasional conferences and the media activities of our impressive stable of chairmen, vice-chairmen, patrons and panelists.

AP operates in Europe as the Atlantic Education Project, a registered charity, and in the United States as Friends of Atlantic Partnership, a 501(c)(3) organisation.

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Aims & Objectives

In its first five years, under Michael Howard’s leadership, Atlantic Partnership has championed the transatlantic relationship through a period of unmatched stress. There are still serious disagreements between the United States and Europenotably over trade and defence. But the unrelentingly harsh tone which characterised transatlantic exchanges a year ago has softened and bridges are being rebuilt. Governments on both sides of the Atlantic have recognised how much we all stand to lose if we allow our continents to drift apart. Quite apart from the material damage we would do ourselves, such separation would weaken the values which we want to see adopted more widely throughout the world. Peering over the precipice has had a salutary effect.

Although we can hope the worst is now over, we have to remain vigilant. Atlantic Partnership’s role is to argue the case for setting major policy decisions in the context of their impact on transatlantic relations. That should apply as much to the way America pursues the global war against terrorism as to the European Union’s ambition to build stronger, Europe-wide institutions. Indeed purposeful strengthening of the transatlantic relationship ought to be a positive goal which weighs heavily with the decision-takers. After all the unity of the ‘West’ has been the foundation for most of what our nations have achieved over the past half-century. Now we have to build on the foundations, not undermine them.

Atlantic Partnership will continue to make this case vigorously, through its influential network, through its sought-after breakfast meetings and through the writings and speeches of its panellists. We do not aspire to become a ponderous institution but will remain a lively and nimble ginger-group promoting what continues to be the world’s most powerful and fruitful community of nations, brought together in the transatlantic relationship.

Lord Powell of Bayswater
Chairman, Atlantic Partnership

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What We Do

• We have formed a high level network of high profile opinion formers on both sides of the Atlantic who are willing to use their influence to further the European American relationship – they are our Atlantic Partnership panel, our Vice Chairmen and Patrons.
• We identify issues of concern and activate opinion formers.
• We host high level breakfast meetings giving major figures the opportunity to air their views to a select group of leading decision makers and opinion formers. The breakfasts now take place in London, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Madrid, New York and Washington DC. We intend to extend them to Hamburg and Rome.
• We ‘drip feed’ the national and international press with articles and interviews promoting the cause of the partnership, with the aim of developing a defined profile in the media in the longer term.
• We aim to contribute to programmes on the electronic media bringing attention to the values of the partnership and the importance of not allowing particular points of friction to undermine it.
• We monitor issues relating to the relationship from both sides of the Atlantic. Atlantic Partnership’s website contains keynote articles and speeches.
• We aim to ensure that supporters are fully briefed on the issues and current debates through a regular newsletter as well as regular publications of articles and speeches written by our panellists.
• We have a website to keep supporters informed of the work of the partnership.
• We have offices in London and Washington, DC.
• We are establishing ‘cells’ of Atlantic Partnership supporters elsewhere in Europe, namely Paris, Berlin and Rome and Madrid.
• We operate as a central point from which supporters of the partnership can network with each other.