The Scandinavian Department, together with the Center for West European Studies was pleased to welcome Ambassador Jan Store to campus on November 20. Ambassador Store visited our Finnish and Swedish language classes, met with students, and gave a very well-attended lecture on the future of the EU.
Ambassador Store has a comprehensive knowledge and experience of the European Union. He acted as Finland's permanent representative to the EU from 2008 to 2013, and deputy permanent representative from 1995 to 2000. Between these posts, he served as director general for European affairs in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki and Finland's ambassador to Poland from 2004 to 2008. Before that, Store, was a member of the team negotiating Finland's membership of the EU. He has also served in Paris and Geneva. As permanent representative of Finland to the EU, Store represented Finland in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper II).