Thomas Ilka
Short vita
Thomas Ilka started working for the Foundation in January 2019. As the director of the European Dialogue from 2019 to 2022 he was responsible for the activities of the offices in Brussels and Prague and the projects initiated from these offices in European countries such as the UK, France, Spain and Hungary. He was the Head of European Affairs of the German Insurance Association (GDV) in Brussels and Berlin before joining the foundation. Thomas Ilka has previously been state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health between 2011 and early 2014. He gained his first Brussels experience as the head of the Europe department of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) between 2007 and 2011. In total he worked more than 11 years for the DIHK in Bonn, Berlin and Brussels. His professional career began in the 1990s as the head of office for Member of the German Parliament Paul Friedhoff. Mr. Ilka has a degree in economics from the Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel.
Contributions
-
CO2 Border Adjustment: How is the EU Going to Save the Climate?
On 14 July, EU Vice-President Frans Timmermans presented a comprehensive package of proposals to implement climate policy in the EU. Entitled "Fit for 55", the package contains 13 laws to help achieve the Union's climate goals. What does the package include, what can be expected on the implementation track, and can the timetable be kept?
-
Biden Calls Out to Europe
In just 20 minutes, the new US President Joe Biden laid out the cornerstones of his foreign policy agenda at the end of last week. The words Europe or EU did not appear once in his keynote speech. And yet, in terms of content, Biden's speech was a call for support from allies in Europe. They now have to use the potential for transatlantic cooperation, Thomas Ilka demands.
-
The EU and a US Presidency: Joe Biden – The Return of Politics
Donald Trump has not yet left the White House and votes continue to be (re-)counted in some US states. But all the signs point to it: the next president of the United States of America will be Democrat Joe Biden – with Vice-President Kamala Harris by his side. What does the Democratic duo’s victory mean for transatlantic relations?
-
Europe at the End of 2020: A New Start or More of the Same?
This week, EU heads of state and government are meeting once again for an EU summit. The agenda includes the COVID 19 pandemic, climate change, security and external relations. What is the state of play in December 2020? We look at the Council agenda.
