What Sharon Did Last Week (5th - 11th December 2011)
Monday
Sharon flew back from Jacksonville to Brussels ahead of a hearing on MiFID at 15:00. At 16:00, Sharon left the hearing and returned to her office to meet with Lloyd Blankfein, CEO and Chairman of Goldman Sachs for an exchange of views on the Eurozone crisis.
Tuesday
At 09:30, Sharon met with Othmar Karas, Rapporteur in ECON for the Capital Requirements Directive IV in the Members' Bar to discuss CRD IV. After this, Sharon returned to her office for a meeting with Ed Webber, the Liberal Democrat Special Adviser on EU Affairs.
At 12:30, Sharon attended a Liberal Democrat European Parliamentary Party (LDEPP) meeting. During this meeting there was a presentation by Nirj Deva, a UK Conservative MEP and the European Conservatives and Reformists Group's candidate for the Presidency of the European Parliament. After this, at 14:30, Sharon made her way to an ALDE Group meeting with Guy Verhofstadt, the ALDE Group President.
At 15:30, Sharon made her way back to her office for a meeting with a journalist from the Wall Street Journal on the various pieces of legislation passing through the ECON Committee. Following this, Sharon had an interview with Euronews in the European Parliament.
After, at 17:00, Sharon attended an ALDE Group meeting. In this meeting, at 17:30, there was an exchange of views with Martin Schulz, the Socialists and Democrats candidate for the Presidency of the European Parliament.
Wednesday
At 09:00, Sharon attended an ALDE Group meeting to discuss the December plenary voting agenda. After, at 11:00, Sharon spoke to a UK Treasury, Financial Services Authority, and Bank study visit group to the European Parliament on her role as Chair of the ECON Committee.
At 12:00, Sharon returned to her office for a meeting with the senior team from Nationwide to discuss the difference between Mutual firms and Banks and the impact of financial regulation.
At 13:00, Sharon met with a group of school children from Eastbourne on a visit to the European Parliament with Anti-Slavery International to bring attention to the use of child labour in Uzbekistan's cotton fields. After this, at 14:00, Sharon made her way back to her office for a meeting with Lee Olesky, the CEO of Tradeweb, to discuss EMIR.
This meeting was followed by a meeting with Adolfo Barberá del Rosal, head of the ECON Secretariat.
At 21:00, Sharon took part in a live Sky News panel discussion, presented by Adam Boulton, on the Eurozone crisis, debt, democracy and Britain's role in the European Union. Other members of the panel included UKIP MEP Nigel Farage, ALDE Group President Guy Verhofstadt, and Martin Callahan.
Thursday
At 10:00, Sharon took the Eurostar back to London, where she did an interview for CNBC's Strictly Rates. Sharon discussed broader UK and Eurozone issues, given her role as Chair of ECON, as well as the EU Summit happening Friday.
At 13:30, Sharon attended a panel discussion hosted by Dods on the European Market Infrastructure Regulations (EMIR) and their impact on the city of London. After this, at 16:00, Sharon made her way to the Department of Work and Pensions to meet with Pensions Minister and Liberal Democrat MP, Steve Webb. Sharon spoke with Steve about current European legislative movements and asset management fees damaging pensions.
Friday
Sharon travelled into London to attend a day-long seminar on CRD IV at Europe House. However, due to David Cameron's veto of the inter-governmental Stability Union Treaty, Sharon was called to do interviews for BBC News, BBC Daily Politics and Sky News.
Sunday
On Sunday, Sharon travelled into London to appear on Sky News' Murnaghan programme to again discuss Cameron's decision to veto, and the future of the UK in the European Union.