The European-Atlantic Group was founded in London in 1954 by Michael John Layton, 2nd Baron Layton (1912–1989) (then a Vice-President of the Council of Europe), together with other members of both Houses of Parliament, Industrialists, Bankers, Economists, and Journalists and Elma Dangerfield. Its main object was to promote closer relations between the European and Atlantic countries by providing a regular forum in Britain for informed discussion of their problems and possibilities for better economic and political co-operation.
The Founders stated that their purpose was to disseminate authoritative information concerning the work of International Organizations such as the Council of Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Western European Union, the European Coal and Steel Community, Euratom, the European Economic Community, as well as the European Free Trade Association, the Association for General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, and the Economic Commission for Europe.
In addition to holding monthly dinners and meetings in London, the group sent many delegations abroad to study at first hand the European and NATO institutions in Brussels, Paris, and Luxembourg, as well as visiting Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Greece, as the guests of governments and International Organizations. Group representatives have also visited the United States, the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc with the object of improving relations between West and East.
The Group has also held Discussions on European-Atlantic relations with the rest of the world, including the Middle East, Far East, Africa, and Latin American countries.
The Group's London office was originally at 6 Gertrude Street, Chelsea. The President was the Rt.Hon. The Earl of Bessborough, D.L. (a founder), and there was an impressive list of Vice-Presidents, including the Marquess of Lansdowne, the Earl of Limerick, the Earl Jellicoe, The Lord Carrington, The Lord Chalfont, The Lord Shawcross, The Lord Granchester. Sir Nicholas Henderson, Sir Frederic Bennett, Sir Fitzroy Maclean, Bt., General Sir Harry Tuzo, and Douglas Fairbanks junior. The Chairman was the Rt.Hon. Geoffrey Rippon, Lord Rippon of Hexham, Q.C., Vice-Chairmen were Sir Antony Buck, Q.C., M.P., and Sir W. Hugh-Jones. The Hon.Director was Mrs Elma Dangerfield, O.B.E. and Mr Justin Glass.
Other E-AG Presidents have included The Lord Layton CH CBE, The Rt Hon Earl of Listowel, Sir Geoffrey de Freitas KCMG MP and, since the 1990s, The Earl of Bessborough DL, Sir Frank Roberts GCMG GCVO, The Rt Hon Lord Rippon of Hexham QC, The Lord Dahrendorf, Lord Judd, The Earl of Limerick KBE, The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein CMG CBE, Sir Michael Burton KCVO CMG, The Baroness Hooper CMG, Lord Dykes and the Rt Hon Baroness Symons of Vernam Dean.
At their Banquet (24 April 1989) in the Guildhall, London, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of NATO, the guests-of-honour and speakers were HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., the Secretary-General of NATO, and General John Galvin, US Army, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
In 1996 the 50th Anniversary celebration on the founding of NATO was also held at Guildhall with HRH the Duke of York, the Secretary-General of NATO Herr Manfred Worner, the Foreign Minister of Poland and 525 influential delegates. The monthly events of the E-AG have been addressed by figures as diverse as President Nyerere of Tanzania, King Hussain of Jordan and more recently his brother Prince Hassan, Ian Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Blunkett, a list that can be found in detail on the website www.eag.org.uk. There is also a Journal and the Group is evolving into a Policy Institute. Elma Dangerfield was appointed CBE for her work with the Group prior to her decease in 2006.
What is now considered an annual event is when two ex-Congressmen representing the Democrat and Republican parties are guests at a Meeting, usually held in November, that concentrates on American Politics both Home and Abroad.
Today the European-Atlantic Group, a non-aligned, all party, registered charity, is a wide ranging Westminster based group in the field of international relations. Most of the EAG's meetings are held at Westminster in House of Commons Committee Rooms, but when Parliament is not sitting meetings may be held in the City or elsewhere in London.
Members of the Group include diplomats, parliamentarians, officers of the armed forces, business people, students of international relations and defence and security matters, and the informed and interested general public. Few matters of moment in Europe or America can remain untouched by wider world affairs, so countries such as Afghanistan and South Sudan as well as Lithuania and Ukraine, and many others around the world, have been the subjects of expert discussion and analysis. EAG speakers have included royalty and presidents, the ambassadors of America, China and Russia, ministers, shadow ministers, the head of MI5, and the chiefs of our armed forces.
The EAG aims to strengthen trans-Atlantic links, and to bring together experts from the political, military, security, diplomatic, economic, and academic fields from NATO or OSCE and allied countries.
The Trustees of the EAG are Lord Hamilton of Epsom and Mr Christopher Arkell.
The future of the EAG depends on the support of those who care about issues such as defence and security, the UK relationship with America, NATO, and other important international challenges. The EAG is a 'broad church' and is classified as educational by the Charity Commission.
Justin Glass was succeeded as Director by Anthony Westnedge after many years service to the EAG, and the Director since the end of 2014 is Charles Bennett - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesanselmbennett/. Since then meetings have been held on Ukraine, Migration and Europe, Cyber-Security, South Sudan, Kurdistan, Greece, Lithuania, the future of the Euro and the prospects of Brexit, ‘High Command – British Military Leadership in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars’, Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, Islam in Britain, Gibraltar, the UK's EU 'Brexit' Referendum, Gibraltar, and Somaliland and the case for re-recognition. Subjects of further meetings in 2017 will include: Zimbabwe, British-Polish relations post-'Brexit', and Lithuania and the defence of the Baltic states.
Its aspirations include the speaking of truth to power. The EAG welcomes all who can contribute to and help with its work. See website at: www.eag.org.uk .