Undergraduate students enrolled in international business and marketing classes at the Georgia Tech Lorraine campus in France recently had the opportunity to visit the European Union Parliament, enriching their classroom learning about what an integrated market economy means for business.

During the June 12 trip, students got to evaluate first-hand how EU members address many cultural, economic, and legal differences as they develop common legislation that impacts all member countries of the union.

"The visit was a memorable experience for the students, helping them to relate cultural, social, and economic issues to the challenge of developing business strategies across diverse yet integrated markets," explains Alka Citrin, assistant professor of marketing at Georgia Tech, who organized the trip at the invitation of Natalie Griesbeck, a member of EU Parliament representing eastern France.

In addition to a tour of the Parliament building in Strasbourg, France, students attended a plenary session where forthcoming legislation was discussed by Parliament members. After the session, students had the opportunity to ask questions about the role and future of the European Union in the international business environment.