Valerie Rouxel-Laxton is an Economist and heads Economic and Financial Affairs at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States in Washington, DC. She is responsible for analyzing and reporting on macroeconomic developments in the US and European economies, and representing the European Union on economic matters in the US. Before coming to Washington, she worked for the European Commission's economic service in Brussels, specializing in international economic issues, forecasting, and European integration. In this capacity she has written and delivered presentations on a number of economic issues, including the current economic situation, global imbalances, and labour market developments. She holds a PhD in international economics from the Graduate Institute in Geneva, and a Master of Science degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques, Lyon.