It is our pleasure to invite you to our online discussion and we cordially request your participation.

This event continues our online event series: EU Strategic Toolbox Talks. In our Toolbox Talks, we are focusing on existing and upcoming EU instruments aimed at managing critical dependencies and strengthening the EU’s sovereignty and external economic governance. These instruments form an important basis for fostering the EU’s capability to act in a global environment increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions and systemic rivalries.

EU Strategic Toolbox Talk (online): Beyond TTC – The future of EU–U.S. trade relations

Thursday, June 20, 2024, 5:00 – 6:00 pm CET/11:00 – 12:00 pm EST

with

Rupert Schlegelmilch, Former Director, Directorate General for Trade, European Commission

Erika Mann, Senior Advisor, Covington & Burling LLP

Erik Brattberg, Senior Vice President, Albright Stonebridge Group | Dentons Global Advisors

Ghislain D’Hoop, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium

Moderator:

Mark C. Fischer, Senior Project Manager, Bertelsmann Stiftung

On April 4-5, 2024, the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) met in Leuven, Belgium for its sixth ministerial meeting. It was the last meeting of the year and possibly the last meeting ever, as it is uncertain whether the TTC will be continued and if so, in what form.

Since its launch in September 2021, the TTC has proven to be a flexible and effective format for fostering transatlantic cooperation on a wide range of issues. Even though the format did not achieve breakthroughs in many of the issues the transatlantic partners had set on its wide-ranging agenda, it did deliver a number of tangible outcomes in several of its ten working groups and is widely viewed as the prime forum for EU-U.S. alignment on trade and tech policy. However, the future of the TTC is uncertain. Both the results of the EU and U.S. elections could have an impact on the TTC, especially if a U.S. Republican administration were to enter the White House.

Against this backdrop, we would like to address the following questions:

  • What are the achievements of the TCC format? What are its shortcomings?
  • What future is there for the TTC beyond 2024? Does the format need reform or a more fundamental rethinking?
  • Should there be a reduction/concentration on a smaller group of high priority issues? If yes, which ones?
  • How important is it to involve Congress and the European Parliament, as well as like-minded partners such as the G7?
  • Will a potential Trump administration pursue the TTC agenda at all?
  • Given the trend to prioritize security interests over free trade, mainly due to increasing tensions with China, will the transatlantic partners have to embrace policies that go beyond traditional trade policy, such as common economic security arrangements or common stockpiling of critical resources?

To attend the event please follow this LINK for your ZOOM registration. If you want to receive more information about the work of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and its events, please register HERE.

During the event there will be an opportunity to pose questions to the panelists via the Zoom Q&A function. Please note that this discussion will be held under Chatham House Rule.

We are looking forward to your participation!

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