On Wednesday 7 November, the main employers' organisation at European level urged the European Union and United States to seek solutions to the transatlantic trade tension.
Following the US mid-term elections, Business Europe asked the two parties to concentrate their efforts to resolve the crucial issues marring the relationship between the two trade powers.
Within 120 days of the meeting, the executive working group, set up at the end of July after the meeting between presidents Juncker and Trump, is supposed to present a report on the common solutions and measures envisaged.
"European companies expect concrete results on many topics of common interest" such as "the reform of the WTO, addressing overcapacity and state subsidies, and promoting regulatory cooperation in key sectors", the head of Business Europe, Pierre Gataz, stated.
According to European sources, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is expected to meet her US counterpart in external trade, Robert Lighthizer, in Washington on Wednesday 14 November.
The European trade ministers will review this issue on Friday 9 November (see other article). (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)