EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis confirmed on Thursday 23 September that the date of 29 September for the launch of the ‘EU-US Trade and Technology Council’ in Pittsburgh would be upheld. Following the announcement of the AUKUS alliance between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the European Commission said it was considering holding such a meeting in late September (see EUROPE 12795/4).
Mr Dombrovskis will be joined by the European Commissioner for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, as well as the US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo; Trade Representative, Katherine Tai; and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
“Strategic alliances must build common approaches, but also overcome difficulties”, said Ms Vestager and Mr Dombrovskis.
The European Commission said on 23 September that the “channels of communication have been restored” after French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met separately with US President Joe Biden.
The Pittsburgh meeting will address the urgent issue of the shortage of semiconductors in world markets.
Through its 10 working groups, the EU-US Trade and Technology Council should serve to cooperate closely to avoid trade barriers and develop common standards on new technologies (see EUROPE 12741/2).
The meeting on 29 September will be the subject of a joint statement by the EU and the US. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)