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© Belgian presidency
The co-chairs at the meeting were EVPs Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis for the EU, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on the US side. They were joined by European Commissioner Thierry Breton.
The programme in brief
European and American delegations convened in Leuven on 4 April for several preliminary activities and side events such as the Talent for Growth Task Force and the Trade and Labour Dialogue. A showcase of Belgian companies active in highly technological sectors was organised by Agoria, the Belgian Technology Federation. A fireside chat reflection on the past achievements and the future of the TTC platform was also held.
The Principals – joined by Belgian Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade – also visited the nearby imec Tower for a briefing and a guided tour of the world’s leading research centre in semiconductor technology.
To conclude the first day, the Belgian Presidency hosted a welcome dinner for the principals, as well as a networking reception for 250 EU and US stakeholders.
The formal TTC plenary session was held on the morning of 5 April, during which EU and US principals discussed current trade policy and technology issues. The joint statement can be found here.
The programme concluded with a press conference.
Outcomes
Both parties agreed on increased cooperation on:
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AI
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Semiconductor supply chain issues
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6G
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Emerging technology standards
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Continuing development of digital skills
In the area of trade, the emphasis was on:
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Promotion of the Transatlantic Initiative on Sustainable Trade
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Clean Energy Incentives Dialogue
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Fair green energy transition for workers and firms
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Possible EU-US Critical Minerals Agreement
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Broader discussion on economic security in today’s geopolitical environment.
EU-US Trade and Technology Council
The TTC was established in June 2021 and serves to coordinate EU-US approaches to key global trade, economic and technology issues and to deepen transatlantic trade and economic relations. Previous councils were held in Pittsburgh, Paris, College Park (Maryland), Luleå and the latest in Washington DC on 30 January 2024.
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