The USA and the EU

News about the United States of America and the European Union. The European Union and the United States of America established diplomatic relations as early as 1953, but it was only in November 1990 that the cooperation was formalised for the first time with the Transatlantic Declaration. Since December 1995, the New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) has provided the foundation for the relationship. The ambitious agenda of cooperation between the EU and the US is taken forward via constant, intensive dialogue. This dialogue takes place at various levels, from the annual summit meetings between EU and US leaders to technical work at expert level. Within the framework of the NTA and in line with the Transatlantic Economic Partnership (TEP)launched in 1998, the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) was created in 2007 to take forward efforts to boost the transatlantic economy. Under the TEC umbrella, a High-Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth was established by the 2011 EU-US Summit, tasked to identify policies and measures to increase EU-US trade and investment to support job creation, economic growth, and international competitiveness. The final report with conclusions and recommendations from the Working Group was produced on 12 February 2013. On 14 June, the Council of the European Union adopted negotiating directives for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US. Together, the EU and the USA have the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world, roughly 31% of the world trade and over 49% of the world GDP. In keeping with the evolving political and legal personality of the EU, there is active cooperation across a host of sectors, such as cooperation in justice and home affairs, energy and energy security, environment, science & technology, and education & training.

EU prolongs tariff suspension for US steel products — 20 December 2023, 00:07 CET

The European Union is to extend until 31 March 2025 the suspension of 'rebalancing tariffs' on US products in the context of a steel and aluminium dispute initially implemented during the Trump Presidency.

EU states go-head for talks on EU-US Critical Minerals Agreement — 20 July 2023, 22:59 CET

The EU Council adopted a decision Thursday authorising the Commission to open talks with the United States on a Critical Minerals Agreement and the related negotiating directives.

EU-US Data Privacy Framework - guide — 10 July 2023, 23:33 CET

On 11 July, the European Commission adopted its adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. The adequacy decision concludes that the United States ensures an adequate level of protection - compared to that of the EU - for personal data transferred from the EU to US companies participating in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. The adequacy decision follows the US' signature of an Executive Order on ‘Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence Activities', which introduced new binding safeguards to address the points raised by Court of Justice of the European Union in its Schrems II decision of July 2020. Notably, the new obligations were geared to ensure that data can be accessed by US intelligence agencies only to the extent of what is necessary and proportionate, and to establish an independent and impartial redress mechanism to handle and resolve complaints from Europeans concerning the collection of their data for national security purposes.

EU confirms adequacy of US data protection framework — 10 July 2023, 23:41 CET

The United States ensures an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the European Union to US companies under the new framework, the EU concluded on Monday.

EU, United States agree steps to decarbonise steel — 09 November 2021, 16:26 CET

The European Union and the United States agreed Sunday to suspend bilateral WTO disputes on steel and aluminium and start discussions on a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium.

EU-US negotiations on trade on steel and aluminium - guide — 01 November 2021, 17:16 CET

European Commission President von der Leyen and United States President Biden agreed on 31 October to start discussions on a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium.

EU, US move to end Boeing-Airbus trade dispute — 16 June 2021, 14:24 CET

The EU and the US agreed to end the Boeing-Airbus trade dispute Tuesday, suspending tariffs worth USD 11.5 billion, and paving the way to resolving the longest trade dispute in the history of the WTO.

EU agrees farm quotas with US post-Brexit — 09 March 2021, 22:11 CET

The European Union and the United States concluded negotiations Monday to adjust the European Union's World Trade Organization (WTO) agricultural quotas, following the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

EU welcomes Biden's United States back to 'rules-based international order' — 22 January 2021, 01:18 CET

The European Union welcomed the inauguration of Joe Biden Wednesday as an opportunity for Europe to strengthen EU-US ties and tackle common challenges and threats to the democratic system.

EU looks to rekindle transatlantic alliance under Biden — 02 December 2020, 21:42 CET

Following the Trump years of bilateral tensions and unilateral tendencies, the EU put forward a strategy Wednesday to strengthen ties with the United States after US President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

Biden victory offers businesses greater stability and hope on COVID-19 and immigration — 07 November 2020, 21:58 CET

Expert comment from Christian Stadler, Professor of Strategic Management at Warwick Business School:

EU gets WTO green light for tariffs on US exports over Boeing — 28 October 2020, 23:18 CET

The WTO's dispute settlement body gave formal authorisation Monday for the EU to increase duties on U.S. exports worth up to $4 billion, in retaliation for illegal subsidies granted to U.S. aircraft maker Boeing.

Brussels prepares to implement EU-U.S.tariff cuts — 10 September 2020, 18:10 CET

The EU Commission published a proposal Tuesday for a regulation to scrap duties on certain imports from the United States to the EU, with the U.S. in return to reduce duties on certain EU exports to its market.

EU, United States agree trade tariff reductions — 27 August 2020, 23:44 CET

United States and EU trade representatives announced Friday agreement on a package of tariff reductions that will increase market access for hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. and EU exports.

EU complies with WTO Airbus rulings, wants US tariffs lifted — 29 July 2020, 13:44 CET

The governments of France and Spain agreed with Airbus Friday to modify the terms of a 'repayable launch investment' granted by them for development of the A350 aircraft to reflect market conditions.

EU-US Data Protection Shield inadequate, EU Court rules — 21 July 2020, 12:29 CET

The Court of Justice of the EU decided Thursday to invalidate the EU-US Privacy Shield on grounds of an inadequate levels of protection given to European consumer data transferred to the United States.

China tariff cut a sign it has to deal with Trump after impeachment vote — 06 February 2020, 20:46 CET

Responding to news that China has halved tariffs on more than 1,700 US goods, Nigel Driffield, Professor of International Business at Warwick Business School said:

Post-Brexit, Imperiled Transatlantic Relationship More Important Than Ever — 16 January 2020, 17:15 CET

The UK's impending departure from the European Union on January 31 creates at least one certainty. Following the Tories' resounding victory in the December parliamentary elections, any further talk of a second referendum is empty rhetoric; the idea was rejected at the ballot box.

US demands should come as no surprise given UK approach to trade talks — 27 November 2019, 17:54 CET

Nigel Driffield, Professor of International Business at Warwick Business School, comments on the leaked documents on UK-US trade talks.

EU-US privacy shield review finds room for improvement — 24 October 2019, 22:07 CET

The U.S. is ensuring adequate protection for personal data transferred under the 'Privacy Shield' from the EU to participating companies in the States, says the EU's third review, but there is room for improvement.

EU, United States sign agreement on imports of hormone-free beef — 08 August 2019, 23:43 CET

The European Union and the United States signed in Washington D.C. Friday an agreement reviewing the functioning of an existing quota to import hormone-free beef into the EU.

Chipmaker Qualcomm fined EUR 242m for 'predatory pricing' — 23 July 2019, 14:02 CET

The EU Commission fined US tech giant Qualcomm EUR 242 million Thursday, for abusing its market dominance in 3G baseband chipsets, sold below cost with the aim of forcing its competitor Icera out of the market.

EU, US agree pharmaceuticals mutual recognition — 17 July 2019, 15:56 CET

The EU and the United States have completed a Mutual Recognition Agreement, with both sides agreeing to reduce barriers and increase trade in pharmaceuticals as part of ongoing EU-U.S. trade talks.

Expert comment on the US threatening tariffs on EU goods — 02 July 2019, 18:25 CET

Expert comment on the US threatening tariffs on EU goods from Nigel Driffield, Professor of International Business at Warwick Business School. He researches international trade, and has consulted and researched for the World Bank, the European Commission, UKTI, BIS and the OECD.

EU backs start of trade talks with United States — 17 April 2019, 00:50 CET

The EU agreed Monday to adopt negotiating directives to start trade talks with the United States, authorising negotiations on the elimination of tariffs for industrial goods and on conformity assessment.