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 welcomes WTO Boeing ruling against US — 29 March 2019, 11:22 CET

The EU has welcomed the World Trade Organisation's ruling Thursday which it says vindicates the EU position that the United States has taken no steps to comply with WTO rules on support to Boeing.

Mandate for the EU-U.S. cooperation on electronic evidence — 08 February 2019, 00:08 CET

The European Commission recommended on 5 February engaging in two international negotiations on cross-border rules to obtain electronic evidence.

Brussels adopts negotiating mandates for trade deal with the United States — 22 January 2019, 20:46 CET

The EU Commission adopted Friday proposals for negotiating directives for its trade talks with the United States: one on conformity assessment, and one on the elimination of tariffs for industrial goods.

EU visa reciprocity mechanism — 20 December 2018, 18:29 CET

The European Commission reported on 20 December on progress made in the past 12 months towards achieving visa-reciprocity with the United States, as the only remaining case of non-reciprocity.

U.S. now EU's main supplier of soyabeans — 21 September 2018, 00:17 CET

The U.S. has become Europe's main supplier of soyabeans, reaching a 52% share compared to 25% in in the same period last year, according to figures published Thursday by the EU Commission.

EU imports of American soybeans jump 283 pct — 03 August 2018, 12:25 CET

Following up on a July agreement between the EU and U.S. president Trump, the European Commission reported Wednesday an increase of 283% in imports of soybeans from the United States.

Trump criticised as NATO strengthens cooperation with EU — 10 July 2018, 20:36 CET

"Appreciate your allies, after all you don't have that many," EU Council president Tusk told US president Trump Tuesday, as NATO and the EU signed a joint declaration to strengthen military cooperation.

Tariffs would damage US car industry, EU warns Trump — 03 July 2018, 17:51 CET

Imposing tariffs on imports of EU cars would damage US trade and its own car industry, the European Union warned Monday in formal comments to the United States Department of Commerce.

EU activates retaliatory duties on US imports — 25 June 2018, 13:32 CET

The EU's 'rebalancing measures' in response to US tariffs on steel and aluminium came into effect Friday, targeting steel products, agricultural goods and other products worth some EUR 2.8 billion.

World leaders at G7 not impressed by Trump — 11 June 2018, 12:44 CET

World leaders apart from U.S. president Donald Trump committed at the G7 summit in Canada this weekend to fight protectionism and defend the rules-based international trading system.

EU to retaliate over US steel tariffs from July — 07 June 2018, 18:29 CET

In its response to the US imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminium products, the European Union decided Wednesday to apply additional duties to selected imports from the United States from July.

'Bad day for trade' as US slaps tariffs on EU steel, aluminium — 31 May 2018, 18:47 CET

The United States announced Thursday that it will impose additional duties of 25 and 10 per cent respectively on imports of steel and aluminium from the European Union, starting on 1 June 2018.

The Trump tariffs on steel and aluminium: the end of the WTO? — 13 March 2018, 15:37 CET

There is no doubt that the recent announcement by the U.S. Administration of tariff hikes on steel and aluminium, justified on national security grounds, presents the real threat of an extremely damaging tit-for-tat trade war. If the tariffs are challenged at the WTO, there is the unwelcome prospect of the WTO having to rule on whether the U.S.'s "essential security interests", taken in time of an "emergency in international relations", constitute a justification of the measures under Article XXI of the GATT ("Security Exceptions").

US steel move 'threatens thousands of European jobs' — 07 March 2018, 23:37 CET

The EU promised a 'firm and proportionate response' to possible US import restrictions for steel and aluminium announced on 1 March, which they said put thousands of European jobs in jeopardy.

Brussels vows to react 'firmly' to Trump steel duties — 04 March 2018, 12:38 CET

Any imposition of additional import duties on EU exports of steel and aluminium to the United States, announced by US president Trump, will be met firmly by the EU, says Commission President Juncker.

US and EU agree deal on derivatives trading — 05 December 2017, 22:43 CET

The European Commission recognised Tuesday some US trading venues authorised by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as eligible for compliance with the EU trading obligation for derivatives.

EU-US Privacy Shield review finds room for improvement — 18 October 2017, 21:03 CET

The EU- U.S. Privacy Shield is doing a good job in protecting the personal EU personal data but there is some room for improving its implementation, the Commission says in its first annual review.

Annual Review of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield — 18 October 2017, 20:38 CET

The European Commission published on 18 October its first annual report on the functioning of the EU- U.S. Privacy Shield, the aim of which is to protect the personal data of anyone in the EU transferred to companies in the U.S. for commercial purposes.

EU and US sign bilateral insurance deal — 25 September 2017, 12:44 CET

After 20 years of discussion and a year of formal talks, the European Union and the US signed a landmark bilateral agreement on insurance and reinsurance Saturday.

EU - US Agreement on insurance and reinsurance — 25 September 2017, 12:41 CET

The European Union and the US signed a landmark bilateral agreement on insurance and reinsurance on 23 September 2017.

Brussels registers 'Stop TTIP' citizen initiative — 05 July 2017, 21:00 CET

A European Citizens' Initiative to stop the EU negotiating mandate for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the CETA trade deal with Canada was accepted Wednesday by the EU Commission.

Values first, Europe tells President Trump — 25 May 2017, 23:48 CET

"The greatest task today is to consolidate the free world around Western values, not just interests," EU Council President Tusk told US President Donald Trump when he met European leaders Thursday.

Commission response on Visa Reciprocity — 04 May 2017, 00:07 CET

Responding to a European Parliament resolution calling on the Commission to adopt a delegated act to suspend the visa waiver for Canadian and American nationals, the EU Commission considers that, in view of the significant progress achieved during the last year and the positive momentum of ongoing work, the temporary suspension of visa waivers for nationals of Canada and the United States would be counter-productive at this moment and would not serve the objective of achieving visa-free travel for all EU citizens.

U.S. supports a united Europe: Pence — 21 February 2017, 23:22 CET

On his first foreign trip since taking office in January, United States vice president Mike Pence said Monday that the U.S. administration's commitment to a united Europe was "steadfast and enduring".

Trump threatens EU's future: Tusk — 01 February 2017, 15:51 CET

As EU leaders prepare to meet at a summit on Friday, Council president Donald Tusk listed the Trump administration alongside Islamic extremism as a major threat to the existence of the European Union.