EU-US Trade and Technology Council: political alignment yields results by Marcin Szczepański; European Parliamentary Research ServicePublication Date: October 2023
The European Union-United States Trade and Technology Council (TTC), which has met twice a year since 2021, aims to revitalise transatlantic cooperation, boost bilateral trade and investment, and strengthen the parties' technological and industrial leadership while preserving shared values. The bi-annual ministerial meetings steer cooperation within the TTC and guide its work on areas such as technology standards, secure supply chains, tech regulation, global trade challenges, climate and green technologies, investment screening and export controls. Observers agree that since Russia's war on Ukraine, the forum has become more geopolitical and strategic in nature, reflecting the growing importance of working out a common position on challenges posed by a rapidly changing world. The TTC's first three meetings focused on launching the forum, setting its agenda, and establishing political alignment and convergence of views. The most recent meeting, held in May 2023 in Luleå, (Sweden), is considered by many to have been the most productive so far, with an increasing number of results either materialising or having their pathways established.