PARIS, FRANCE - U.S. Chamber Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant issued the following statement after addressing the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Ministerial stakeholder meeting in Paris, France:
“We are facing a daunting set of global challenges – including Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the huge impact it is having on food and energy supplies around the world. Now more than ever, we need government partners to help overcome these obstacles.
“We’re pleased to have been included in today’s stakeholder session. We’re also gratified that the principals and the working groups are addressing many of the issues we’ve raised as priorities. Now is the time to translate words into actions. Here are the six priorities we flagged today:
“First, to the specific work of the Council: Finalizing a new Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework is critical. Without secure data flows, meaningful progress on many other critical elements of the Council’s agenda is not possible.
“Second, ending Europe’s dependence on Russian energy. This can be tackled on two fronts: increasing U.S. energy exports to Europe, consistent with commitments already made by U.S. and European governments, and by working with partners worldwide to increase production of strategic minerals used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other green energy technology.
“Third, curbing export restrictions, especially on food. Food export bans will only translate today’s tight food supplies into a global hunger crisis.
“Fourth, boosting semiconductor production. So many sectors have been impacted by semiconductor shortages. One easy solution is to work together on the very expensive basic research behind chip development especially as the U.S. and EU both seek to significantly boost their investment in chip production.
“Fifth, addressing China’s anticompetitive market practices. Coordinated, meaningful actions are needed to address issues like industrial subsidies, digital protectionism, export controls, forced tech transfer, and competition policy. Coordination will increase our impact, avoid sending mixed messages, and allow companies in both markets to work off similar rules.
“And finally, on the important matter of engaging stakeholders. We appreciated today’s session because ongoing two-way engagement is key to realistic and durable outcomes. Even where parties are not always aligned, outreach should be transparent and inclusive of different interests. On that note, the U.S. Chamber is committed to engaging in the new Trade and Labor Dialogue being launched today.
“The U.S. Chamber remains committed to working with American and European policymakers to drive solutions to our biggest challenges. Now is the time to step up and address these essential issues.”
