EU-U.S. collaboration necessary for cross-sector success

On February 20, 2020, the Meridian Corporate Council partnered with Citi to host EU Ambassador to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis for a conversation regarding ‘The State of U.S. – EU relations and opportunities for American companies in the EU.’

Ambassador Lambrinidis has served in this role since March 1, 2019. Prior to this position, he served as the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, and in 2011, he was Foreign Affairs Minister of Greece. To open his remarks, Ambassador Lambrinidis shared that 58% of all investment that leaves the U.S. goes to the EU, and that 60% of all investment into the U.S. is from the EU, emphasizing the key trade relationship between the two that he hopes will remain strong. Continuing this theme, he made clear that shipping containers from the EU pack not only goods, but also value, and ensure the highest caliber of trade standards which are missing from some other trade partners.

Ambassador Lambrinidis spent time sharing some of the details of the very recently announced EU digital strategy package on data and artificial intelligence. This package serves as an opportunity not only for governments, but also for businesses to ensure the trustworthiness of AI. In addition, it focuses on developing an enhanced understanding of citizen acceptance of AI, and how to best reconcile technological progress with any citizen concerns. Ambassador Lambrinidis argued that the EU cannot be isolated in implementing a package such as this; a collaborative strategy, which should involve the U.S., must be a priority. This theme was echoed throughout Ambassador Lambrinidis’ remarks in terms not only of digital strategy, but also in terms of environmental strategy to address climate change, and trade strategy to de-regulate and ensure widely open trade.

Corporate representatives present for the discussion asked a variety of questions involving the EU’s new digital strategy package, 5G, the recent increase in tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Airbus and airplane parts from the EU, and the potential for collaborative energy policy to serve as a reliever of trade tensions between the U.S. and the EU.

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Photos

Photos by Jessica Latos.