The Future of EU – US Trade Relations

On January 29, 2019, Toyota partnered with the Meridian Corporate Council to host a luncheon to address the current state of trade relations between the European Union and the United States. In attendance was guest of honor Mr. Tomas Baert, Head of the Trade Delegation of the European Union to the United States. Noting that he arrived in Washington a year ago during tumultuous times, Mr. Baert pointed to the coming months as an important time for EU–US trade relations.

The discussion centered on a number of topics, from the overall state of Brexit to the current trade war between the U.S. and China. Mr. Baert pointed to the importance of trilateral relationships between the parties moving forward and expressed concern about the challenge of maintaining stable social and political relations among trading countries.

Mr. Baert asserted that strong economic ties bind the EU and the United States. He said the EU is caught between the competing interests of both the United States and China and grappling with the implications of the multibillion-dollar trade conflict between the two countries. While Mr. Baert admitted that EU–US trade relations have suffered in the past, he reassured U.S. investors that the relationship with the United States remains of the utmost importance to the EU.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Baert acknowledged that the U.S. and the EU remain strong economic powers and trade partners. Moving forward, he said, the preservation of this EU–US trade relationship must remain a top priority.

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Project summary

The Future of EU – US Trade Relations | January 2019
Number of Visitors:	1
Number of Attendees:	38
Regions:	Europe and Eurasia
Impact Areas:	Business and Trade
Program Areas:	Diplomatic Engagement
Partners:	Diplomatic Corps, Private Sector