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European Union
Background
The U.S. and EU share the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world. While our approaches to common economic issues often diverge, our longstanding and integrated commercial ties help foster a harmonized and mutually beneficial partnership. U.S. companies hold an important stake in the trade issues that arise on both sides of the Atlantic as they affect jobs, standards and the regulatory environment in which they operate.
Objective
Promote the interests of U.S. businesses and work to ensure the benefits of unobstructed trade and investment in Europe. Provide valuable services to the U.S. business community in transatlantic discussions, bringing a unique multilateral perspective, from our global network.
The EU committee serves as the focal point for coordinating EU-related activity in other USCIB policy committees.
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Chair
Brian D. Fix
Partner
Salans LLP
Staff Contacts
Justine Badimon
Manager - China, EU, and APEC Affairs
(212) 703-5062 or jbadimon@uscib.org
Alexandra Garcia
Program Development Assistant
(212) 703-5095 or
agarcia@uscib.org
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Committee Priorities
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· Engage U.S. business in bilateral dialogues, including on the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) and lead on the issue of investment for transatlantic and multilateral cooperation.
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· Foster coordination among organizations, and highlight multilateral work on issues targeted in transatlantic dialogues.
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· Facilitate meetings with officials of the European Commission and the U.S. government on issues vetted with members in multilateral forums, including on investment, environment and trade liberalization.
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· Actively contribute to industry coalitions following EU affairs and transatlantic issues, including collaboration with the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) and AmCham EU among others.
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· Monitor EU political developments that have an impact on U.S. business interests, particularly as they relate to institutional reform and the removal of remaining obstacles to the completion of the European single market.
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· Continue to work with the New York office of the European Commission to arrange meetings and videoconferences between USCIB members and EU high-level officials.
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Recent Activities and Statements
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· Organized briefings by U.S. and EU officials on transatlantic trade and investment issues. Events included:
o Lunch briefing and discussion with EU Commissioner for Climate Action, Connie Hedegaard.
o Roundtable Meetings with EU Commissioners Maros Sefcovic, Inter-Institutional Relations and Olli Rehn, Economic and Monetary Affairs.
o Participated in webinars sponsored by the Department of Commerce on the latest developments regarding EU REACH notifications and updates on changes in RoHs (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances) directives by the European Commission.
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· Provided business views on transatlantic discussions to U.S. governments (Transatlantic Economic Council and U.S.-EU Summit)
o Association letter to EU Commissioner for trade Karel De Gucht and U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, Michael Froman on efforts to reinvigorate the U.S.-EU Investment Dialogue at the Transatlantic Economic Council meetings in Fall 2011.
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· Provided U.S. business input to EU on legislation affecting U.S. companies
o Final USCIB submission to the European Commission on Collective Redress (2011)
o Final ICC comments to the European Commission on Modernization of EU Public Procurement Policy (2011)
o Final USCIB response to the European Commission’s DG Internal Market and Services’ Green Paper on Audit Policy (2010).
· Participated in a government and industry wide effort to monitor the European Commission’s proposal on the suspension of a directive that would require metric only labeling and prohibit the use of other measurements for products sold in the EU after January 1, 2010. The European Union published a ruling on May 7, 2009 allowing U.S. firms to use non-metric units on packaging and extending the current dual-labeling provisions indefinitely.
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