The US-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) held its sixth ministerial meeting in Leuven, Belgium on April 4 and 5, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by European Commission Executive Vice Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai. European Commissioner Thierry Breton also participated in the meeting, which was hosted by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The TTC addressed significant geopolitical developments and challenges, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the escalation of violence in the Middle East. The European Union and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine and addressing global economic pressure through non-market policies and practices. The meeting also focused on digital transformation, cooperation on critical and emerging technologies such as AI and quantum technologies, and the promotion of sustainable trade and clean energy transition. The TTC aims to foster interoperability, support common democratic values, and protect human rights while promoting innovation. Key outcomes of the meeting include advancing transatlantic leadership on critical and emerging technologies, post-quantum cryptography coordination, the road to 6G wireless communication systems, semiconductors, biotechnology cooperation, and cooperation on standards for critical and emerging technologies and clean energy transition. The TTC also discussed trade, security, and economic prosperity, including economic security measures, export controls, and investment screening. The meeting highlighted the importance of defending human rights and values in the digital environment, protecting information integrity, cooperation on online platforms, protecting human rights defenders online, and addressing foreign information manipulation and interference. The TTC reaffirmed the commitment to transparency and stakeholder involvement in its work and the importance of talent development and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The European Union and the United States will continue to cooperate on strategic trade and technology issues and engage with stakeholders to shape the future of the TTC.
European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, US Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, and Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter met in Washington for the fourth meeting of the EU-US Joint Technology Competition Policy Dialogue. The purpose of the dialogue is to strengthen cooperation to ensure fair competition in the digital economy. The dialogue focused on rapidly evolving technologies in the digital sector, merger enforcement in the digital economy, and evolving market dynamics in the technology sector. The three authorities agreed to continue their collaboration through the TCPD with high-level meetings and regular discussions at a technical level. The TCPD was launched on 7 December 2021 and is part of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) launched on 15 June 2021. [3230450f] [ab412558]