MUNICH – United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai today met with European Union Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. Ahead of their joint appearance during a conference panel to discuss current shifts in the global trade landscape, this meeting was an opportunity to review efforts to strengthen the U.S.-EU trade partnership.
Ambassador Tai and Executive Vice President Dombrovskis discussed the ongoing negotiations for a global arrangement on sustainable steel and aluminum. Ambassador Tai noted the United States’ desire to make this a high ambition agreement that could fight the climate crisis and address non-market excess capacity to defend our workers, industries, and communities and preserve our critical steel and aluminum industries. She and Executive Vice President Dombrovskis agreed to remain in close contact as negotiations continue in 2023.
Ambassador Tai and Executive Vice President Dombrovskis also discussed the ongoing implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. Ambassador Tai expressed her optimism that the United States and European Union could continue working closely together on their shared goal of strengthening the clean energy sector globally. Ambassador Tai also stressed the importance of U.S.-EU cooperation in responding to economic coercion and other non-market policies and practices that harm the U.S. and EU economies.
Ambassador Tai noted that USTR will continue to work with the EU in the months ahead, and she looks forward to seeing Executive Vice President Dombrovskis at the next ministerial meeting of the Trade and Technology Council later this year.
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