D-US - European Parliament

General documents - 86th EU-US Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, 16-17 June 2023, Stockholm, Sweden - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:31:46 GMT

The 86th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting (IPM) of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD) took place on 16 and 17 June 2023 at the Swedish Parliament - Riksdag, in Stockholm.

During the meetings, seven Members of the European Parliament - led by MEP Radosław Sikorski (EPP - Poland), Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the United States and EU Co-Chair of the TLD - and ten Members of the US House of Representatives - led by Congressman Nathaniel Moran (Republican, Texas), the US Co-Chair of the TLD - heard from numerous experts and had lively discussions on transatlantic cooperation in the following areas: support to Ukraine, sanctions, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, trade and technology, NATO enlargement and EU-NATO cooperation.

The meeting was officially opened by Dr. Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Swedish Parliament and featured the participation of Members of the Riksdag's Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by their Chair, Mr. Aron Emilsson. The IPM also saw the participation of State Secretaries and other officials from the Swedish Government and senior officials from the European Commission, the European External Action Service, NATO and experts from Swedish think tanks.

At the end of the meeting, the TLD Co-Chairs, Messrs. Sikorski and Moran, together with the Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the United States, MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (S&D - Finland) and US Ranking Member Rep. Jim Costa (Democrat, California), signed a Joint Statement outlining the conclusions from their discussion and setting the scope for their future dialogues.

The 87th IPM/TLD is expected to take place in the United States in December 2023.

The Joint Statement
Joint Participant list

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Latest news - 86th EU-US Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, 16-17 June 2023, Stockholm, Sweden - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:31:08 GMT

The 86th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting (IPM) of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD) took place on 16 and 17 June 2023 at the Swedish Parliament - Riksdag, in Stockholm.

Joint Statement
Joint Participant list

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Latest news - Billy KELLEHER has been elected as the 2nd D-US Vice-Chair - Delegation for relations with the United States

Fri, 05 May 2023 10:31:15 GMT

During the meeting of 20 April 2023 in Strasbourg, Billy KELLEHER (Renew Europe, Ireland) was elected 2nd Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with the United States.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Latest news - Statement by TLD Co-Chairs - Delegation for relations with the United States

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 21:32:56 GMT

On 21 July 2021, the Co-Chairs of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD), MEP Radosław Sikorski and Representative Jim Costa, issued the following statement upon the conclusion of the TLD in the 117th Congress in Washington DC:

"We took the opportunity to stress that we are not just resetting this essential relationship, but are working to build it back even stronger so that we can work together to address jointly the many significant challenges that we face at this time.

"On response to the coronavirus pandemic, we applaud the remarkable scientific breakthroughs that have allowed safe and effective vaccines to be developed so quickly. We called on everyone to be vaccinated as soon as they can and for vaccines to be made available to middle and low-income countries as soon as possible. Vaccines save lives. The European side called for reciprocity from the United States in lifting coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

"We acknowledged that climate change is not just a future threat, but is here with us today as we see floods in Western Europe and fires in California and Oregon. We agreed that the European Union and the United States must lead together. We have not only the opportunity, but the moral obligation to future generations to act now.

"We discussed how best we can develop a common approach to a rising China in order to remain competitive, to safeguard jobs and prosperity, to defend and promote democratic values. We must stand firm in the face of provocation, and resist attempts to uproot and overturn longstanding international norms that the Transatlantic alliance has worked so hard to uphold over more than seven decades.

"We called on the US and EU to step up efforts to deliver results at Ministerial Conference 12 (MC12) and to establish a work program to reform the World Trade Organization. We welcomed the progress under the new administration to solve longstanding trade irritants and hope solutions can be found for the outstanding issues that remain. We stressed the need to find a permanent, broader settlement to address subsidies and overcapacity. We support joint actions to set standards in the technology space which reflect our principles and values. We welcomed the newly established Trade and Technology Council and called for it to have a significant parliamentary dimension.

"We stressed the paramount importance of safeguarding the peace and prosperity which has been underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement for the people on the Island of Ireland. We called upon the government of the United Kingdom to implement fully the agreement which they themselves recently entered into, and to fulfill their treaty obligations.

"These two days have confirmed the vibrancy of this cooperation between legislators across the Atlantic, coinciding with the relaunch of the Congressional European Union Caucus, and we have agreed to continue our work together in Slovenia this Fall."

The European Parliament delegation consisted of Radosław Sikorski (TLD Co-Chair, Poland, EPP), Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (Finland, S&D), Nicolae Ștefănuță (Romania, RENEW), David McAllister (Germany, EPP) and Bernd Lange (Germany, S&D).

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

General documents - Ordinary meetings held during the European Parliament's 8th term (2014-2019) - Delegation for relations with the United States

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 10:16:49 GMT

A summary of ordinary meetings held during the European Parliament's 8th term (2014-2019) can be found in the delegation's archives.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - EU-U.S. trade talks – one year on, Commission presents progress report - Delegation for relations with the United States

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 13:51:16 GMT

European Commission press release on the first anniversary of the Joint Statement by President Juncker and President Trump, which launched the new phase in the relationship between the United States and the European Union.

Link to the press release

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - The situation at the USA-Mexico border, July 2019 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 12:52:23 GMT

The European Parliament expresses its deep concern about the situation befalling migrants and asylum seekers at the USA-Mexico border, especially that of migrant children.
MEPs are also deeply worried about the appalling conditions in US immigration detention facilities, which they say lack adequate healthcare, decent food and proper sanitation. Family separation and immigration detention are never in the best interests of the child, the resolution further states, while calling on the US government to stop separating families and, as a matter of urgency, to reunify all families with children who are still separated from their parents or guardians.
MEPs stress that border management measures must comply with the US's international human rights obligations and should not be based on narrow policies aimed at detecting, detaining and expeditiously deporting irregular migrants.
The text was adopted with 330 votes in favour, 252 against and 55 abstentions.

EP Resolution of 18 July 2019

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - Rescheduled 83rd EP-US IPM TLD, 27 February 2019, Washington DC - Delegation for relations with the United States

Fri, 12 Jul 2019 11:23:15 GMT

Mission Report 83rd EU-US IPM TLD, 26 - 28 February 2019, Washington DC
Joint Statement - 83rd EP-US IPM TLD, 26 - 28 February 2019, Washington DC

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - The future of the INF Treaty and the impact on the European Union, February 2019 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:19:07 GMT

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the future of the INF Treaty and the impact on the European Union.

The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, and Greens/EFA groups.

Parliament stated that the INF Treaty, signed in 1987 by the United States and the Soviet Union, is a cornerstone for maintaining world peace and regional security, and had contributed to containing strategic competition between the US and the Soviet Union, and subsequently the Russian Federation, and to building and reinforcing stability in the Cold War era.

[...]

Members expressed deep concern at the breaches of the Treaty, and the subsequent announcements by the US and then Russia regarding the suspension of their obligations under it and their withdrawal from it within a period of six months.

EP resolution of 14 February 2019

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - Implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, December 2018 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:19:03 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 401 votes to 173, a resolution following the Council's annual report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

In a context where the EU's security environment is now more volatile, unpredictable, complex, Parliament stressed that the time has come for the European Union to take its destiny into its own hands and embrace its role as a fully-fledged, sovereign political and economic power in international relations.

Convinced that no single EU Member State can respond effectively to today's global challenges on its own, Members called for a genuine common European foreign and security policy, based on strategic autonomy and its integration, including in terms of capabilities, in the areas of industry and operations.

EP resolution of 12 December 2018

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - State of EU-US relations, September 2018 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:04:59 GMT

In a resolution on the state of EU-US relations, approved by 490 votes to 148, with 51 abstentions, MEPs stress that the EU-US relationship is the fundamental guarantor for global stability, but regret that the current US administration has chosen a one-sided "America first" policy, that harms the interests of both the EU and the US and undermines mutual trust.

MEPs seek more clarity on whether the transatlantic bond is still relevant for American partners, as, after the election of US President Trump, MEPs find it difficult to understand new approaches taken by the US on global issues and regional conflicts. "Unilateral moves only weaken the transatlantic partnership," the resolution says.

EP resolution of 12 September 2018

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

General documents - Adverse effects of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), July 2018 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:04:46 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 470 votes to 43 with 26 abstentions a resolution tabled by the Committee on Petitions on the adverse effects of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on EU citizens and in particular 'accidental Americans'. It noted that its Committee on Petitions was seized with a petition from a collective of European citizens raising concerns about the adverse effects of FATCA, its implementing intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) and the extraterritorial impact of citizenship-based taxation (CBT).

EP resolution of 5 July 2018

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - The adequacy of the protection afforded by the EU-US Privacy Shield, July 2018 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:04:37 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 303 votes to 223 with 29 abstentions a resolution tabled by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on the adequacy of the protection afforded by the EU-US Privacy Shield.

Taking note of the improvements compared to the Safe Harbour agreement, Parliament nevertheless highlighted the persistent weaknesses of the Privacy Shield as regards the respect of fundamental rights of data subjects.

[...]

Parliament called on the Commission to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the Privacy Shield will fully comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, to be applied as from 25 May 2018, and with the EU Charter, so that adequacy does not lead to loopholes or competitive advantage for US companies.

EP resolution of 5 July 2018

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - EU-NATO relations, June 2018 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:03:57 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 569 votes to 84 with 35 abstentions, a resolution on EU-NATO relations.

Members were convinced that the EU and NATO, who share the same values in pursuit of international peace and security, faced similar strategic challenges. With 22 members in common, they have converging strategic interests including the protection of their citizens against any threats.

Parliament stressed the importance of developing a common European strategic culture and achieving common threat perception, while the Union must work to strengthen its strategic autonomy.

Parliament encouraged all EU Member States that are also members of NATO to redouble their efforts to achieve the 2% of GDP defence target, and to allocate 20% of this spending to the acquisition of major new equipment.

EP resolution of 13 June 2018

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - US measures on EU farm support under the CAP (context of Spanish olives), March 2018 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:03:26 GMT

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on US measures on EU farm support under the CAP (in the context of Spanish olives).

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL and EFDD groups.

The interim decision taken by the US Department of Commerce imposed a tariff on Spanish olives after concluding that the subsidies that the olive producers received in the EU meant that olive products could be imported into the US at below market price.

EP resolution of 15 March 2018

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - The adequacy of the protection afforded by the EU-US Privacy Shield, April 2017 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:03:03 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 306 votes to 240, with 40 abstentions, a resolution tabled by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on the adequacy of the protection afforded by the EU-US Privacy Shield.

The EU-US Privacy Shield replaced the former Safe Harbour decision, which was invalidated by a EU Court of Justice judgment on 6 October 2015 (the Schrems case).

Parliament welcomed the fact that, following further discussions with the US administration, the Commission adopted its implementing decision 2016/1250 declaring the adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the Union to organisations in the United States under the EU-US Privacy Shield.

[...]

EP resolution of 6 April 2017

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

General documents - Protection of personal information relating to criminal offenses, December 2016 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:02:49 GMT

2016/0126(NLE) - 01/12/2016 Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading

The European Parliament adopted by 481 votes to 75, with 88 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the United States of America and the European Union on the protection of personal information relating to the prevention, investigation, detection, and prosecution of criminal offenses.

In line with the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The Agreement aims at establishing a comprehensive framework of data protection principles and safeguards when personal information is transferred for criminal law enforcement purposes between the United States, on the one hand, and the European Union or its Member States on the other. Its objective is to ensure a high level of data protection.

EP resolution of 1 December 2016

General documents - Transatlantic data flows, May 2016 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:59:45 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 501 votes to 119, with 31 abstentions, a resolution on transatlantic data flows.

The text was adopted in plenary by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE and EFDD groups.

Members recalled that the European Court of Justice invalidated the Safe Harbour decision in its judgment of 6 October 2015 in Case C-362/14 Maximillian Schrems v Data Protection Commissioner and clarified that an adequate level of protection in a third country must be understood to be 'essentially equivalent' to the protection provided in the Union.

EP resolution of 26 May 2016

General documents - Recommendations to the EC on TTIP, July 2015 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:59:11 GMT

2014/2228(INI) - 08/07/2015 Text adopted by Parliament, single reading

The European Parliament adopted by 436 votes to 241, with 32 abstentions, a resolution containing the European Parliaments recommendations to the European Commission on the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Plenary noted that the EU and the US are key strategic partners and that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is the most significant recent EU-US project and should reinvigorate the transatlantic partnership as a whole, beyond its trade aspects.

EP resolution of 8 July 2015

General documents - US NSA surveillance programme in Member States and citizens' rights, March 2014 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:57:35 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 544 votes to 78 with 60 abstentions, a resolution on the US NSA surveillance programme, surveillance bodies in various Member States and their impact on EU citizens' fundamental rights and on transatlantic cooperation in Justice and Home Affairs.

Parliament noted that in comparison to actions taken both by EU institutions and by certain EU Member States, the European Parliament had taken very seriously its obligation to shed light on the revelations on the indiscriminate practices of mass surveillance of EU citizens.

It instructed its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the matter.

Members considered that revelations in the press, together with the expert evidence given during this inquiry, have provided compelling evidence of the existence of far-reaching, complex and highly technologically advanced systems designed to collect, store and analyse communication data.

EP resolution of 12 March 2014

General documents - Extension EC-USA scientific and technological cooperation agreement, March 2014 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:57:14 GMT

The purpose of this resolution is to extend the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the United States of America.

This agreement has been in force since October 1998 by Decision 98/591/EC (see CNS/1998/0095) of the Council.

EP resolution of 11 March 2014

General documents - Beef imports from animals not treated with growth hormones, December 2013 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:56:30 GMT

The European Parliament adopted on 10th December 2013, in Strasbourg, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the signature of a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States of America.

This MoU concerns the importation of beef from animals not treated with certain growth-promoting hormones and the increased duties applied by the United States to certain products of the European Union.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the revised Memorandum of Understanding.

EP resolution of 10 December 2013

General documents - Suspension of the SWIFT agreement due to NSA surveillance, October 2013 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:56:09 GMT

The European Parliament adopted by 280 votes to 254, with 30 abstentions a resolution on the suspension of the TFTP agreement as a result of US National Security Agency surveillance.
The resolution was tabled by the S&D, Greens/EFA and ALDE groups.
It asked the Commission to suspend the Agreement on the processing and transfer of Financial Messaging Data from the EU to the US for the purposes of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP Agreement). Members were seriously concerned about recently revealed documents on the NSA's activities as regards direct access to financial payment messages and related data, which would constitute a clear breach of the Agreement.

Members called for a full on-site technical investigation into allegations that the US authorities have had unauthorised access or created possible back doors in the SWIFT servers.

The Parliament reiterated the need to base any data sharing agreement with the US on a coherent legal data protection framework.

EP resolution of 23 October 2013

General documents - A broader Transatlantic partnership, June 2013 - Delegation for relations with the United States

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:55:44 GMT

The European Parliament issued a resolution on 13 June 2013 on the role of the EU in promoting a broader Transatlantic Partnership (2012/2287(INI))

In this resolution, the Parliament invites Barack Obama to address the European Parliament at its plenary session in Strasbourg during his next visit to Europe.

The resolution stresses that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will represent a significant boost to the EU and US economies. It will reinvigorate the EU-US relationship, and its global impact would go beyond its bilateral implications, by providing common approaches to rules and standards in global trade, investment and trade-related areas.

Among other topics, the resolution also underlines the need for a debate on armed drones and their limits and the need to take steps towards a future international regulation, given the global implications.

EP resolution of 13 June 2013

General documents - Meeting of 14 November 2018, Strasbourg - Delegation for relations with the United States

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 11:59:20 GMT

The main item on the agenda was an exchange of views with Peter Chase, Senior Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States, on the 2018 US midterm elections.

Meeting documents of the meeting of 14 November 2018
Minutes of the meeting of 14 November 2018