During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (4-7 October 2021), MEPs debate the future of EU-US relations. Opening statements by Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE) (INTA) and by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

The future of EU-US relations: opening statements by Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE) and by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&amp;D, HR), Rapporteur, Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. High Representative, dear colleagues. I think this debate could not be a timelier. Last November, President Biden's election provided much relief and optimism in the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, I firmly believe then, as well as today that we need to renew and strengthen transatlantic partnership to tackle common challenges. Some of them have been well known for decades, but some are part of the newer dynamics of the world. I appreciate the word relations covers all manners of beaches, and since, doesn't it?

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, My impression is that this has become a more self-aware relationship with a lot of space for cooperation and diverging challenges that remain in trade, data protection or attitudes towards China, for example.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, A relationship based on the US primarily doing what fits their national agenda and sometimes not fully taken into account all those things that matter to the European Union take the long overdue lifting of the travel ban, for example. We may be a newer union, but we are also proud of our national histories and identities. Our diversity unites us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Our democratic social and human rights standards are the most developed one, and we should be proud of our lead to fight climate change. It goes without saying that we should not lose the sentiment about assistance from the United States to Europe's development, prosperity and successful integration, nor all the multilateral achievements.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, During the past 75 years, transatlantic partnership has stood for freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, trade, economic cooperation and security. The European Union and the US have the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship and enjoyed the most integrated economic relationship in the world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, We should also praise positive developments like the trade and technological Council that took place last week. But we must stress in parallel that the European Union's strategic autonomy should be pursued with improved implementation of European Union foreign and defence policy priorities and principles.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Also, with the European Union's ability to act autonomously when needed, pursuing its legitimate interests. Moreover, we need to explore areas of convergence, seek to enhance cooperation, better coordination and consultation between US and the European Union to avoid transatlantic tensions, such as those that followed the adoption of the trilateral Aucus deal or with the uncoordinated withdrawal from Afghanistan.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, These events should remind us that the European needs to catch up with the new reality and redefine our relationship to do this on a more equal footing. This means standing up for our interests than ever needed, but also taking greater responsibility. We must reinforce both, European Union's autonomy of decision and its autonomy affection from soft power to smart power.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, In concrete terms, together with the Us, we should work to promote multilateral cooperation for a more equitable and healthier world. Fight against inequalities, cooperate better in search and technology development, and promote ecological transformation and peaceful resolution of the conflicts.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, We have done parliamentary cooperation. Rules-Based connectivity strategies protect and promote democracy and human rights. Share best practise examples and better include our citizens in decision making. Having said that, without any boubt the US remains the European Union's closest and most important strategic partner. And they believe that the strategical autonomous Union would be the best partner for the United States. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE), Thank you, President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. I think we found a common ground with the U.S. under the presidency of Mr. Biden, particularly on trade policy, when the trade representatives of Parliament say that the workers rights are central to trade policy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE), That's exactly how we feel about. We want to make sure that trade policy takes account of the people on the ground and not just a few people in high places on the 29th of September. We set up the Trade and Technology Committee, where we can have an exchange of views on this sort of thing where we've made sure that we have a common approach.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE), For example, when it comes to controls and investments on foreign subsidies, production of goods using forced labour. All these things are things we can cooperate on, and we must do this in a good relationship. The honeymoon is over. So it all gets serious when we start looking at the nitty gritty.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE), And that is the situation now. We do have things we disagree with the US on the illegal tariffs on steel products is on the agenda and if we don't find a solution by the end of November, we would double our countermeasures. So like Airbus, Boeing, let's find a solution on this one. Let's find a compromise.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE), And the submarine deal is certainly not something which has helped to make our relationship more stable, so we need to work on this. But we also have to be clear that as Europeans, we have our own interests and we can make that clear when we have a good relationship with the US. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, Mr President, Mr President, Honourable Members, the European Parliament, certainly we all agree that the US remains. The European Union closest and most important strategic partner at this like this, and it has to continue being like this, it should not be doubts about that.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, This year you launched the renewed joint transatlantic agenda. After a very successful European Union summit with the US, and there has been a strong partnerships and engagement with the US administration, certainly much more in a better way than in the previous one.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, Transatlantic partnership is vital and irreplaceable. But we need to place it in a stronger footing. Aukus has been a wakeup call, and there are changes in the American society that have been making for many years that will certainly affect the role of the US in the world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, And after Afghanistan the U.S. has been sending a clear message about how they want to reorder their priorities. Facing China, mainly, and we should be ready to adapt to the new situation and shoulder our part of the burden to keep peace and security in the world. I have had regular discussions with Secretary Blinken during the week and I will travel to Washington next week to meet him again.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, He is in Paris today. And it will be in Washington next week, so our links will be increasingly important. And I hope we'll be delivering. These meetings are important for our ongoing discussion on issues related to the transatlantic agenda that has to be put in the frame of the new developments of the world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, Because what we have to think is how the 21st century will be, will the 21st century be born? On the Tiananmen or will be born on the fall of Berlin Wall. These two events are so different, Mark, the different parts of the future. How the future will be. It would be depending on our capacity to strengthen the trans-Atlantic relationship in order to defend democracies in the world.

SOUNDBITE (French), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, I take note of the references in your report to the need to foster greater self-reliance in matters of defence. And on this point of view, we have to recognise the strategic importance of the commitment that President Biden took with President Macron.

SOUNDBITE (French), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, The conversation may have been short, but it was nonetheless an important one about the Indo-Pacific region. And that is also part of the strategic framework that the EU has just published on this region. And in the framework of the fight against terrorism, United States have committed to strengthening their support to anti-terrorist actions in the Sahel being carried out by EU states.

SOUNDBITE (French), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, In the communication, the United States also recognises the importance of European defence and stronger and better performing European defence, one which will provide a positive contribution to the transatlantic relations and is incomplement to NATO. Yes, the Euro-Atlantic area is at the heart of NATO.

SOUNDBITE (French), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, NATO focuses on joint defence, but crises in the European neighbourhood should first and foremost concern us Europeans. This communication opens the door to future development, and that is something that the heads of state and government will discuss this evening in Slovenia. And it will be followed by the strategic compass in November.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, Lack of commitment to the US pressure management and the hands and the report points out our instruments and mechanism. We are working on a new joint system in a statement EU-NATO by the end of the. To renew those of 2016 and 2018.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, But our dialogue with the US is not only in the framework of NATO, because not all European member states are members of NATO and there are many natal members who are not European Union member states. So we have to have a direct and complementary relationship and strategic dialogue. US-EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, We discuss with Secretary Blinken in the U.N. General Assembly about how this dialogue and cooperation can be strengthened. We agreed on the need to put in place a system to avoid issues like the one around outcomes in the future. And as you report recommends, we must also launch a dedicated dialogue on security and defence.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, Certainly, you also call for a closer trans-Atlantic foreign policy coordination, I can rest assured that we'll continue to cooperate and partner with us in key footing and security policy areas. Mainly in front of the development of China, both on the economic, political and military point of view.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, But as President Biden also said in the United Nations speech, not willing to restart a new Cold War with China. Also in the Western Balkans, I have to say that our cooperation with the US is much better. On the recent crises between Kosovo and Serbia that has been solved thanks to the good work of our special envoy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, I have to say that our cooperation with the U.S. envoy has been very positive. You also report on the significance of the transatlantic economic relationship when we have had this successful inauguration of the Trade and Technology Council in Pittsburgh. It is clear that we now have a framework with the potential to make joint progress in global economic and technological challenges.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, I think that it is very much important to seize this opportunity because the world of tomorrow will be shaped around the technological developments who will master the technology, will master the power. And at that moment, we would be, and we need to develop much quicker our technological capacities and this can be better done together with the US.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, But without talking also about the issues in which we can disagree. There are some difficult issues. Secure the change of supply on the field of semiconductors. To be sure that we are not going to create in the future an capacity. To talk about tariffs. Data protection, artificial intelligence, these are incredibly broad set of issues that will shape the future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, And in which we have to engage more with the US. At last word about COP26. We look forward to continue our close coordination with the US to get every country to do more to fight climate change. Yesterday I was in Saudi Arabia talking about it, sometimes difficult discussion because we Europeans, we are only eight percent of the global emission, even if we cancel them tomorrow. Zero emissions. The problem would be the same. Which would be is still the 92 percent.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, So we have to work together with the US, especially in the recently announced global methane pledge, because we talk about CO2. But there are other gases which has also and strong capacity of destroying the atmosphere and methane is one of these. And these global methane bleach will be another possibility occasion for us to cooperate with us on climate change.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, In September, our Executive Vice-President Timmermans and the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Kerry co-chaired the second meeting of the high level Climate Action Group, which is one of the key deliverables of our EU-US summit.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, Finally, and that's really finally, let me that underline that the recent announcement on the lifting of travel restrictions. Croatia's access to the visa waiver programme and the launch of the Joint Covid Manufacturing and Supply Change Task Force. Thanks for the good work of our Commissioner Breton are also positive developments linked to our joint agenda. They will benefit the whole world because if US and EU work together, the world will be quicker vaccinated.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, In conclusions, the recommendations that you made in your report are very much timely. The long report, that has a lot of issues on it, our relationship with the US is certainly the stronger pillar of our freedom and prosperity. We have to continue building on it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission, But at the same time, we have to continue building our autonomy because our interests not will always exactly coincide. The report is very much timely, I thank the rapporteurs for that, and I thank the members of this debate for their contribution that they can do to this very much important issue. Thank you.

The future of EU-US relations: opening statements by Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR), Rapporteur, Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE) and by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HRVP of the European Commission

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