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Rebooting the Transatlantic Economy

14 Oct 2020
All Committees
Transatlantic

Rarely has the global economy been rocked as hard as from the recent coronavirus and subsequent downturn in global economic activity. Unprecedented, extraordinary, unparalleled, Great Depression-like – the narrative is still searching for the right words to describe the global pandemic of 2020 and the historic decline in global economic activity.

Find out more about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on transatlantic trade and investment from our 'Rebooting the Transatlantic Economy' webpage and newly published report from Joseph P. Quinlan, Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Leadership Network. The report outlines key trends affecting the global economy and what they mean for the resilience of the transatlantic relationship. For more information on a stronger transatlantic relationship, read our set of recommendations published this week.

Invested in Europe: Supporting equal access to education in Romania

13 Oct 2020
All Committees

Some 13,000 underprivileged children in Romania are able to access a quality education that would otherwise have been out of their reach thanks to the UiPath Foundation. Teachers across the country are also being trained to nurture the potential of children in poverty as part of the Foundation’s initiative. Read more about the UiPath Foundation’s story on our Invested in Europe Platform.

Invested in Europe beyond the numbers

If you are interested in contributing a story of your company’s commitment to Europe beyond the economics, we would love to hear from you! Get in touch with Nick Pawley, Content Adviser (NPA@amchameu.eu) to find out more.

AmCham EU welcomes two new colleagues to the team

12 Oct 2020
All Committees

AmCham EU is pleased to welcome Seán Byrne and Chloe Kenny to the team.
 
Seán will be the Policy Adviser for the Competition Policy Committee, Healthcare Committee and for the Institutional Affairs Taskforce while Chloe joins the team in the role of Communications Assistant. We look forward to having them on board and to working together!

AmCham EU offers views on EU's New Consumer Agenda

12 Oct 2020
Consumer affairs

On Tuesday, 6 October, AmCham EU submitted a response to the public consultation for the upcoming New Consumer Agenda, which will address new challenges for consumers brought by digitalisation and the green transition. AmCham EU is of the view that consumer legislation already provides for sufficiently robust protections of EU consumers. However, gaps in enforcement across the Member States continue to prevail, which harms consumers and diminishes trust. AmCham EU, therefore calls for the EU to focus on harmonised enforcement and consistent implementation of consumer legislation in the EU and at national level. Read more in the consultation here and supporting paper here.

AmCham EU offers feedback on EU cybersecurity law

12 Oct 2020
Digital Economy
Intellectual Property

On Friday, 2 October, AmCham EU responded to a consultation on the directive of network and information systems (NIS). Find the consultation here and supporting paper here. AmCham EU supports the NIS Directive in its current form, with minor modifications. We advocate for:

  • Keeping reporting obligations as straightforward as possible, while respecting the clear distinction in function of operators and providers of services.
  • Clear guidance on how GDPR and the NIS directive apply in tandem.
  • Ensuring that operators of essential services are equally regarded as such in all MS.
  • Avoiding overdefining which sectors qualify as operators of essential services.
  • Exemptions for sectors where sector-specific legislation already provides for cybersecurity requirements, such as telecoms networks.
  • A voluntary, business-to-business information sharing facility in the field of cybersecurity.

AmCham EU Board meets with Polish Ambassador

12 Oct 2020
All Committees
Board

On Friday, 9 October, AmCham EU’s Board of Directors welcomed Ambassador Andrzej Sadoś, Permanent Representative of Poland to the European Union, for an informal online discussion over lunch. The Ambassador and the Board exchanged views on the EU Recovery plan, transatlantic relationship and the role of Poland in the EU.

In 2018, US companies were responsible for over 200,000 jobs in Poland. While the total foreign direct investment (FDI) coming into Poland from the US was $13bn. Find out more about Poland’s relationship with the US.

AmCham EU elects Zeger Vercouteren as new Chair

8 Oct 2020
All Committees
Board
Communications Group

Brussels, 8 October 2020 – The American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU) announced today that Zeger Vercouteren, Vice President, Worldwide Government Affairs & Policy, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Global Supply Chain Initiatives, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), has been elected as its new Chair.

AmCham EU hosts session on diversity and inclusion

6 Oct 2020
All Committees
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

On Tuesday, 29 September, AmCham EU hosted a session for members and staff with Roianne Nedd, Global Diversity & Inclusion lead, Oliver Wyman (a Marsh McLennan company). Besides her role as a diversity and inclusion consultant, Ms Nedd is an activist, public speaker and author on intersectional feminism, race issues and equality issues in the workplace.

A digital recovery plan for Europe: AmCham EU’s 8th transatlantic digital economy conference

2 Oct 2020
Digital Economy
Intellectual Property

On Thursday, 1 October, AmCham EU hosted the eighth edition of its annual Transatlantic Digital Economy Conference. This year’s conference focused on Europe’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 emergency and the role of digital technologies therein.

The first virtual edition of the conference, sponsored by AmCham EU members Cisco, IBM and InterDigital, featured a keynote speech from Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for Europe Fit for a Digital Age and Competition, European Commission. After introductions from Maxime Bureau, Chairman, AmCham EU (3M), the Executive Vice-President spoke of the important role played by technologies in the EU’s crisis response to date. 

AmCham EU resumed its Town Hall series with Margaritis Schinas and US Mission to the EU

2 Oct 2020
All Committees

Last week, AmCham EU resumed its Town Hall series hosting two meetings. On Friday, 2 October, AmCham EU welcomed Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, European Commission who shared his insights on the impact of COVID-19 on the European Union, on the lessons learnt from the crisis and on the way forward.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, 28 September, we also welcomed Michael Lally, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs and Michael Sullivan, Counselor for Economic Affairs from the US Mission to the EU for an update on the US Mission’s monthly activities and priorities.

Questions? Contact Roberta Brumana RBR@amchameu.eu.

Investing in Europe’s recovery: forging the future

1 Oct 2020
All Committees
Policy Group

The European Commission put forward its Recovery plan for Europe, setting out an ambitious fiscal stimulus package to build the European society of tomorrow. AmCham EU stands ready to play our part. Our just published paper brings together the expertise of all sectors in trying to find solutions to the current crisis. Out of a very difficult situation also lies the opportunity to build the Europe of tomorrow. Check out our contribution in the areas of green deal, the digital landscape, healthcare, trade and on the completion of the Single Market. Find out more from our 'Investing in Europe's recovery' webpage and download the paper here. 

Find out more about our response to the recovery plan from Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU

1 Oct 2020
All Committees

Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU speaks to the European Commission’s historic recovery plan for Europe. As the US business community invested in and committed to Europe, we took our time over the summer to think about how we could contribute to the debate and created a response paper. Watch her video and find out more here. 

How COVID-19 influenced tax realities in Central Eastern European countries

28 Sep 2020
Tax

Will Morris (PwC), Chair, Tax Committee, AmCham EU participated in AmCham Moldova’s yearly high-level tax conference ‘e-TAXCON ‘20’, taking place virtually for the first time. Representing AmCham EU, Will was part of a special panel on ‘How COVID-19 influenced tax realities in Central Eastern European countries’. The panel was co-organised by AmChams from Armenia, Bulgaria, EU, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. In his intervention, he focused on the policies and recommendations that the EU and the OECD have put forward to address the adverse economic effects of the pandemic to ensure that the economic recovery takes place through pro-growth and forward-looking tax policies.

Stefano Marmo appointed as Vice-President of SEAP's Board

28 Sep 2020
All Committees

Stefano Marmo, Policy Manager, AmCham EU has been appointed as Vice-President of the Board of the Society of European Affairs Professionals (SEAP). Building on his current role on the Board, Stefano will coordinate the association’s advocacy on the development of the inter-institutional agreement (IIA) on a mandatory Transparency Register.

As a long-standing member of SEAP, AmCham EU fully embodies the organisation’s values of integrity, transparency and accuracy in our advocacy work. AmCham EU has always striven to work to the highest standards of integrity and transparency in its relations with the EU institutions. 

AmCham EU discusses multilateral trade with Ignacio Garcia-Bercero

25 Sep 2020
All Committees
Trade & External Affairs

On Tuesday, 22 September, AmCham EU had the pleasure to host Ignacio Garcia-Bercero, Acting Director for Multilateral Trade Policy, Strategy and Policy Analysis, DG TRADE, European Commission to our trade plenary meeting. The discussion focused on multilateral trade, the future of the WTO, transatlantic trade and China. The conversation was facilitated by Florian Wastl (Mars Inc.), Vice-Chair, Trade & External Affairs Committee, AmCham EU.

Open, innovative and sustainable markets will be key for the economic recovery

25 Sep 2020
All Committees
Financial Services

Brussels, 25 September 2020 – In its ‘Capital Markets Union’ (CMU) action plan released yesterday, the European Commission outlines a comprehensive strategy to unlock the potential of capital markets across Europe. At present, the fragmented state of markets represents an obstacle to cross-border investments and the efficient allocation of capital. Thriving and globally connected capital markets will play a critical role in the economic recovery from the current crisis.

Facilitating greater transatlantic R&D cooperation

21 Sep 2020
Security, Defence & Space

On Tuesday, 15 September, AmCham EU had the pleasure of hosting a webinar entitled ‘Facilitating greater transatlantic R&D cooperation: The European Defence Fund’. The webinar featured stakeholders that play a leading role in the unprecedented momentum around European defence investment and coordination. The event focused on addressing misconceptions on the Transatlantic Defence Technological and Industrial Cooperation (TADIC), the concept of strategic autonomy and the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as well as its reform.

The speakers also discussed the opportunities and challenges of the European Defence Fund (EDF). Rosa Rosanelli, Member of the Editorial Board of the Strategic Trade Research Institute moderated the discussion. 

State of the Union 2020: Europe’s future is now by Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU

18 Sep 2020
All Committees

At the beginning of the year, Europe was abounding with optimism – a new year, a new decade, and a newly inaugurated Commission with a fresh, forward-looking mandate. This felt like the year that Europe could finally disengage from crisis mode, and look to the future. A smart, green, carbon neutral economy, with burgeoning industry and prospering society was within Europe’s grasp.  Alas, nine months on, 2020 will go down in history as the annus horribilis of our time. But as the fallout of this latest historic crisis weighs heavily on Europe’s fragile societies, can President von der Leyen inject some much-needed vitality into the economic recovery?

The EU packaging value chain calls on the EU to protect the Single Market

18 Sep 2020
Environment
Policy Group

On Thursday, 17 September, AmCham EU co-signed a statement promoted by the Packaging Chain Forum calling for the need to protect the integrity of the EU Single Market. As the EU Green Deal and the 'Circular Economy Action Plan' start taking shape, we have seen a growing number of uncoordinated national initiatives which undermine the effectiveness of the Single Market. Signatories call on Member State to thoroughly transpose EU legislation in respect of Single Market legislation and demand that the Commission exercises its powers to ensure that EU rules are respected, including on packaging and packaging waste. Read the joint statement here. 

The phasing out of primary batteries is incompatible with Europe’s goal for a carbon neutral economy

17 Sep 2020
Environment

On Tuesday, 15 September AmCham EU together with 13 other trade associations signed a statement contesting the restriction of primary batteries in framework of the current revision of the EU Batteries Directive. The signatories strongly support the ambitions of the Green Deal and maintain that the phasing out of primary batteries is incompatible with Europe’s goal for a carbon neutral economy. The statement also highlights that over the last few years, the environmental impact of primary batteries has been consistently decreasing and batteries are now effectively recycled if brought to a collection point. Overall, signatories argue that studies have shown that phasing our primary batteries would only have moderate effects on the amount of waste batteries (-25% by weight) but would bring negative impact on global warming. Read the statement here. 

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