News

American Hour: new year, new President... new beginnings? 

On Thursday, 21 January, AmCham EU had the pleasure to host former Ambassadors Anthony L. Gardner and David O'Sullivan for a fireside chat on the latest political news from the US, key trends in the transatlantic trade relation and the potential first steps of the Biden Administration

US business in Europe reaffirms commitment to tackling climate change

Brussels, 21 January 2021 – On his first day in office, President Biden announced that the United States is re-joining the Paris Agreement. The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) applauds this decision which signals his Administration’s intent to tackle climate change through a global framework that engages all players. 

Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU, said: ‘We represent companies that are already researching, developing and investing in low-carbon solutions and technologies. We have always advocated for a stable and predictable framework for investments to encourage and sustain these efforts. The Paris Agreement provides clear goals as well as a balanced and cost-efficient approach to reducing emissions.’

Reset, refresh, rekindle: for a new approach to the transatlantic relationship

Opinion by Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU

As from 20 January 2021, President Joe Biden has taken office as the 46th President of the United States. The election itself saw the greatest voter turnout in the history of the US. This was an important reaffirmation of democracy. In the aftermath of this most fiercely contested election, the shocking and disturbing scenes from the Capitol Building on the day of the certification of the election results will serve as a reminder to President Biden that his principal task must now be to unify the country, alongside mapping the path to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uniting for diversity: empowering girls through play

As the original girl empowerment brand, Barbie’s purpose is to inspire limitless potential in every girl. For this reason, Mattel has defined diversity and inclusion as a key component of its brand DNA. With its diverse range of dolls, Barbie aims to show young girls positive role models from all walks of life. Check out our video with Isabel Ferrer, Marketing Director EMEA, Mattel to learn more about the company’s contribution to a more inclusive society.

AmCham EU responds to impact assessment on medicines for children and rare diseases

AmCham EU responded to the recent inception impact assessment on the revision of the EU legislation on medicines for children and rare diseases. In the response we encouraged the European Commission to protect frameworks that stimulate R&D, to build on the EU’s strengths and to incorporate learning from other regions. Read the full response here.

EU-UK deal marks beginning of new partnership

Brussels, 24 December 2020 - Today, the EU and the UK have reached an agreement on the terms of their future relationship. This deal is a fundamental building block towards a strong and ambitious partnership across the Channel that we trust will continue to develop in the future.

Global business community calls on EU to safeguard international data flows

The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) joins a wide-ranging coalition of industry groups in a call to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Commission to ensure much-needed legal certainty around data flows in and outside of the European Union. 

‘International data flows are an integral pillar of global trade, and any disruption to their free flow constitutes a major challenge to every economic sector,’ the groups wrote in a letter sent on Monday, 21 December. ‘The recent developments following the Schrems II judgment in the European Union are creating deep uncertainty throughout the world, as the wide geographic variety of co-signatories to this statement demonstrates.’

Uniting for diversity: integrating people into the workplace

At selected manufacturing plants in Spain, CNH Industrial has implemented its ‘ENCLAVE LABORAL’ initiative to integrate people with physical and cognitive impairments into the manufacturing area. The project has been a real success in demonstrating that workers with disabilities can perform just as well as their able-bodied colleagues on the factory floor. It has also been a highly impactful initiative for the employees themselves. Check out our video with personnel from CNH Industrial’s IVECO Madrid plant to learn more about the company’s contribution to a more inclusive society.

Business concerns vis-à-vis Turkish additional customs duties

AmCham EU wishes to raise to the European Council and European Commission our concerns vis-à-vis the additional customs duties (ACDs) implemented by Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkey has been imposing and increasing ACDs in April and May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on a wide range of products. AmCham EU is committed to open trade and trade liberalisation measures as a matter of principle. In these challenging times, trade must remain free to help usher in economic recovery and restore broad-based prosperity. Read our position here.