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Recommendations to the French Presidency

14 Jan 2022
All Committees
Presidency

On January 2022, France took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Despite impressive efforts to get vaccines into the arms of the majority of citizens, Europe now finds itself in the midst of a fresh wave, which is further complicated by the emergence of the new Omicron variant of the virus. As Member States begin to obtain disbursements of the historic NextGenerationEU recovery instrument, the French Presidency is taking on a critical task in overseeing the substantive rebuild of Europe’s economy around the twin transitions of environmental protection and digitalisation. Our recommendations to the French Presidency aim to ensure we reach our common goals of a more prosperous and more competitive EU.

Forging Europe’s recovery together: inclusivity

11 Jan 2022
All Committees
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

COVID-19 has created a crisis with deep socio-economic consequences and groups like women, youth, immigrants and people with disabilities have been disproportionally affected by the impacts of the pandemic. Inclusion should be at the heart of Europe’s recovery. Aliki Foinikopoulou (Salesforce), Vice-Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, AmCham EU discusses how closing the skills gap, designing upskilling programs for the workforce and creating more job opportunities will ensure the EU’s just and inclusive recovery. 

Minimum tax: Consistent implementation will be critical

22 Dec 2021
Tax

Brussels, 22 December 2021 – the European Commission published the directive implementing the global rules on a minimum effective tax rate of 15%. The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) believes the directive should be fully aligned with the international agreement and consistently applied across the EU.

Mark Gitenstein confirmed as new US Ambassador to the EU

21 Dec 2021
All Committees
Transatlantic

Following a vote in the United States Senate on Saturday, 18 December 2021, Mark Gitenstein has been confirmed as the United States Ambassador to the European Union.

The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) congratulates Ambassador Gitenstein on his confirmation. We look forward to welcoming him to Europe and to collaborating closely with him and his team as we continue to build and strengthen the transatlantic partnership.

Providing consumers with clear sorting instructions for waste

20 Dec 2021
All Committees
Environment
Transport, Energy & Climate

Unilateral waste sorting instructions impede the free movement of packaged goods in the Single Market and work in opposition to recycling targets and circular economy objectives. In response to a rising number of national labelling initiatives, AmCham EU has signed a cross-industry statement calling for the harmonisation of frameworks across Member States. The statement outlines a comprehensive set of solutions to facilitate the establishment of an easy and understandable system for correct waste sorting at source.

Ensuring harmonisation and consistency across due diligence frameworks

17 Dec 2021
Responsible Business Conduct

A harmonised approach to due diligence across the EU can help ensure respect for human rights and the environment. The proliferation of due diligence policies at various levels risks diverting resources towards compliance, instead of promoting collective action. AmCham EU alongside thirteen industry associations and business initiatives issued a joint statement outlining priorities that will ensure harmonisation and consistency across due diligence frameworks as well as alignment with the objectives of the EU Green Deal. Read the full statement. 

Building blocks for a decarbonised EU

16 Dec 2021
Digital Economy
Environment
Transport, Energy & Climate

The European Commission recently released its revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive aimed at achieving large-scale decarbonisaton of the building sector by 2050. AmCham EU supports the Commission’s efforts and acknowledgement of the sector’s ability to be a key driver in lowering emissions to reach the EU’s climate objectives.  

Friend-shoring: Boosting Supply Chain Resilience

16 Dec 2021
All Committees
Trade & External Affairs
Transatlantic

To discuss the future of  EU-US cooperation, Susan Danger joined a panel titled 'Reshoring or “Friend-shoring”: Boosting Supply Chain Resilience' at the Transatlantic Business Works Summit organised by the US Chamber of Commerce. The panellists highlighted the challenges that global supply chains are facing today and emphasised the importance of a strengthened transatlantic partnership in securing critical production and distribution.

New research shows all EU regions benefit from exports

15 Dec 2021
All Committees
Trade & External Affairs
Executive Council

National exports are an engine of regional output and employment growth, a new study has found. The research was carried out by leading economics consultancy LE Europe and commissioned by AmCham EU. All EU-27 regions benefitted from the growth in exports over the past decade, regardless of their GDP level. The economic analysis shows that on average a 1% increase in national exports leads to a 0.9% increase in local jobs and output. Stronger regional economic performance is driven by a host of factors, including manufacturing base, transport and communications infrastructure, innovation ecosystems and education level.

AmCham EU CEO Susan Danger re-elected as Chairwoman of the AmChams in Europe network

14 Dec 2021
All Committees

Susan Danger, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU), has been re-elected as Chairwoman of the AmChams in Europe network. She will serve for a second two-year term leading the Executive Committee of the umbrella organisation for 46 American Chambers of Commerce from 44 countries throughout Europe and Eurasia. AmChams in Europe represents the interests of more than 17,000 American and European companies employing 20 million workers.

Promoting sustainable water use in industry

14 Dec 2021
All Committees
Environment
Transport, Energy & Climate

Industries can reduce the risk of shortages and conserve natural resources by optimising the use of water. Ecolab’s innovative cooling water technology improves the water cycle while bringing significant savings in costs, energy efficiency and emissions. Learn how water optimisation helps to fulfill their corporate sustainability commitments and boost the industries’ efficiency. 

Read more at The Green Way and join the conversation on Twitter with #EUGreenWay.  

Mark your calendars for Transatlantic Week 2022

14 Dec 2021
All Committees
Transatlantic

With 2022 fast approaching, now is the time to mark your calendars for Transatlantic Week 2022. Join us on Thursday, 24 March as leaders from both sides of the Atlantic discuss all things transatlantic. Stay tuned for more information and be sure to check out the highlights from last year's edition here.

Upcoming challenges facing the EU-US relationship

13 Dec 2021
All Committees
Trade & External Affairs

What are the upcoming challenges facing the EU-US relationship? That was the question asked to a panel moderated by Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU at the 32nd Greek Economic Summit organised by the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. Panelists highlighted the importance of joint initiatives such as the Trade and Technology Council and the economic recovery for strengthening the transatlantic partnership.

Forging Europe’s recovery together: empowering digital transformation

9 Dec 2021
All Committees
Digital Economy

Digital technology policies should improve infrastructure, attract investments and promote innovation in order to support the economic recovery. Jean-Marc Leclerc (IBM), Chair, Digital Economy Committee, AmCham EU shares why open international data flows, intellectual property rights and connectivity are crucial for digital transformation. Watch and discover how businesses and institutions can work together to harness the power of the digital economy.

Forging Europe’s recovery together: an EU Green Deal that works

7 Dec 2021
All Committees
Environment
Transport, Energy & Climate

As we  recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have an opportunity to put our economies on a trajectory that prioritises the health of the environment and stimulates sustainable production patterns. That's why the EU Green Deal needs to ensure that institutions create an enabling environment for businesses to innovate and boost green solutions. Natasa Sbrizaj (3M), Chair, Environment Committee, AmCham EU outlines how to deliver a science-based, effective and coherent climate policy framework.

Reducing the amount of plastic in the supply chain and distribution network

6 Dec 2021
All Committees

Nowadays, consumers make more choices towards products and services that focus on protecting the environment and the planet. Read how Herbalife is reducing plastic pollution and meeting the purchasing needs of its clients while paying special attention to age demographics such as Millennials and Gen Z.

Learn more at The Green Way and join the conversation on Twitter with #EUGreenWay.

Thinking outside the bottle

6 Dec 2021
All Committees

Coca-Cola is thinking outside the bottle to achieve their global goal of 100 percent recyclability with zero waste. Learn what challenges companies face when introducing food-grade quality plastic and which European market first moved to 100 percent recycled PET bottles within all of Coca-Cola Company’s brands.

Read more at The Green Way and join the conversation on Twitter with #EUGreenWay. 

Valuing resources to achieve climate neutrality

6 Dec 2021

Cisco is committed to powering an inclusive future, and that starts with a liveable planet. By thinking about cutting waste, valuing resources and protecting biodiversity from the design, build and operationalisation of its products, the company is focused on a circularity strategy that is holistic in nature. Learn more about Cisco’s commitment to the circular economy from Wendy Mars, President, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia Region. 

Read more at The Green Way and join the conversation on Twitter with  #EUGreenWay. 

Everybody deserves a present

3 Dec 2021
All Committees

We invite you to join the Shoe Box Project, an initiative which collects non-perishable food items and small gifts and distributes them to the homeless and less fortunate across Belgium. Gather your friends and family, prepare your boxes and send us a picture before delivering them to a storage location of your choice before Friday, 10 December. Learn more on how to take part here.

How to talk to governments

2 Dec 2021
All Committees

AmCham Ukraine organised an online session titled ‘B2G Communications in Focus’ at which Thibaut L’Ortye, Director of Public Affairs, AmCham EU was one of the panellists. He focused on the approaches used by AmCham EU to differentiate its communication strategies in the Brussels' setting and highlighted the importance of developing a clear sense of identity in order to solidify relationships with trusted partners.

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