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Transatlantic relations beyond the EU: The role of AmChams in Europe

11 Feb 2020
All Committees

As of Wednesday, 1 January 2020, Susan Danger has been confirmed Chair of the AmChams in Europe network for the 2020-2022 period. AmChams in Europe is an umbrella organisation that encompasses 45 AmChams from 43 countries across Europe. AmCham EU is one of the members of this network. The position of Chair is a rotating post, with a two-year tenure. Susan takes over from Patrik Mikkelsen of AmCham The Netherlands after his tenure came to an end at the end of 2019.

Read Susan's latest LinkedIn article on her new position as Chair of AmChams in Europe. 

AmChams in Europe is a platform for the chambers to exchange best practices. They meet twice a year – once in Europe and once in the US. The principal aim of the organisation is to share information and knowledge among the membership, as each chamber works independently towards the common goal of representing transatlantic business interests in their respective jurisdictions.

AmChams in Europe is a useful network to reinforce the efforts of individual AmChams. Some of the ways in which the network does this are: the coordination across the network of AmChams in the publication of certain materials, the development of toolkits, and sharing of good practices and lessons learnt in advocacy. The network has also served the purpose of sharing contacts for the organisation of high-level meetings or speakers for events.

Susan’s uptake of this second role is a great opportunity, both for her in a personal and professional capacity, and for AmCham EU. Given that Susan has already played an active role in the network for 17 years, she aims to fully utilise the knowledge, relationships and contacts she has developed to date. Susan looks forward to working with her colleagues across the network and in particular with AmCham Slovenia, the current host of the AmChams in Europe Secretariat.

In a challenging global context that has seen the multilateral, rules-based order come under threat from the re-emergence of tariff wars, which serve to fracture trade flows across borders, it is more important than ever for businesses to speak out with a strong voice. AmChams in Europe is the ambassador for transatlantic businesses invested in the EU and wider Europe. In collaboration with other Chambers, we can continue to shape the voice of business, providing a positive message about the importance of global trade. Storytelling must gain equal footing with fact-based advocacy, in order to win the hearts and minds of the wider public. By sharing experiences, and learning from each other, the AmChams in Europe network is a great resource to elaborate, share and amplify such positive messages. We look forward to the next two years and the opportunities that they can bring.