On Thursday, 29 January, AmCham EU hosted a roundtable focused on defence policy with Andrew Puzder, US Ambassador to the European Union and Matthew Whitaker, US Ambassador to NATO. With senior leaders from US companies active in Europe’s defence markets, the discussion focused on the evolving defence policy landscape at the EU and NATO and the importance of transatlantic industrial cooperation in responding to today’s security challenges. Participants exchanged views on how openness of EU regulation, procurement and funding initiatives can better support speed, scale and interoperability among NATO Allies while building on the strengths of the transatlantic defence industrial base.
Discussing defence with the US Ambassadors to the EU and NATO
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EU-US critical minerals agreement: mutually beneficial transatlantic cooperation in action
The new EU-US strategic partnership on critical minerals marks a positive step forward for the transatlantic relationship, demonstrating how EU-US cooperation can deliver benefits for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. Critical minerals sit at the heart of modern technologies and industrial value chains, essential to products like semiconductors and future energy technologies. This strategic partnership will help provide American and European companies with a more secure supply of these inputs. More broadly, the agreement can support the EU and US economies in reducing strategic dependencies in global critical minerals trade – a shared challenge.
Beyond critical minerals, the strategic partnership points to an opportunity for a new chapter in EU-US cooperation built around shared economic and strategic priorities. The two sides have a greater impact when using their combined weight to address shared challenges. Pursuing the kind of cooperation outlined in the strategic partnership should be a priority as the two sides build on the August 2025 EU-US Joint Statement, with further opportunities for coordination on issues such as securing industrial supply chains for AI development, tackling non-market trading practices and bolstering transatlantic cyber resilience.
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Investing in Ukraine’s recovery – how to get the policy tools right and leverage Polish-US business cooperation
On Wednesday, 22 April, AmCham EU hosted a roundtable on Ukraine’s recovery with Jurand Drop, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Finance of Poland and Michał Kapa, Deputy Head of the Team Poland initiative and Director for International Partnerships, PFR Group. The discussion brought together AmCham EU members with counterparts from Polish companies and focused on the investment conditions and policy instruments needed to meet the challenge of Ukraine’s reconstruction and modernisation. Liam Benham (Boeing), Chair, and Yana Humen (IBM), Chair Ukraine Task Force, AmCham EU also underlined the importance of a supportive policy environment to help mobilise private investment and strengthen cooperation in support of Ukraine’s long-term recovery. They highlighted how US companies can work with European partners on making sure Ukraine’s integration with the EU is a success.
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Navigating Europe’s defence landscape
On Wednesday, 16 April, AmCham EU met with Michael J. Vaccaro, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, US Department of State. The exchange with members focused on transatlantic defence industrial cooperation, regulatory issues shaping European Defence Markets and the ability of US companies to support European rearmament. Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU also highlighted the importance of an open policy environment across the Atlantic to support cooperation and enable companies to contribute to Europe’s security and defence industrial base.
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