Related items

From Monday, 20 to Wednesday, 22 April, AmCham EU joined the AmChams in Europe network for a delegation visit to Washington, DC. As part of the programme, delegates met with representatives from the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of State, congressional offices and the US Chamber of Commerce. AmCham EU specifically also engaged with the Office of the United States Trade Representative, US Members of the House and staffers, the EU Delegation to the US, the European Parliament Liaison Office and other business organisations.

Discussions focused on the implementation of the EU-US Framework Agreement and its role in supporting a more predictable transatlantic trade and investment relationship. The deal remains the most realistic route to a more constructive climate for companies operating across the Atlantic. The EU-US strategic partnership on critical minerals points to the potential for further EU-US cooperation in areas that benefit businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.

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.

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.