This year’s Transatlantic Conference, themed ‘Shared values, shared impact: the power of the transatlantic relationship’ served to spark dialogues on the importance of a strong and united transatlantic relationship, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine. The conference took place on Thursday, 24 March 2021 and featured speakers from both sides of the Atlantic. As an opening speech, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo reiterated the importance of a shared response against Russia’s aggression, but noted that the spark of a revitalised transatlantic cooperation had been lit months back.

Following Secretary Raimondo’s remarks, Daniel Hamilton and Joseph Quinlan presented the key findings of the Transatlantic Economy 2022 report, the annual survey of transatlantic jobs, trade and investment. This year’s edition features new insights into how the war in Ukraine affects the transatlantic relationship, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, prospects for the recovery, global supply chain issues, relations with China and the transatlantic energy economy. Research for the report was conducted independently at John Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and the Transatlantic Leadership Network, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. You can read the report here or take a look at the Thriving Together platform.

The conference included a series of panel discussions, diving into key priorities for the transatlantic relationship. First off was a conversation focused on how the EU and the US can set global artificial intelligence (AI) standards. The panellists reiterated that transatlantic partners must work to foster AI uptake while balancing trust and innovation. As a final intervention before lunch, Carol B. Tomé, CEO, UPS, outlined some of the key opportunities for EU-US leadership. Over lunch, Mark Gitenstein, US Ambassador to the EU, shared his insights on the state of transatlantic relations in a conversation with Susan Danger, CEO, AmCham EU.

Two sessions followed in the afternoon. A panel addressed the impact of trade on the green transition, including a wide range of issues ranging from how Ukraine’s war is impacting the energy market to how transatlantic partners can jointly work on a WTO-compliant Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The final panel of the day focused on the importance of shared values in the EU-US relationship.

The conference closed with a fireside conversation between Ambassador Katherine Tai, US Trade Representative, and Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President for an Economy that Works for People, European Commission. EVP Dombrovksis is also the winner of this year’s Transatlantic Business Award. They covered a range of issues, including the recent transatlantic response to the invasion of Ukraine, the next deliverables for the Trade and Technology Council, ways to further advance the EU-US partnership and the need for overall transatlantic cooperation based on common values.