European policymakers are increasingly focused on strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy, reducing strategic dependencies and building greater resilience across critical sectors. This drive is rooted in legitimate concerns about ensuring access to essential goods, increasing the diversity of supply chains and enhancing the EU’s ability to respond to geopolitical and economic challenges. As the EU seeks to address these challenges, its core objective should be to leverage its extensive partnerships and use smart incentives to support the bloc’s long-term competitiveness and security.

Lawmakers are actively considering ways that ‘Made in Europe’ criteria could support these objectives in virtually any process requiring clearance, approval or an auction. Global examples of domestic preference and non-price criteria demonstrate two things. First, if they are designed poorly, they could reduce competitiveness, simplification and resilience. However, they also demonstrate that if they are designed well, they can maximise the value of allies’ economic participation and improve the functioning of the processes they are applied to.

The US’s various ‘Buy America’ programmes provide a useful case study for assessing the risks of different ‘Made in Europe’ regimes. While US procurement and funding programmes with ‘Buy America’ provisions are generally open to foreign-headquartered participants (and actively encourage their participation), they also bring certain categories of risk that should be considered before bringing them to the EU.

If ‘Made in Europe’ effectively excludes firms headquartered in the US and other allied nations, including EU-based subsidiaries of US-headquartered firms, the EU risks introducing more complexity into European public procurement markets and funding programmes. This would ultimately diminish competition and the quality of products and services, while increasing costs and elevating trade tensions that may decreasing the market access of EU-headquartered companies abroad. At a time when the EU is facing urgent competitiveness challenges, policymakers should avoid pursing reactive security and resilience policies that would undermine the EU’s competitiveness goals.

However, if thoughtfully implemented, certain ‘Made in Europe’ regimes could leverage the EU’s Single Market and international partnerships to improve the EU’s competitiveness and resilience.

Implementation of the EU–US Framework Agreement is essential to bring greater stability to transatlantic trade and investment. With the Commission’s tariff reduction proposals now before the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, swift adoption is critical to help businesses plan ahead. The co-legislators should therefore: 1) stick to the agreed scope, 2) avoid unnecessary duplication and 3) focus on restoring predictability for businesses. Following these principles will ensure the EU and the US can continue building on the Agreement while preventing a tit-for-tat that would harm both sides.

Twenty-six European business associations, including AmCham EU, call for the swift ratification of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement. Representing €153 billion in trade and €380 billion in investment, the deal has the potential to strengthen EU competitiveness, diversify supply chains and promote sustainable growth. With the deal potentially adding €77.6 billion to the EU’s GDP by 2040, EU institutions must avoid delays and work on a timely ratification that will boost market access, support secure trade and benefit over 750 million people across both regions. Learn more in the joint business statement. 

At the POLITICO Competitive Europe Summit, Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU reiterated the need for swift implementation of the EU-US Framework Agreement and renewed its call for greater simplification of EU rules. Mr Lohan expressed cautious support for the deal, noting its role in avoiding damaging escalation and restoring a degree of predictability. He also underscored the importance of reducing regulatory burdens, highlighting simplification as a strategic priority for competitiveness. With the priority now on timely tariff reductions, regulatory cooperation and simplification, find out how our members see the deal evolving. 

Mr Lohan was joined by Matthias Jørgensen, Head of Unit, USA and Canada, Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission and Jovita Neliupšienė, EU Ambassador to the US 

Following the EU-US Framework Agreement, AmCham EU conducted a flash survey of its members to find out how they expect the transatlantic business relationship to evolve in light of the deal. This survey builds on our poll from January, which captured business expectations for the new EU and US administrations around US Inauguration Day. The September survey finds that, while American companies in Europe maintain a pessimistic outlook on transatlantic trade and investment, the Framework Agreement has nearly cut this pessimism in half (down to 46% from 89% in January).

From Monday, 22 September to Thursday, 25 September 2025, AmCham EU led a delegation of members to Washington, DC for a series of high-level meetings with US policymakers and stakeholders. The delegation engaged with Congressional offices, US federal agencies and transatlantic institutions to discuss regulatory developments, trade priorities and the future of EU-US economic and political cooperation. The visit sought to reinforce the transatlantic relationship, advocate for regulatory alignment and promote open dialogue on shared strategic challenges, including competitiveness, security and digital policy. 

On Monday, 22 September, the delegation kicked off with a high-level meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce. Discussions focused on the economic outlook, regulatory divergence and the implementation of the EU-US trade framework agreement. AmCham EU underlined the role of cooperation within the business community in supporting a pragmatic and forward-looking transatlantic agenda.  

On Tuesday, 23 September, the group met with the Delegation of the EU to the US, as well as representatives from the House of Representatives and the Senate. Meetings covered the current political landscape, foreign policy coordination and EU-US economic cooperation, particularly in light of new regulatory initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic. The day concluded with a roundtable at the Atlantic Council on the future of the transatlantic trade relationship. 

The group began Wednesday, 24 September, at a breakfast roundtable on digital trade, with contributions from the EU Delegation and US Department of Commerce. The discussion focused on data flows, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the outlook for digital cooperation. Later in the day, the group met with senior officials from the Office of the US Trade Representative and the US Departments of Treasury and State, where conversations centred on regulatory convergence, market access and the importance of aligning strategic priorities. 

On Thursday, 25 September, the delegation met with the European Parliament Liaison Office and the US Department of Commerce. These final discussions centred on the experiences of US businesses operating in Europe and reinforced AmCham EU’s commitment to supporting a constructive and stable transatlantic relationship. Members reiterated the need for open dialogue and continued cooperation to address shared challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth. 

Throughout the visit, AmCham EU stressed the value of the transatlantic partnership as a key driver of global prosperity. With US companies investing over €3.7 trillion in Europe and supporting close to five million jobs, the transatlantic economy remains the strongest, most integrated bilateral relationship in the world. AmCham EU reaffirmed its role as a trusted knowledge partner and advocated for policies that foster innovation, sustainability and long-term competitiveness.