83rd TLD IPM in Washington urges de-escalation in trade tensions

Context

The 83rd EU–US inter-parliamentary meeting of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue took place in Washington, D.C. on 27 February 2019 after being rescheduled due to the state funeral of former US President George H. W. Bush. The meeting brought EU MEPs together with the new TLD leadership in the US House and included meetings with four Senators and stakeholders from the US Administration and the National Governors Association.

Key Topic

Delegates adopted a Joint Statement that called notably for de-escalation in transatlantic trade tensions and discussed trade and economic cooperation alongside election interference. Working sessions also covered recent political developments and cooperation in foreign affairs and security policy with a focus on Russia, the INF treaty, Venezuela and Afghanistan.

What to Watch

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani raised the idea that the US Congress might upgrade the status of the TLD, a proposal that presents a potential follow-up to monitor.