Europeans and Americans are scheduled to meet in Pittsburgh, this former Pennsylvania industrial city turned tech, on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 September to renovate the damaged transatlantic link under the Trump era. Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, and Katherine Tai, Trade Representative, will host Valdis Dombrovskis and Margrethe Vestager, both Vice Presidents of the European Commission, who negotiate on behalf of the Twenty-seven.

During President Joe Biden’s visit to Brussels in June, the two sides agreed to create a Trade and Technology Council (TTC) between the United States and Europe. Their goal: to deepen their business ties and strengthen their cooperation in the field of technology.

Since then, Washington and Brussels have not advanced in the conflict between them over steel and aluminum, which they suspended until the end of 2021. Above all, the White House has inflicted two slights on its allies: the withdrawal of US troops. unannounced from Kabul at the end of August and the surprise creation of an alliance with the United Kingdom and Australia (Aukus) two weeks later, which put in doubt the real will of Biden to cooperate with the Old Continent.

In retaliation, France, which, along with the Aukus, saw Canberra cancel an order for submarines for the benefit of the Americans and the British, tried to convince its European partners to postpone the TTC meeting. To no avail: the Atlanticists (the Baltics) or the defenders of free trade (Denmark, Ireland) refused to do so. Emmanuel Macron finally buried the ax, following a telephone interview with Joe Biden on September 22.

Relentless war against China

“To mark our bad mood, there will be no press conference”, entrusted to a senior Commission official. For the rest, the crises in Afghanistan and Aukus should be mentioned by European leaders in their exchanges with their hosts, but they should not substantially modify the outcome of the discussions.

This meeting in Pittsburgh must first mark a work program between both continents on issues related to the regulation of digital platforms, the supervision of artificial intelligence, technological standards, the shortage of semiconductors or the control of foreign investments and exports. in certain strategic areas. For this, ten working groups will be created.

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