On 2 December 2021, DG TRADE hosted an EU Stakeholder Outreach Event on possible EU-U.S. cooperation on trade and labour and trade and environment/climate. This was the last of three stakeholder consultations on the Working Group on Global Trade Challenges of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) – TTC WG10. Based on a number of specific questions outlined in the Agenda for this event (see  detailed agenda), participants were invited to provide their views on priorities to be pursued under this work strand of TTC WG10 through the TTC Futurium platform. The discussion first focused on possible co-operation with the U.S. on trade and labour and then on trade and environment.

On trade and labour, participants proposed to co-operate on harmonisation of labour policies/standards in line with international standards (OECD, ILO) (RBA) and on enforcement, referring also at the U.S. Rapid Response Mechanism (RBA, EESC, ETUC). Some participants also considered it important to co-operate on bringing labour into the WTO, on social procurement (EESC) and on safety at work (ETUC). ETUC suggested that the TTC should also focus on promoting labour protection (e.g. unionization) internally in the EU/US and indicated its wish to be involved in the work of all TTC WGs, possibly as part of a social partners’ structure together with US counterparts.

On trade and environment/climate, cooperation on green financing (taxonomy, methodology for an eco-label for financial services, green-washing, sustainable reporting in line withEnvironmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) criteria) was often raised as a priority for cooperation with the US (BEUC, ESIA, AFEP, Dell). Co-operation on green procurement was also mentioned among the priorities (E3G, EESC, Dell).

Further, several participants pleaded for alignment on green standards/policies/rules (E3G in general; ESIA in particular in relation to chemical regulatory frameworks, especially on PFAS, which are critical for the semiconductor industry; Dell in particular in relation to green deal measures that regulate products, such as those relating to reparability or recyclability.

BEUC further suggested an exchange of information and best practices with the U.S. relating to electric vehicles (transparency of prices and payment conditions) and building renovation (best practices on informing consumers, financing etc).

For AFEP, TTC priorities include cooperation on carbon measurement and carbon border measures, while there is a need to ensure coherence with similar initiatives in other groups (TTC WG2 and the discussions on steel and aluminium - echoed by E3G). Its other proposals for cooperation in TTC WG10 include groundwork for WTO liberalisation of green goods and services, starting with an EU-US inventory of green services; aligning approaches on environmental and climate provisions in each party’s respective FTAs and exchanges on enforcement.

E3G also proposed that the EU and the US should discuss green subsidies.

The need to maintain a level playing field was raised in relation to the EU’s GHG reductions (ESIA) and in the context of due diligence relating to labour and environmental standards (Polish Ministry of Infrastructure). Dell pleaded for a general EU-US understanding to avoid additional market access barriers in the pursuit of climate and sustainability goals.

Finally, Smart Continent announced its work on supply chain modelling in relation to climate that may be relevant for TTC WG2, and which it may be ready to present in autumn.

DG TRADE thanked all participants for their input, which will be further analysed. Participants were also invited to submit their ideas in writing, in the most concrete and targeted possible way (focusing on the guiding questions that were proposed in the Agenda). DG TRADE also highlighted that proposals submitted jointly with US counterparts would be helpful.

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On 30 November 2021, the Commission launched an invitation for stakeholders to provide their views/proposals on EU-US cooperation in the Working Group on Global Trade Challenges of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC WG 10): see the announcement in NEWS section of the Futurium TTC Working Group 10 platform. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their views and proposals via Futurium, as further explained in the invitation, by 7 January 2022.

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