EU-US relations

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the own-initiative report by Tonino PICULA (S&D, HR) on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning EU-US relations.

These recommendations seek to continue the transatlantic alliance to defend democratic values that are under pressure everywhere and to reinvigorate the multilateral rules-based international order with the UN at its centre. They focus on how to continue working towards an even stronger partnership in order to effectively defend multilateralism, tackle the global challenges and the new and dangerous geopolitical realities that affect the common transatlantic values, interests, security and prosperity.

Recommendations

Members recommended that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:

- reiterate the common transatlantic friendship with Ukraine and Israel based on our joint and full condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the joint condemnation of the despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, joint efforts to free all hostages taken by Hamas and joint support of Israel’s right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law, and express deepest sorrow and full solidarity with the innocent victims on both sides;

- work towards a transatlantic agenda that prioritises multilateral cooperation for a more equitable and healthier world, the fight against climate change, the promotion of peaceful resolution of conflicts, arms control, disarmament, the fight against racism, and reform of economic governance;

- significantly strengthen consultation, cooperation and contingency planning for joint responses to geopolitical developments and escalating situations such as the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, in particular by working together to strengthen the NATO Alliance’s eastern flank, in order to ensure the security and stability of the Black Sea region, to prepare for the reconstruction of Ukraine and to prevent any significant disruptions to the global free flow of goods;

- put arms control and disarmament high on the transatlantic and international agenda in international forums such as the UN in order to achieve strengthened coordination and conflict-prevention globally;

- push, jointly with transatlantic partners, for international negotiations on arms control agreements, in particular for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including new military technologies, such as AI, outer space weaponry, biotechnologies and hypersonic technologies;

- deepen partnerships in the areas of cooperation envisaged by the NATO Strategic Concept and the EU Strategic Compass, particularly in the areas of military mobility, cyber security, defence research, dual-use infrastructure, resilience and inclusive joint exercises;

- work with regional partners and the US to ensure freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and the South China and East China Seas, which are of critical importance for regional and global commercial flows; enhance efforts in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and oppose any unilateral actions, in particular when based on threats or use of force, which undermine cross-Strait peace and stability;

- coordinate with the US and other like-minded partners on issues where China’s actions are contrary to Euro-Atlantic security interests, giving priority to challenges in the cyber, hybrid, emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT), space, arms control and non-proliferation areas;

- continue the EU-US strategic partnership and cooperation in the Western Balkans to secure peace and stability in the region by supporting the countries on their path to European integration and NATO membership and to support them in addressing issues in the region, such as electoral and constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue;

- ensure that the EU and NATO provide more support to the countries of the Western Balkans in countering malicious foreign interference and hybrid threats from third countries;

- underline the urgent need to deepen EU-US cooperation in the Middle East while supporting the good bilateral engagements on our respective policies towards the Middle East Peace Process and the two-state solution, as well as to reinforce the coordination of efforts to encourage positive developments, peace and stability in the wider region;

- continue to condemn Iran for its malign and hostile influence in the Middle East, including its support for the recent, despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel;

- exchange information and jointly address the spread of Russian and Chinese influence and hybrid activities, including information manipulation, cyber-attacks, internal interference and economic and political coercion, in particular in the context of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and its impact on the Western Balkans, South Caucasus, Africa and Latin America; 

- continue and enhance bilateral talks on technology with the aim of taking the lead in developing international standards for emerging technologies, including but not limited to AI, cyber security and emerging technologies; pursue transatlantic cooperation in streamlining procurement practices and the interoperability of technology and move forward with the establishment of a transatlantic trade and investment partnership;

- ensure that the US remains an important partner for the EU’s energy security, as it has been, in particular, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.