JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL A new EU-US agenda for global change
Date: 2020-12-02
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU relations, United States, common foreign and security policy, coronavirus disease, democracy, environmental protection, epidemic, technology, transatlantic relations

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY Brussels, 2.12.2020  JOIN(2020) 22 final  JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL A new EU-US agenda for global change  
 
 
A new EU-US agenda for global change 

1.  Introduction 

The  relationship  between  the  European  Union  and  the  United  States  is  unique  and  built  on 
shared history, shared values and shared interests. The transatlantic partnership was born 
of a promise of collective peace, progress and prosperity. After the Second World War, the 
Marshall  Plan  helped  rebuild  Europe’s  communities  and  economies.  The  North  Atlantic 
Treaty  Organisation  (NATO)  ensured  our  collective  security.  Together,  Europe  and  the  US 
helped design  and build  the multilateral  rules-based system to  tackle  global  challenges.  For 
people  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  transatlantic  ties  are  a  vital  element  in  our  societies, 
identities, economies and personal lives. 

Today,  our  combined  global  power  and  influence  remains  unrivalled.  We  are  home  to 
nearly a billion people and are the two largest blocs of advanced democracies. We account for 
about  a  third  of  the  world’s  GDP  and  trade,  and  60%  of  foreign  direct  investment.  The 
density and openness of transatlantic trade and investment creates millions of jobs and shapes 
large parts of the global economy. We have the reach to set regulations and standards that are 
replicated across the world. We are the primary drivers of innovation and the world’s research 
powerhouses, developing technology from 5G to vaccines.  

This combined power and influence is indispensable to anchor global cooperation in the 
21st  century  –  whether  it  be  on  health,  security,  climate,  trade  and  technology,  or  on  the 
multilateral  rules-based  order.  Our  joint  commitment  is  essential  in  a  world  where 
authoritarian powers seek to subvert democracies, aggressive actors try to destabilise regions 
and institutions, and closed economies exploit the openness our own societies depend on.  

Just as this need for cooperation has become all the more important, so has the transatlantic 
partnership become in need of maintenance and renewal. In recent years, our relationship was 
tested by geopolitical power shifts, bilateral tensions and retreats to unilateral policies.  

With a change of administration in the US, a more assertive Europe and the need to design a 
post-corona world, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design a new transatlantic 
agenda  for  global  cooperation  –  based  on  our  common  values,  interests  and  global 
influence. This should be the linchpin of a new global alliance of like-minded partners. This 
comes  at  a  time  when  there  is  a  commonality  of  outlook  and  priorities  on  domestic  and 
international agendas between the incoming US administration and the European Union.  

As we set about defining this new agenda, we should not embark on a nostalgic search for the 
global order of past decades or the transatlantic partnership of past generations. The US and 
the EU have changed, as have power dynamics and geopolitical and technological realities.  

We should also not  fall into the trap of false debates that seek to  oppose a stronger Europe 
and a stronger transatlantic partnership.  A united, capable and self-reliant EU is good for 
Europe,  good  for  the  transatlantic  partnership  and  good  for  the  multilateral  system  – 
they are mutually reinforcing not mutually exclusive.  

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It  is  in  this  spirit  that  the  EU  is  putting  forward  a  proposal  for  a  new,  forward-looking 
transatlantic agenda for global cooperation, centred on areas where our interests converge, 
our collective leverage can best be used and where global leadership is required.  

The guiding principles of a new transatlantic agenda  

  The  transatlantic  partnership  should  work  to  advance  global  common  goods, 
providing a solid base for stronger multilateral action and institutions. It will support all 
like-minded partners to join.  
  The  EU  and  the  US  should  pursue  common  interests  and  leverage  our  collective 
strength to deliver results on our strategic priorities.  
  We  should  always  look  for  solutions  that  respect  our  common  values  of  fairness, 
openness and competition – including where there are bilateral differences. 

2.  Working together for a healthier world – COVID-19 and beyond 

There is no greater need for global cooperation in the short term than in tackling a virus that 
continues  to  take  an  enormous  personal,  societal  and  economic  toll  on  both  sides  of  the 
Atlantic  and  across  the  world.  It  is  humanity’s  shared  objective  to  protect  lives  and 
livelihoods and reopen our economies and societies as fast as possible.  

Overcoming  this  pandemic  requires  leadership  and  the  EU  has  been  driving  the  global 
response  from  the  very  beginning.  Working  with  the  World  Health  Organisation  and  civil 
society, the European Union brought together 40 countries to raise more than 16 billion EUR 
for the development and equitable distribution of tests, treatments and vaccines through 
the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A).  

The  EU  invites  the  US  to  join  the  global  response  and  its  vaccines  pillar,  the  COVAX 
Facility.  The  goal  is  to  ensure  safe  vaccines  are  equitably  distributed  to  the  more  than  180 
participating countries – wherever they are and whatever they can afford. The aim is to have 2 
billion  doses  available  by  the  end  of  next  year  with  equitable  access  for  low  and  middle 
income  countries.  US  participation  and  financial  contribution  to  COVAX  would  be  a 
strong message, help make up the funding gap and improve our collective chances of success. 

Recognising  that  vaccination  saves  lives,  the  EU  and  the  US  should  also  join  forces  on 
building  resilient,  fair  and  comprehensive  logistics  networks  for  vaccine  distribution  and 
medical  supplies  around  the  world.  The  EU  also  calls  on  the  US  to  join  the  Trade  and 
Health Initiative under the World Trade Organization (WTO) to immediately facilitate trade 
in essential medical goods and healthcare products.  

In  the  longer  term,  the  EU  and  the  US  should  collectively  learn  the  lessons  from  this 
pandemic and work closer together on prevention, preparedness and response. This could 
include improving data and knowledge sharing, early warning systems and stockpiling of key 
medical  equipment.  Our  respective  agencies  for  medicines,  disease  prevention  and  control 

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and  biomedical  research  should  coordinate  to  ensure  a  coherent  transatlantic  position  and 
information flow.  

In  this  spirit,  the  EU  is  proposing  to  work  together  to  develop  a  pandemic  playbook  for 
preparedness  and  response.  This  could  include  closely  aligning  preparedness  plans,  crisis 
protocols  and  dedicated  assets  to  tackle  future  emergencies.  The  EU  is  also  ready  to  work 
with the US to reinforce the World Health Organization, as well as to design and deliver a 
joint  reform  proposal  to  strengthen  its  independence,  transparency,  accountability  and 
effectiveness. 

Improving global pandemic preparedness and response will be one of the priorities for next 
year’s G20 Global Health Summit co-hosted by Prime Minister Conte and President von der 
Leyen  under  the  G20  Italian  Presidency.  The  EU  welcomes  US  input  in  preparation  of  the 
Summit.   

First steps 

  The EU and the US should ensure funding for the development and equitable global 
distribution of vaccines, tests and treatments - starting by joining and contributing to 
ACT-A and COVAX initiatives.  

  Develop  a  pandemic  playbook  for  preparedness  and  response  and  step  up 

cooperation and data sharing between our respective agencies.  

  Work  together  to  facilitate  trade  in  essential  medical  goods,  starting  by  joining  the 

Trade and Health Initiative under the WTO.   

  Work together to reinforce the World Health Organization and design and deliver a 

joint reform proposal.  

3.  Working together to protect our planet and prosperity 

Climate  change  and  biodiversity  loss  are  the  defining  challenges  of  our  time.  They  require 
systemic  change  across  our  economies  and  global  cooperation  across  the  Atlantic  and  the 
world.  With  the  European  Green  Deal,  the  EU  is  leading  the  way.  It  is  our  new  growth 
strategy,  focused  on  cutting  emissions  while  creating  jobs.  It  is  addressing  everything  from 
how we produce and consume, eat and heat, work and travel.  

Our  headline  goal  is  to  be  the  world’s  first  climate  neutral  continent  by  2050.  From  South 
Korea  to  South  Africa,  China  to  Japan,  countries  around  the  world  are  now  lining  up  to 
commit to a net-zero future. A similar commitment by the US would mean about two thirds of 
the global economy, and more than a half of the world’s emissions, would be accounted for.  

In  this  spirit,  the  EU  warmly  welcomes  President-elect  Biden’s  commitment  to  re-join  the 
Paris Agreement and to set an ambitious updated contribution under the Paris Agreement.  A 
shared  transatlantic  commitment  to  a  net-zero  emissions  pathway  by  2050  would  make 
climate  neutrality  a  new  global  benchmark  in  the  run  up  to  COP26,  the  next  UN  Climate 
Change Conference, to be held in Glasgow next year.  

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Together with our partners, the EU and the US can lead the world towards a green, circular, 
competitive  and  inclusive  economy.  This  will  require  investment,  innovation  and  the  right 
price  signals.  This  is  why  we  should  work  closely  together  on  emissions  trading,  carbon 
pricing  and  taxation.  In  particular,  the  upcoming  WTO-compatible  EU  Carbon  Border 
Adjustment Mechanism to avoid carbon leakage can be an opportunity to work together to 
set a global template for such measures.  

This  could  be  part  of  a  wider  transatlantic  green  trade  agenda,  which  the  Commission 
proposes launching in mid-2021, that could also jointly develop a Trade and Climate initiative 
within WTO.  

Europe  is  also  leading  the  way  on  the  sustainable  financing  of  the  green  transition  and  is 
working  towards  having  30%  of  our  recovery  plan,  NextGenerationEU,  financed  through 
green  bonds.  However,  we  will  all  need  to  do  more  to  meet  investment  needs.  As  major 
financial  hubs  and  regulators,  the  EU  and  the  US  are  best  placed  to  lead  this  work. 
Transatlantic  cooperation  on  the  design  of  a  regulatory  framework  for  sustainable 
finance would greatly support the private sector to know what counts as a green investment – 
much in the same vein as EU taxonomy.  

This  private  financing  will  be  essential  to  invest  in  the  right  technologies  and  give  our 
innovators  and  companies  first-mover  advantage.  The  EU  and  the  US  should  capitalise  on 
their experience and expertise through a new green tech alliance to create lead markets and 
cooperate  on  clean  and  circular  technologies,  such  as  renewables,  grid-scale  energy  storage, 
batteries, clean hydrogen, and carbon capture, storage and utilisation. This would complement 
the  work  done  by  the  EU-US  Energy  Council,  provide  fertile  ground  for  transatlantic 
investment and support partner countries to meet their own climate commitments.  

We also need to focus our work on protecting nature and the environment more broadly. The 
pressures  on  nature  and  wildlife  threaten  the  world’s  economic  development  and  endanger 
food security. They will also only make future infectious diseases and pandemics more likely 
and  more  dangerous.  The  next  UN  Biodiversity  Conference  –  COP15  –  to  be  held  in 
Kunming, China will be as important for nature as COP21 was for climate.  

The EU encourages the US to join the Convention on Biological Diversity and the EU and the 
US  should  work  together  to  ensure  an  ambitious  agreement  is  brokered  with  a  view  to 
protecting  30% of world’s land and 30% of world’s sea. Clearly  converging  EU  and US 
commitments would be key in building global consensus around this target.  

The  EU  and  US  should  also  partner  up  to  lead  the  fight  against  global  deforestation, 
curtailing  the  production  and  consumption  of  products  that  drive  deforestation.  This  could 
form part of the new green trade agenda and also look at how we can work together on nature 
restoration and reforestation at home and across the world.  

In the same spirit, we must do more to protect our oceans as natural providers of oxygen and 
regulators  of  our  climate.  The  EU  has  been  leading  efforts  to  develop  a  stronger  global 
framework to address marine litter and marine plastic pollution. With the risk of more plastic 

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than fish in our oceans by 2050, a global plastics treaty is urgently needed and the EU will 
invite the US to join its efforts ahead of the next United Nations Environment Assembly. 

The EU will also propose to work with the US to broker an agreement on the designation of 
Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean, which would be one of the biggest acts of 
nature protection in history.  

The  green  revolution must  drive  social,  economic  and  technological  progress  around  the 
world.  In  this  context,  significant  EU  and  US  contributions  to  the  pledge  of  developed 
countries to jointly mobilise $100 billion per year by 2020 for climate action in the developing 
world will be essential. Through our joint support, we must help developing countries advance 
on the basis of the newest scientific discoveries and the best technologies available. 

First steps 

  Coordinate positions and lead efforts for ambitious global agreements at next year’s 
landmark UN Summits on Climate and Biodiversity –starting with a joint commitment 
to net-zero by 2050.  

  Propose  a  new  transatlantic  green  trade  agenda,  which  would  include  a  Trade  and 

Climate Initiative within the WTO and measures to avoid carbon leakage.  

  Form a transatlantic green tech alliance to ensure greater cooperation on developing 

clean and circular technologies and creating lead markets.  

  Jointly design a global regulatory framework for sustainable finance, learning from 

the experience of the EU taxonomy. 

  Joint  efforts  to  lead  the  fight  against  deforestation  and  step  up  ocean  protection  – 
starting  with  joint  efforts  to  broker  a  global  plastics  treaty  and  designate  Maritime 
Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean.  

4.   Working together on technology, trade and standards   

Europe and the United States account for about a third of the world’s trade and the standards 
we  set  reach  every  corner  of  the  world.  Our  shared  values  of  human  dignity,  individual 
rights  and  democratic  principles  make  us  natural  partners  to  harness  rapid  technological 
change  and  face  the  challenges  of  rival  systems  of  digital  governance.  This  gives  us  an 
unprecedented window of opportunity to set a joint EU-US tech agenda.  

This  reflects  the  growing  convergence  of  views  on  tech  governance  between  Europe  and 
the  United  States  and  the  fact  we  are  facing  common  challenges  in  managing  the  digital 
transition  of  our  economies  and  societies.  These  include  critical  infrastructure,  such  as  5G, 
6G or cybersecurity assets, which are essential for our security, sovereignty and prosperity – 
but also data, technologies and the role of online platforms.   

In  this  spirit,  the  EU  and  the  US  need  to  join  forces  as  tech-allies  to  shape  technologies, 
their use and their regulatory environment. Using our combined influence, a transatlantic 
technology space should form the backbone of a wider coalition of like-minded democracies 

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with a shared vision on tech governance and a shared commitment to defend it.  To deliver on 
this, the EU must stay course for its own tech goals and ambitions as part of Europe’s digital 
decade. 

The EU will also propose to the US to build on Europe’s technological leadership to press for 
secure 5G infrastructure across the globe and open a dialogue on 6G. This should be part of 
wider  cooperation  on  digital  supply  chain  security  done  through  objective  risk-based 
assessments. 

The  EU  and  the  US  also  have  a  shared  interest  in  cooperating  on  cybersecurity  capacity 
building, situational awareness and information sharing. This coordination could also include 
possible restrictive measures against attributed attackers from third countries. 

In parallel, we need to start acting together on AI  - based on our shared belief in  a human-
centric approach and dealing with issues such as facial recognition. In this spirit, the EU will 
propose to start work on a Transatlantic AI Agreement to set a blueprint for regional and 
global standards aligned with our values. 

We must also openly discuss diverging views on data governance and see how these can be 
overcome  constructively.  The  EU  and  the  US  should  intensify  their  cooperation  at  bilateral 
and multilateral level to promote regulatory convergence and  facilitate free data flow with 
trust on the basis of high standards and safeguards.  

The need  for  global  cooperation on technology  goes beyond the hardware or software.  It  is 
also about our values, our societies and our democracies. There is a growing consensus on 
both sides of the Atlantic that online platforms and Big Tech raise issues which threaten our 
societies  and  democracies,  notably  through  harmful  market  behaviours,  illegal  content  or 
algorithm-fuelled propagation of hate speech and disinformation.  

In  this  spirit,  the  EU  will  propose  a  new  transatlantic  dialogue  on  the  responsibility  of 
online  platforms,  which  would  set  the  blueprint  for  other  democracies  facing  the  same 
challenges. We should also work closer together to further strengthen cooperation between 
competent authorities for antitrust enforcement in digital markets. 

Likewise, fair taxation in the digital economy requires innovative solutions on both sides of 
the Atlantic. To create a fair and modern economy, which provides market-based rewards for 
the best innovative ideas, the EU and the US should strongly commit to the timely conclusion 
of discussions on a global solution within the context of OECD and G20.  

Beyond tech, the EU and the US should renew their commitment to strengthening open and 
fair trade to improve the level playing field by setting high standards, make critical supply 
chains more resilient and address the challenges of protectionism and unilateralism. 
This starts with joint leadership on reforming the WTO so it can be fit for the 21st century 
economy and respond to current realities, promote sustainability and a level playing field. As 
a first step, we should finalise the appointment of a new Director-General and explore how to 
restore the essential dispute settlement function by reforming the Appellate Body. Trilateral 

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work between EU-US- Japan should be intensified to prepare proposals on level playing field 
issues. We should also work together to bring forward the WTO e-commerce negotiations. 

In  parallel,  we  should  facilitate  our  bilateral  trade  and  deepen  our  regulatory  and 
standards  cooperation.  As  tariffs  go  down  globally,  it  is  setting  and  complying  with 
standards  and  regulations  that  decides  access  to  markets.  While  we  are  still  the  most 
influential regulators, both the EU and the US face increasing standard competition from third 
country  actors.  Where  both  sides  agree,  the  world  usually  follows.  This  is  why  we  must 
reactivate  proposals  for  EU-US  standards  cooperation  and  re-engage  on  conformity 
assessment  negotiations.  Where  possible,  the  EU  and  the  US  should  systematically  align 
positions within international standard setting bodies.  

The EU is proposing to establish a new EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The 
aim  will  be  to  jointly  maximise  opportunities  for  market-driven  transatlantic  collaboration, 
strengthen  our  technological  and  industrial  leadership  and  expand  bilateral  trade  and 
investment.  

It  will  focus  on  reducing  trade  barriers,  developing  compatible  standards  and  regulatory 
approaches for new technologies, ensuring critical supply chain security, deepening research 
collaboration and promoting innovation and fair competition.  

As  part  of  this,  there  should  be  a  new  common  focus  on protecting  critical  technologies. 
We  need  closer  cooperation  on  issues  such  as  investment  screening,  Intellectual  Property 
rights, forced transfers of technology, and export controls 

At the same time, we must also work closely on solving bilateral trade irritants that weaken 
our  strategic  partnership.  We  must  work  on  finding  quick  solutions  by  focusing  on 
negotiated outcomes, whilst acknowledging differing approaches. This includes the ongoing 
efforts  to  settle  the  Boeing/Airbus  dispute,  as  well  as  the  lifting  of  unjustified  Section  232 
restrictions or other unilateral decisions.  

First steps 

  The  EU  and  the  US  must  work  closely  together  on  solving  bilateral  trade  irritants 

through negotiated solutions and lead WTO reform efforts.  

  Establish  a  new  EU-US  Trade  and  Technology  Council  to  help,  facilitate  trade, 

develop compatible standards and promote innovation. 

  The  EU  and  the  US  should  open  a  transatlantic  dialogue  on  the  responsibility  of 
online platforms and Big Tech - starting by working together to find global solutions 
for fair taxation and market distortions in the digital economy.  

  Develop a common transatlantic approach to protecting critical technologies in light 

of global economic and security concerns – starting by discussions on 5G. 

  Work on an AI Agreement and intensify cooperation to facilitate free data flow with 

trust.   

  Renew  cooperation  on  regulation  and  standards,  starting  by  re-engaging  on 

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conformity assessment negotiations and aligning positions in international bodies. 

5.  Working together towards a safer, more prosperous and more democratic world 

The EU  and the US  share a fundamental interest in  strengthening democracy around the 
world. We welcome President-elect Biden’s proposal for a Summit for Democracy at a time 
when the pandemic has served to put democracy, freedoms and values under more pressure.  

The EU is ready to play its full part in the Summit for Democracy, both by implementing its 
recent Action Plan on Democracy and Human Rights in the EU and working with the US and 
international  partners to  make further  commitments on fighting corruption, authoritarianism 
and human rights abuses around the world. This in turn should contribute to the strengthening 
of the multilateral system, a true vertebral column for the international community.  

The  EU  and  the  US  have  already  started  working  together  on  the  global  recovery,  in  the 
United Nations, the G7 and the G20. We must show joint leadership to support others on their 
path to sustainable recovery, including by debt restructuring, and build on our strong track 
record of cooperation on humanitarian aid. The EU and the US should continue to support and 
speed up implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 
as a matter of joint priority. 

As  part  of  global  recovery  efforts,  the  EU  and  the  US  should  work  together  on  the  joint 
promotion and protection of workers’ rights. The EU will propose to increase transatlantic 
cooperation  to  push  for  worldwide  adherence  to  the  relevant  conventions  under  the 
International Labour Organization. 

A  closer  partnership  in  different  geopolitical  arenas  will  also  be  crucial  to  support 
democratic values around the world, as  well as  global  and regional stability, prosperity, and 
conflict resolution. 

For  the  EU,  China  is  a  negotiating  partner  for  cooperation,  an  economic  competitor,  and  a 
systemic  rival.  The  approach  set  out  in  the  EU-China  Strategic  Outlook  provides  a  solid 
roadmap to defend our common interests and values. As open democratic societies and market 
economies, the EU and the US agree on the strategic challenge presented by China's growing 
international assertiveness, even if we do not always agree on the best way to address this. The 
new EU-US Dialogue on China will provide a key mechanism for advancing our interests and 
managing our differences.  

Increased EU focus on the challenges and opportunities in the  Indo-Pacific region will help 
deepen cooperation with like-minded partners in the region. Working closely with the US to 
align our strategic objectives and support democratic progress in Asia will be essential. 

The EU is focusing on deepening its alliance with Africa as equal partners. The EU continues 
to be the main foreign investor, trade, development, humanitarian and security partner. There 
is  much  to  gain  from  closer  transatlantic  cooperation  on  advancing  democracy  and  human 
rights, regional integration and security, and sustainable development across the Continent.  

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The  EU  and  US  also  share  a  strategic  interest  in  a  stable  and  secure  Middle  East,  North 
Africa and Sahel. This means joining forces to address regional conflicts, power competition 
and the disruptive behaviour of external actors in these regions.  

We should work closely together to set out the conditions for meaningful political progress in 
the  Middle  East  Peace  Process,  notably  by  working  together  in  a  reinvigorated  Middle  East 
Quartet.  The  EU  will  continue  addressing  security  in  the  Gulf,  supporting  de-escalation, 
creating  conditions  for  confidence  building  and  for  an  inclusive  security  architecture. 
Achieving stability in Iraq and putting an end to conflicts in Syria and Yemen should remain a 
focus of transatlantic cooperation. 

In Libya, the EU is committed to increasing our joint efforts to support a Libyan-led solution, 
with the support of strong UN leadership. Further cooperation between the EU and the US to 
promote  stability  and  development  in  the  Sahel  region  will  contribute  to  overall  security  in 
Africa and Europe.  

The  EU  and  the  US  need  to  join  forces  again  to  preserve  the  Joint  Comprehensive  Plan  of 
Action, or Iran nuclear deal, as endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in 20151. It 
is  a  key  pillar  of  the  global  non-proliferation  architecture  and  we  need  to  work  together  to 
further its achievements. 

The EU and the US have both invested hugely in a stable and peaceful Afghanistan and must 
ensure  that  gains  made  by  Afghans  over  the  last  years  are  maintained,  in  support  of  the 
conduct and outcome of the intra-Afghan peace process.  

Transatlantic  cooperation  on  Russia  will  remain  key  in  particular  as  regards  upholding 
international  law. This  includes protecting the territorial integrity  and energy security  of our 
Eastern Partners. Ukraine is a priority partner where US support is vital in promoting security 
and  an  ambitious  reform  programme  together.  In  Belarus,  we  stand  ready  to  step  up  our 
support for a peaceful democratic transition. 

Europe  has  given  the  Western  Balkans  EU  accession  perspective.  Continued  EU-US 
partnership  and  close  coordination  in  the  Western  Balkans  is  essential,  in  particular  on  the 
EU-facilitated Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. We need to work together to support 
reconciliation, improve governance and push forward key reforms. 

The EU and the US share a strategic interest in a stable and secure Eastern Mediterranean. We 
should  seek  a  coordinated  approach  in  our  relations  with  Turkey,  including  by  addressing 
current challenges.  

It  is  important  to  engage  with  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean  region  as  vital  allies  in 
international fora. As part of this, we should also continue coordinating views and positions on 
Venezuela.  

1 UNSC Resolution 2231 (2015) 

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Together  we  need  to  make  good  use  of  all  the  tools  available.  To  that  end,  we  will  seek  to 
enhance coordination on the use of sanctions including in the pursuit of shared objectives, 
while  avoiding  unintended  consequences  for  European  and  US  economic  interests  and  the 
unilateral use of extraterritorial sanctions. 

*** 

Europe and the US  face a  growing number of serious transnational threats,  from  hybrid  and 
military  threats,  violent  extremism  and  global  terrorism,  to  the  proliferation  of weapons  of 
mass  destruction.  Over  the  last  years,  the  EU  has  made  unprecedented  progress  in  security 
and  defence  cooperation,  with  landmark  initiatives  tackling  capability  shortfalls  while 
incentivising defence spending and burden-sharing.  

The  EU  and  the  US  should  reaffirm  our  joint  commitment  to  transatlantic  and 
international  security.  A  stronger  EU  role  in  defence,  including  through  supporting 
investment  in  capability  development,  will benefit NATO and transatlantic cooperation. The 
EU  is  ready  to  fulfil  its  responsibilities,  enhance  its  strategic  autonomy  and  ensure  better 
burden-sharing. The EU and NATO’s capability priorities should be largely aligned. 

To  frame  our  cooperation,  a  structured  EU-US  Security  and  Defence  Dialogue  should  be 
established,  taking  a  comprehensive  approach  to  security  and  based  on  a  shared  strategic 
vision.  This  should  include  exchanges  on  possibilities  for  transatlantic  cooperation  in  the 
context  of respective security and defence initiatives, crisis  management,  military operations 
and  bilateral  security  matters.  Within  this  context,  the  EU  and  US  should  work  on 
substantially improving and increasing the exchange of information. In parallel, the EU and 
US  should  work  together  to  promote  an  ambitious  international  arms  control  and 
disarmament agenda.  

First steps 

  The  EU  is  ready  to  play  a  full  part  in  the  Summit  for  Democracy  proposed  by 
President-elect Biden, making joint commitments to fight the rise of authoritarianism, 
human rights abuses and corruption.  

  Coordinate responses to common challenges to promote regional and global stability 
-  starting  by  strengthening  policies  in  Eastern  Partnership  Countries  and  the 
Mediterranean.  

  Strengthen our joint  commitment  to  transatlantic and international security, starting 

by establishing a new EU-US Security and Defence Dialogue. 

  The EU and the US should join forces in strengthening the multilateral system on the 

basis of our common values.  

7. Conclusion  

The Commission and the High Representative invite the European Council to endorse this outline 
and proposed first steps as a roadmap for a new transatlantic agenda for global cooperation. The 

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Commission  and  the  High  Representative/Vice-President  will  work  closely  with  the  European 
Parliament and Council in its implementation. 

An EU-US Summit in the first half of 2021 should launch this ambitious and concrete agenda. It 
would  give  a  clear  signal  for  renewed  global  leadership  and  engagement  of  two  self-standing, 
indispensable partners and allies.  

When the transatlantic partnership is  strong, the  EU and the US  are both stronger.  It  is  time to 
reconnect with a new agenda for transatlantic and global cooperation for the world of today.  

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