During the four-year term of US President Donald Trump, relations betweenWashington and the European Union deteriorated over key policy differences.In particular, Brussels is hailing the potential end of the ‘America First’drive, which saw reciprocal economic barriers erected across the Atlantic.
The European Union will attempt to reinvigorate its alliance with theUnited States to restore its close relationship with Washington after thedeparture of President Trump from office to refocus efforts against China,according to the Financial Times.
In its report on Sunday, the news outlet revealed a draft plan to repairthe relationship that became strained during the Trump era which willinclude the EU calling on Washington to take a “once in a generation”chance to establish a global alliance to meet what they call the “strategicchallenge” of rising Chinese influence globally.
As part of the new international arrangement, the EU is seeking to restoreties in common sectors such as tech, coronavirus, and democratic principles.
Iraqi security forces start deployment in Sinjar to counter Kurdishseparatistslink
The Financial Times claims that the draft document has been prepared by theEuropean Commission because the EU-US alliance needs “maintenance andrenewal” so that the two may reassert their interests in opposing theascendancy of “authoritarian” powers.
“As open democratic societies and market economies, the EU and the US agreeon the strategic challenge presented by China’s growing internationalassertiveness, even if we do not always agree on the best way to considerthis,” the draft says, according to the UK newspaper.
Entitled A new EU-US agenda for global change, the 11-page policy, atpresent in its early stages, includes a call for Washington and Europeanauthorities to mediate the strained relations over ongoing transatlanticdisagreements.
These include the EU’s push for increased taxes on US corporations – suchas Amazon and Google – while they operate within the bloc.
EU to propose fresh alliance with US under Biden Administration to combatChinalink
The draft paper also proposes a joint effort to form a digital regulatoryframework, including adopting common approaches to antitrust laws, dataprotection, a co-operative approach to fighting cyber-threats, andcollaboration regarding oversight of tender foreign investments.
Other aspects of the document propose co-operation over Covid-19 vaccinedistribution and working hand-in-hand to push for World Health Organisationreform.
The move reflects an attempt by Brussels to turn a page in US relationsafter the projected victory of Democrat nominee Joe Biden over presentincumbent Donald Trump.
“The arrival of a new administration and congress … is an opportunity forthe EU to renew and reinvigorate its strategic partnership with the USbased on mutual interests,” the document reads.
“The EU should agree a set of concrete priorities on which to engage thenew US leadership,” it added.
PM Imran discusses bilateral relations Chinese Defense Ministerlink
It also highlighted concern among EU authorities over the growing influenceof China and how weakened transatlantic relations in recent years has beengeopolitically advantageous for Beijing.
The draft document also offers support for Joe Biden’s proposal to organisea summit of so-called democratic nations, and stressed that the newtransatlantic regime should seek to establish a “linchpin of a new globalalliance of like-minded partners”.
According to the FT, the commission’s paper is scheduled to be submittedfor backing from national leaders during a conference on 10-11 December andsuggests that the EU-US summit in the first half of 2021 will be used toformalise the new arrangement.
The European Union will kick-off talks on Monday over how to “renew andreinvigorate” relations most effectively between the bloc and Washingtonpost-Trump, another internal document seen by Reuters suggests.
COVID-19 positivity rate surges to 6pc in Pakistan: NCOClink
Envoys from the 27 EU member states will look into five broad areas ofinterest where there is potential for further co-operation under a BidenAdministration.
Another document lists areas such as Health – including fighting theCOVID-19 pandemic – aiding economic rejuvenation, combating climate change,promoting peace and security, and defending shared values such as a beliefin multilateral laws.
Meet the New Boss
An unnamed EU diplomat warned that the US may not necessarily agree on allpoints raised even with a change of guard in Washington next year.
“There will be a change of tone from Biden, but the tough US stance onChina, the insistence that Europeans spend more on defence – they willremain,” the diplomat said.
Biden was invited by former Belgian prime minister Charles Michel, wholeads the European Council, to an in-person meeting in 2021, with apotential virtual summit soon after his ascension to office in January.
Khalid Khurshid takes oath as Chief Minister GBlink
Trump received widespread opposition from European Countries after theUnited States withdrew from the Paris climate change agreement, whenWashington removed itself from the Iran nuclear deal, when it introducedtaxes on imported EU products and when it attacked internationalorganisations – such as the WTO and NATO – that Washington previouslysupported.
However, the European Union has followed the Trump Administration onparticular issues of foreign policy, such as supporting the self-proclaimedPresident of Venezuela – Juan Guaido, and imposing sanctions on NicolasMaduro’s elected government in Caracas.
Although opponents of former vice-president Biden dubbed him Beijing Bidenover alleged reluctance to combat Beijing, the prioritisation of China as aglobal strategic threat in the document also indicates that disagreementsbetween Europe, Biden, and the Trump administration are more related todifferences in strategy than policy aim. – Sputnik