European Parliament vote will call for close-knit partnership on equal footing

Tomorrow, the European Parliament will vote on a new report on EU-US relations. A positive result will show that MEPs reaffirm their shared vision for the expanded transatlantic relations between the EU and US under the Biden Administration.

Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, Greens/EFA Member of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the United States comments:

“The European Parliament vote will demonstrate its desire for a deeper transatlantic relationship and a renewed partnership between two equals, based on the principle of ‘partnership in leadership’. The EU and US must together tackle the big challenges we face such as climate change, the green and digital transformation, trade policy, the pandemic, the strengthening of multilateralism and the global tensions between democratic politics and authoritarian rule. Issues of contention cannot be swept under the rug. The future of transatlantic relations must  not be based on nostalgia, but be part of a larger vision for a better world that focuses on mutual cooperation among partners.

“Deeper cooperation and a more prominent role in the international arena means that the EU must exercise responsibility in addressing global challenges. For a partnership of equals, the EU must define its strategic capacity to act in matters of security policy and trade policy. If we let the opportunity to redefine the transatlantic partnership slip by, we would also be undermining the EU’s potential for deeper unity."