WASHINGTON – On January 30 and 31, the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the European Union Directorate-General for Trade (DG Trade) hosted a two-day stakeholder event to solicit views on how to promote a more integrated and resilient Transatlantic Green Marketplace. The event brought together representatives from the U.S. and EU stakeholder communities to engage in a series of thematic stakeholder-led discussions that focused on identifying opportunities for transatlantic collaboration to promote the transition to a more sustainable and climate-neutral economy on both sides of the Atlantic.
The U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, provided pre-recorded remarks and Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis provided opening remarks followed by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Sushan Demirjian and Director Rupert Schlegelmilch of DG TRADE. The speakers framed the event by discussing the importance of stakeholder input in identifying trade priorities. More than three hundred stakeholders from businesses, civil society, labor unions and academia participated in the event.
The two-day event opened with a workshop focused on the “Promotion of Good Quality Jobs for a Successful, Just and Inclusive Green Economy,” organized by USTR, the Department of Labor, and DG Trade and Employment. Labor and business stakeholders engaged in a productive discussion on issues related to the green transition and how we can create good-paying jobs as part of our climate policy and investments. The event was moderated by representatives from the International Labor Organization. Stakeholders spoke about the importance of social dialogue and workers having a seat at the table to engage on environmental issues that directly impact them.
USTR looks forward to sustained stakeholder engagement as we continue work under the Transatlantic Initiative for Sustainable Trade workstream.
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