Statement by Co-Chairs Sikorski, Costa after the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue meeting

The Co-Chairs of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, Radek Sikorski and Jim Costa, issued this statement upon the conclusion of the first meeting of the TLD in the 117th Congress.

“We took the opportunity to stress that we are not just resetting this essential relationship, but are working to build it back even stronger so that we can work together to address jointly the many significant challenges that we face at this time. On response to the coronavirus pandemic, we applaud the remarkable scientific breakthroughs that have allowed safe and effective vaccines to be developed so quickly. We called on everyone to be vaccinated as soon as they can and for vaccines to be made available to middle and low-income countries as soon as possible. Vaccines save lives. The European side called for reciprocity from the United States in lifting coronavirus-related travel restrictions,” the statement reads.

Both politicians acknowledged that climate change is not just a future threat, but is here with us today as we see floods in Western Europe and fires in California and Oregon. They agreed that the European Union and the United States must lead together. 

“We called on the US and EU to step up efforts to deliver results at Ministerial Conference 12 (MC12) and to establish a work program to reform the World Trade Organization. We welcomed the progress under the new administration to solve longstanding trade irritants and hope solutions can be found for the outstanding issues that remain. We stressed the need to find a permanent, broader settlement to address subsidies and overcapacity. We support joint actions to set standards in the technology space which reflect our principles and values. We welcomed the newly established Trade and Technology Council and called for it to have a significant parliamentary dimension,” we read further.

(WBJ)