European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton will not attend the upcoming EU-US Trade and Tech Council meeting on 5 December.
The twice-annual event allows senior officials such as Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to tackle thorny issues such as controversial electric car subsidies in the United States, while promoting closer ties between Washington and Brussels. Is.
Yet Breton, who has previously expressed dismay at these transatlantic tech and business summits, chose not to travel to Washington for Monday’s event because of ongoing disputes over the US Inflation Reduction Act, according to a close aide. Not enough time was dedicated. The legislation would provide subsidies for electric cars manufactured in the US, among other measures.
less than an hour has been set for a possible settlement on that trade dispute going on, which prompted EU member states – led by France – to call for potentially retaliatory trade actions against US governments concerned that US car subsidies could hamper the economic prospects of EU automakers, the allegations Washington denies. Britten is expected to travel to Washington in early 2023 for meetings with US politicians and policy makers.
US President Joe Biden and French President on Thursday suggested by Emmanuel Macron that the two sides can find a short-term settlement to the trade dispute.
Three different EU sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told POLITICO that Britten was no longer traveling to Washington because he had not been officially invited to the so-called Kennedy Center Honors, which recognizes It was an annual event for Their contribution to the performing arts. This year, that event will be graced by actor George Clooney. Breton’s aide, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, denied those claims.