Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 5 October 2021 - Strasbourg

The future of EU-US relations (debate)

  Thijs Reuten (S&D). – Mr President, the EU—US Transatlantic Partnership – the renewed reinforced partnership – is opening a new chapter of closer bilateral relations following the election of Joe Biden.

The EU and the US are the bedrock of the rules—based international order and champions of multilateralism, democracy and human rights. But we should also acknowledge the differences between the EU and the US, and that is only healthy in a long—standing friendship.

A clear, self-confident strategic vision is then necessary. In that sense, the drafting of the EU Strategic Compass is an important step forward, and it should be accompanied with a more united, decisive foreign policy decision—making.

An effective transatlantic relationship should focus on what we can do together – what we can do together as two strong partners sharing so much more than what divides us.