U.S.-EU Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 30, 2007

The United States and the European Union have agreed to expand economic ties by cutting barriers to trade and investment and liberalizing restrictions on air travel. Joint commitments on a broad range of economic and security issues were signed April 30 during the annual U.S.-EU summit in Washington. President Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso signed the trans-Atlantic economic partnership plan under which the two trading partners will establish a framework for business integration by streamlining regulatory standards that are often different between the trans-Atlantic partners. “It is a commitment to eliminating barriers to trade. It is recognition that the closer that the United States and the EU become, the better off our people become,” Bush said at a joint press conference with the European leaders after their meeting. As part of the framework, the United States and EU will set up the "Trans-Atlantic Economic Council" to push regulatory convergence in nearly 40 areas, including intellectual property, financial services and the automotive industry.

Fact Sheets, Transcripts & Statements

-U.S., EU Agree To Reduce Regulatory and Trade Barriers
-Post-Summit Bush, Merkel and Barroso Press Conference Transcript
-U.S.-EU Sign Air Transport Agreement (View Video of Signing Ceremony Remarks)
-Summit Statement
-U.S., EU Sign Accord on Handling of Classified Information
-U.S., EU Launch a Framework for Advancing Economic Integration
-Report on Political Issues
-Economic Progress Report
-Statement on Promoting Peace, Human Rights and Democracy Worldwide
-Statement on Energy Security, Efficiency and Climate Change
-Administration Officials Brief on U.S.-EU Summit