US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE KATHERINE TAI ON THE FUTURE FOR US-EU TRADE - As the Bretton Woods system marks its eightieth anniversary, there is growing recognition that the international financial and trading system should adapt to the realities of the modern global economy. But how it adapts, and what founding principles it holds on to, will be critical. Through the post-war years and beyond, strong trade relations between the United States and Europe provided increased prosperity and security and have been a stabilizing force. However, today both sides of the Atlantic are confronting new geopolitical and geoeconomic realities, which have triggered debate over the future of this order—and mirror similar challenges the transatlantic alliance faced in the early postwar years.

These strategic challenges have sparked new action around economic security, including, for example, export controls, investment screening, and, most recently, Washington’s imposition of higher tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, semiconductors, critical minerals, batteries, and more. Transatlantic coordination on these challenges will be critical to build greater resilience to any response from Beijing and other challengers, and the revitalization and restoration of the global economic system is a mission of the Atlantic Council’s Bretton Woods 2.0 project.

Placing today’s challenges in the context of the original vision for Bretton Woods and the fight for democracy, Ambassador Tai joins the Atlantic Council for a moderated conversation on these critical issues, the future of US-EU trade relations, and the nexus of trade, economic policy, and national security.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 06/03/2024