By Dimitris Dimitriadis, President of the External Relations Section

The New Transatlantic Agenda is currently at the heart of the political agenda for all European institutions. Our Committee, particularly the External Relations Section, is very much in alignment with it, as demonstrated by the recent meeting of our Transatlantic Relations Follow-up Committee, featuring very prominent guests who stressed the importance of robust and solid civil society dialogue, and by the EESC president's declaration and my statement on the 2020 US election expressing hope for a strong partnership in facing global challenges.

The European Union is and will always be a strong partner and ally of the United States, and we will be happy to engage once more in productive and fruitful dialogue on all the issues that were blocked during the previous administration.

I, therefore, support the areas identified for potential greater cooperation (working together for a healthier world – COVID-19 and beyond; working together to protect our planet and prosperity; working together on technology, trade and standards; and, last but not least, working together towards a safer, more prosperous and more democratic world) and believe that strong civil society dialogue and interpersonal relations have a crucial role to play in achieving those objectives. The abovementioned objectives of course include the principles of multilateralism and the international structures we have jointly helped to build.

Our Committee, as representatives of European civil society organisations, and particularly the president of our Transatlantic Relations Follow-up Committee, Mr Christian Moos, and myself in my capacity as External Relations Section president, remains committed and determined to strengthen bridges across the Atlantic.