Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce released the 2016 National Export Strategy (NES), a report that details the U.S. government’s efforts to help U.S. companies conduct business abroad. The document serves both as a review of results and as a path forward, highlighting how U.S. businesses and workers have benefited during the past eight years. “Demonstrated through reports like the National Export Strategy, the U.S. government remains committed to supporting American businesses and jobs through trade opportunities,” said U.S. Secretary...

Ambassador David O’Sullivan shares his thoughts on 2016 & how 2017 will again require close EU-US cooperation. Compliments of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States

The European Commission today adopted its long-term plan to give fresh impetus to the management of the Customs Union, a basic pillar of the European Union which supports and protects the Single Market. The role of customs authorities in ensuring our safety and security in the EU is increasing. A strong and well managed system helps to protect the public against terrorist, health, and environmental threats while at the same time fostering and developing competitive businesses. Today'sCommunication sets out a...

On 20 December 2016, the Permanent Representatives Committee approved, on behalf of the Council, an agreement with the European Parliament on prospectuses for the issuing and offering of securities.  "This regulation will help companies gain access to European capital markets by reducing some of the administrative formalities", said Peter Kažimír, Slovak minister for finance and president of the Council. "Our aim is to reinforce the role of market-based finance, alongside bank finance, in the European economy."  The draft regulation is aimed at...

Malta has taken over the rotating presidency of the EU Council from Slovakia. This means that for the next six months the small island state plays a key role in setting the agenda, finding compromises and addressing a range of challenges such as the migration crisis and the expected start of the Brexit negotiations. We asked Maltese MEPs what their hopes and expectations were for their country's firs- ever presidency of the EU Council. David Casa (EPP) Malta´s presidency comes at...

The Commission has welcomed the entry into force of new rules to ensure that Member States have all the information they need on tax rulings given to multinational companies in other EU countries. As of 1 January 2017, Member States are obliged to automatically exchange information on all new cross-border tax rulings that they issue. This will be done through a central depository, accessible to all EU countries. Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said: "We...

On 13 December 2016, the Council approved the EU's legislative priorities for 2017 as agreed beforehand with the European Parliament and the Commission. This will help the three EU institutions to pool their efforts and to ensure substantial progress in fields where they are most needed. A joint declaration setting out the EU priorities will be signed by the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the President of the Parliament, Martin Schulz, and the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker...