The conference is the centerpiece of Aspen Germany’s German-American Trade and Tech Dialogue. The multi-stakeholder exchange forum is designed to foster understanding, trust and good faith between the two sides of the Atlantic. In the face of unprecedented challenges, of which many affect Germany and the United States in similar ways, the Trade and Tech Dialogue aims to promote a cooperation-oriented dialogue between the transatlantic partners to enable the development of common solutions to shared problems. A focal point of the discussions is the cooperation process of the EU-US Trade and Tech Council.
The 2023 conference took place on 14-15 February 2023 in the Federal State Representation of Baden-Württemberg in Berlin. It brought together central political voices and societal stakeholders from Germany and the United States, including representatives of international corporations, sustainability and labor-rights advocates, as well as experts from academia and think tanks.
The day-and-a-half-long event included a mix of formats, ranging from keynotes, bilateral and multilateral discussions, and fishbowls to two-on-two discussions, panel debates, and breakout sessions. Therefore, the participants had numerous opportunities to engage with thought-provoking ideas. Aspen Germany also worked with print, broadcast, digital, and social media to facilitate and incorporate discussion and debate across borders. The event was held in English.
Please find impressions of day one (February 14) here and of day two (February 15) here.
Speakers & Moderators
- Prof. Dr. Susan A. Aaronson
- Professor, George Washington University; Director, Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub
- Daniel Andrich
- General Manager, American Chamber of Commerce in Germany e.V.
- Andreas Audretsch
- Member of the German Bundestag, Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Group, Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen
- Prof. Dr. Michael Berthold
- Co-Founder and CEO, KNIME AG; Honorary Professor, Konstanz University
- Dr. Chad Bown
- Reginald Jones Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
- Anu Bradford
- Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization; Author “The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World (2020)”
- Dr. Nicola Brandt
- Head, OECD Berlin Centre
- Dr. Daniela Brönstrup
- Director-General for Digital and Innovation Policy, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
- Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook
- Executive Vice President and Senior Adviser, Bertelsmann Foundation
- Barbara Comstock
- Senior Advisor, Baker Donelson; Former Member of the United States House of Representatives
- Sudha David-Wilp
- Senior Transatlantic Fellow and Director of the Berlin Office, German Marshall Fund of the United States
- William Echikson
- Non-resident Senior Fellow, Digital Innovation Initiative, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)
- Melissa Eddy
- Business Correspondent, The New York Times
- Angela Ellard
- Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
- Dr. Tobias Endler
- Author, Speaker, Moderator
- Dr. Daniel Eriksson
- CEO, Transparency International Berlin
- Jens Fabrowsky
- Executive Vice President Automotive Electronics, Robert Bosch GmbH
- Tony Fernandes
- Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade Policy and Negotiations, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State
- Prof. Dr. Lisandra Flach
- Director of the Center for International Economics, ifo Institute Munich; Professor of Economics, LMU Munich
- Emanuele Frezza
- EU Affairs Manager, UPS Europe
- Julia Friedlander
- CEO, Atlantik-Brücke
- Dr. Katharina Gnath
- Senior Project Manager, Bertelsmann Foundation
- Sabine Haemmerling
- Officer for Transatlantic Relations and Digital Policy, Heinrich-Böll-Foundation
- Metin Hakverdi
- Member of the German Bundestag, SPD
- Prof. Dr. Marina Henke
- Professor of International Relations, Director of the Centre for International Security, Hertie School
- Ash Jain
- Director for Democratic Order, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
- Lorena Jaume-Palasí
- Executive Director and Founder, The Ethical Tech Society
- Sandra Joyce
- Vice President, Mandiant Intelligence at Google Cloud
- Ingmar Juergens
- CEO, Climate and Company; Vice Chair of the Board, Germanwatch
- Dr. Nikolas Keßels
- Senior Manager External Economic Policy, BDI – Federation of German Industries
- Jan-Peter Kleinhans
- Project Director Technology and Geopolitics, Stiftung Neue Verantwortung
- Barbara Kluge
- Deputy Head, Directorate-General CI – Cyber and Information Security, Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community
- Dr. Jörg Kukies
- State Secretary, German Chancellery
- Dr. Tobias Lindner
- Minister of State, German Federal Foreign Office
- Sam Marullo
- Director, CHIPS Policy, U.S. Department of Commerce
- Stan McCoy
- President & Managing Director, Motion Picture Association EMEA
- Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner
- Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany
- Prof. Dr. Abraham Newman
- Professor, School of Foreign Service and Department of Government, Georgetown University
- Karen Nies-Vogel
- Director of Office of Exporter Services, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce
- Dr. Julia Pohle
- Senior Researcher, WZB Berlin Social Science Center; Senior Associate Researcher, Center for Digitialisation, Democracy and Innovation (C2DI), Brussels School of Goverance
- Woodward Clark Price
- Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the United States of America
- Amy Radtke
- Senior Trade and Industry Analyst, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce
- Laurie Richardson
- Vice President Trust and Safety, Google
- Ann Cathrin Riedel
- Policy Advisor, Global Digitalisation and Innovation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom; Chairwoman, LOAD e.V. Foto Credit: Paul Alexander Probst
- Nora Rohde
- Policy Advisor International Trade Policy, Public Service and OECD/TUAC, German Trade Union Confederation (DGB)
- Prof. Dr. Andrea Römmele
- Professor of Communication in Politics and Civil Society, Hertie School
- Stefan Rouenhoff
- Member of the German Bundestag, CDU
- Dr. Anna Sauerbrey
- Foreign Editor, Die Zeit
- Vivian Schiller
- Executive Director, Aspen Digital
- Rupert Schlegelmilch
- Director DG Trade, European Commission
- Dr. Claudia Schmucker
- Head, Geo-Economics Program, DGAP
- Johannes Steger
- Managing Editor, Tagesspiegel Background Cybersecurity
- Dr. Natalia Stolyarchuk
- Policy Officer, Future Computing & Microelectronics, Bitkom e.V.
- Sascha Tamm
- Head of Unit North America/Latin America, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
- Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar
- Director of Digital Society Institute, ESMT Berlin
- Melanie Vogelbach
- Head of International Economic Policy and Foreign Trade Law, German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK)
- Marie-Christine von Hahn
- Vice President Corporate External Affairs, Aurubis
- David Weiner
- Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
- Christoph Winterhalter
- Chairman of the Executive Board (CEO), DIN e. V.
Agenda
Day 1: February 14, 2023
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Small Lunch Reception and Registration |
| 13:00 – 13:30 | Welcome Remarks from Hosting Partners Dr. Danyal Bayaz, State Minister of Finance, Baden-Württemberg (Video Message) Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 13:30 – 13:50 | Opening Keynote by Woodward Clark Price, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the United States of America |
| 13:50 – 14:20 | Spotlight Talk: “The Brussels Effect in 2023: How Should the EU and the United States Regulate Technology?” Anu Bradford, Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization; Author “The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World (2020)” Moderated by Dr. Tobias Endler, Author, Speaker, Moderator |
| 14:20 – 15:20 | Panel Discussion 1: “Put to the Test: Democracies in the Information Age” Lorena Jaume-Palasí, Founder, The Ethical Tech Society Prof. Dr. Michael Berthold, Co-Founder and CEO, KNIME Barbara Comstock, Senior Advisor, Baker Donelson; Former Member of the United States House of Representatives Laurie Richardson, VP Trust & Safety, Google Vivian Schiller, Executive Director, Aspen Digital Moderated by Hans von der Burchard, Senior Politics Reporter, Germany, POLITICO |
| 15:20 – 15:50 | Coffee Break |
| 15:50 – 16:20 | Spotlight Talk: “Current Trends in the Global Trading Order and the Role of Technology” With Angela Ellard, Deputy Director-General, WTO Moderated by Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 16:30 – 17:15 | Three-on-one Conversation: “Work in Progress: An Update from the Trade and Technology Council” Dr. Tobias Lindner, Minister of State, Federal Foreign Office Rupert Schlegelmilch, Director, DG Trade, EU Commission David Weiner, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Moderated by Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 17:15 – 18:40 | Oxford Style Debate: “Trading with Autocracies?” Team 1: Friendshoring is the solution to the changing geopolitical environment. Dr. Daniel Eriksson, CEO, Transparency International Prof. Dr. Lisandra Flach, Director of the ifo Center for International Economics; Professor of Economics, LMU Munich Ash Jain, Director for Democratic Order, Scowcroft Strategy Initiative, Atlantic Council Team 2: Diversification and continued multilateralism are the better way to deal with the changing geopolitical environment. Dr. Chad Bown, Reginald Jones Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics Dr. Claudia Schmucker, Head, Geo-Economics Program, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) Melanie Vogelbach, Head of International Economic Policy and Foreign Trade Law, German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) Moderated by Prof. Dr. Andrea Römmele, Professor of Communication in Politics and Civil Society, Hertie School |
| 18:40 – 18:45 | Closing Words Day 1 |
Day 2: February 15, 2023
| 09:00 – 09:30 | Coffee and Registration |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Spotlight Conversation: “Lost in Translation? Understandings and Misunderstandings in the Transatlantic Relationship” With Prof. Dr. Marina Henke, Professor of International Relations, Director of the Centre for International Security, Hertie School and Prof. Dr. Abraham Newman, Professor, School of Foreign Service and Department of Government, Georgetown University Moderated by Sudha David-Wilp, Director of the Berlin Office, German Marshall Fund of the United States |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Fishbowl Discussion: “Stronger than Ever? Transatlantic Relations in an Era of Global Conflict and Domestic Social Unrest” Melissa Eddy, Business Correspondent, The New York Times Dr. Anna Sauerbrey, Foreign Editor, DIE ZEIT Open Podium Seat for changing participation from audience Moderated by Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, Senior Advisor, Bertelsmann Foundation |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Short Break |
| 11:15 – 12:30 | Breakout Sessions (in-person participation only): 1. “Export Control and Investment Screening: The Intersection of Trade, Technology and Security” Julia Friedlander, CEO, Atlantik-Brücke Dr. Nikolas Keßels, Senior Manager External Economic Policy, Federation of German Industries (BDI) Karen Nies-Vogel, Director of Office of Exporter Services, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce Amy Radtke, Senior Trade and Industry Analyst, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce Moderated by Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany 2. “Semi-Conductors: The Transatlantic Partners between Cooperation and Subsidy Race” Dr. Daniela Brönstrup, Head of Department Digital and Innovation Policy, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) Jens Fabrowsky, Executive Vice President Automotive Electronics, BOSCH Jan-Peter Kleinhans, Project Director Technology and Geopolitics, Stiftung Neue Verantwortung Sam Marullo, Director, CHIPS Policy, U.S. Department of Commerce Moderated by Dr. Natalia Stolyarchuk, Policy Officer, Future Computing & Microelectronics, Bitkom e. V. 3. “The Future of the Global Trading Order” Prof. Dr. Susan A. Aaronson, Research Professor of International Affairs, Director of the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, George Washington University Dr. Nicola Brandt, Head, OECD Berlin Centre Ingmar Juergens, Co-Founder, Climate & Company; Vice Chair of the Board, Germanwatch Stan McCoy, President and Managing Director, Motion Picture Association EMEA Moderated by Dr. Katharina Gnath, Senior Project Manager, Bertelsmann Foundation |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Three-on-one Conversation: “The Fifth Dimension: Cyberspace as the Battleground of a Modern World” Sandra Joyce, Vice President, Mandiant Intelligence at Google Cloud Barbara Kluge, Deputy Head, Directorate-General CI – Cyber and Information Security, Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Director of the Digital Society Institute, ESMT Berlin Moderated by Johannes Steger, Managing Editor, Tagesspiegel Background Cybersecurity |
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Panel Discussion 2: “In the Geopolitical Eye: Tech Standards and the Race for Global Leadership” Daniel Andrich, General Manager, AmCham Germany Bill Echikson, Non-resident Senior Fellow, Digital Innovation Initiative, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) Metin Hakverdi, Member of the German Bundestag, SPD Ann Cathrin Riedel, Policy Advisor for Global Digitalisation and Innovation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Christoph Winterhalter, Chairman of the Executive Board, German Institute for Standardization (DIN) Moderated by Dr. Julia Pohle, Senior Researcher, WZB Berlin Social Science Center; Senior Associate Researcher, Center for Digitialisation, Democracy and Innovation (C2DI), Brussels School of Goverance |
| 15:30 – 16:15 | Coffee Break |
| 16:15 – 16:45 | Spotlight Talk: “The Transatlantic Partnership in a Changing World: Trade and Tech in the G7 and the G20” With Dr. Jörg Kukies, State Secretary, German Federal Chancellery Moderated by Sascha Tamm, Head of Unit North America/Latin America, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom |
| 16:45 – 17:45 | Panel Discussion 3: “Transatlantic Relations: New Global Partnerships for Sustainable Infrastructure and Supply Chains” Andreas Audretsch, Member of the German Bundestag, Bündnis 90/ Die Grünen Tony Fernandes, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State Emanuele Frezza, EU Affairs Manager, UPS Europe Nora Rohde, Policy Advisor, German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) Stefan Rouenhoff, Member of the German Bundestag, CDU Marie-Christine von Hahn, Vice President Corporate External Affairs, Aurubis Moderated by Sabine Haemmerling, Officer for Transatlantic Relations and Digital Policy, Heinrich-Böll-Foundation |
| 17:45 – 18:00 | Closing Remarks followed by Reception |
Sponsors & Partners
The Aspen Institute Germany would like to thank its co-hosts for their generous support of this conference:
This conference has also been generously supported by our partners:
