The geopolitical environment of the 2020s is one of uncertainty, tension, and change. Russia’s war of aggression, the rise of authoritarian regimes and the technological revolution – accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic – pose unprecedented challenges to the geopolitical order and international trade regime. In global trade and technology policy in particular, Germany, Europe and the United States are facing a host of new, yet shared questions. However, despite a number of attempts in the past decade, a comprehensive, structured U.S.-German dialogue on these challenges is lacking, as are constructive approaches aligned with the value-based Euro-Atlantic community.
Against this backdrop, the Aspen Institute Germany launches a strategic dialogue on the transatlantic trade and tech agenda, fostering understanding and trust among key transatlantic policy-makers as well as business, academia, and civil society representatives. Through regular meetings over the course of 2022 and 2023, decision-makers exchange views on central developments and challenges with the aim of developing solutions and identifying areas for cooperation. These off-the-record exchanges are accompanied by publications, social media coverage, a final report, and a large German-American Trade and Tech Conference on February 14– 15, 2023. The network and the knowledge generated are to support the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council, the planned U.S.-German Economic Dialogue, and the envisioned U.S.-German Futures Forum.
Key subjects of the project include:
- Trade, technology, and democracy
- Supply chain security and resilience
- Reserach and development ecosystems and transatlantic research and development collaboration
- Regulatory convergence, technical standard-setting, competition law and intellectual property
- National security: investment screening, export controls and cyber security
- Energy security and transition
Workshop Series
The digital workshop sessions of the German-American Trade and Tech Dialogue bring together selected transatlantic stakeholders from politics, administration, academia and civil society. Through an interactive moderation, the workshops helps decision-makers and leading experts to identify and discuss overarching obstacles to German-American cooperation in the areas of trade and technology. In sum, it connects stakeholders, forms lasting ties and raises awareness of the different priorities and perceptions based on sector and country. The discussions further increases understanding among participants’ different perspectives and fosters the identification of possible cooperation and problem-solving. The series’ first workshop on December 1, 2022, puts a special focus on the issues of supply chain resilience and data governance.
Conference (February 14 – 15, 2023)
Entitled Stronger Together: Towards a Transatlantic Trade and Tech Alliance, Aspen Germany hosts an in-person conference in Berlin. Leading academics, policy-makers, business and civil society representatives, authors, economists, philosophers, and security experts from the United States, the EU, and Germany are invited to exchange views on the central issues of the transatlantic trade and technology agenda. The 1.5 day conference contains a mix of formats, ranging from keynotes and two/three-on-one discussions to fishbowls and breakout sessions. Participants from around the world will have numerous opportunities to engage with thought-provoking ideas. The workshops and the conference are intended to enrich each other, put results to the test and discuss ideas with a broad public.
Click here for more information on our conference.
