- No climate deal expected
The summit was originally seen as an opportunity for the EU and the US to align their positions on climate change in the run-up to the G8 gathering in June and the conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) at the end of the year.
However both sides have played down the importance of the meeting as doubts were cast on the likelihood of agreeing on a text of any significant level of ambition.
While the EU was hoping to engage the US in a global framework for cutting CO2 emissions, the US wants discussions to focus on the promotion of new technologies, such as carbon sequestration and storage, and has clearly indicated that it will not commit to binding targets unless other large emitters such as China and India follow suit.
- Progress on trade
Things should look brighter on the economic side, with the two economic giants expected to sign a pact aimed slashing remaining trade barriers and harmonising norms in the automotive, pharmaceutical and chemical sectors, among others.
The deal will include the establishment of a high-level 'transatlantic economic council' to oversee the implementation of regulatory agreements. Media reports suggest that the council could be chaired by Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, although some believe that Alexander Italianer, one of the Commission's two secretary-generals, could be chosen for the role to avert bickering between the directorate-generals for trade, external relations, industry and internal market.
The creation of a genuine 'transatlantic single market', which could boost GDP by around 3.5% on both sides of the Atlantic, is one of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's favoured projects during her six months at the helm of the EU (EurActiv 05/01/07). The summit is expected to get the ball rolling, while more sensitive issues such as ironing out the differences in European and American financial-market regulations, patents and intellectual property law, will be put aside until the next meeting.
Discussions will also centre on advancing global trade talks within the WTO, stalled since last July. Major trading powers have said that they aim to finalise negotiations by the end of the year, but the EU and the US have so far been unsuccessful in closing the gap on agricultural subsidies and tariffs.
- Open skies:
EU and US leaders are expected to sign an 'open skies' deal, aimed at removing restrictions on the number of flights able to operate the transatlantic route (EurActiv 22/03/07). The EU will be seeking firm guarantees from the US that it will open up its domestic market and lift restrictions on foreign ownership of aircraft as part of second-stage talks before November 2010. In more than five years of negotiations, Washington has refused to budge on these demands.
They will also tackle a number of issues that have persistently hampered air travel between the two continents, including the 'en masse' introduction of hefty security measures since the 2001 terrorist attacks (see LinksDossier on Transport security).
- US visa restrictions:
EU leaders will also press the US to extend the US visa-waiver programme to citizens of new EU states and Greece by September, stressing that all EU citizens must be treated equally.
- Passenger data:
Discussions will also touch upon the issue of access to personal information on passengers flying to the US. An interim agreement was struck in October 2006 but will expire in July (EurActiv 06/10/07). Failure to conclude a new deal could cause havoc at airports as airlines would be caught up in the middle of contradictory EU rules on data privacy and US anti-terror requirements.
