The yearly EU-US summits provide an excellent opportunity to take stock of relations between the European Union and the United States and to enhance cooperation.
These summits alternate between Washington and Europe. This year it is Europe's turn again and it is traditionally up to the country holding the rotating EU Presidency to host the summit. As a result, Austria has the opportunity to present itself as a Central European hub.
These summits were initiated in 1990 and have been taking place on a yearly basis alternately in Washington and in Europe, i.e. in the EU country holding the rotating EU Presidency.
The US is Europe’s most important trading and investment partner. Almost two thirds of foreign direct investment in the EU comes from the US. Foreign direct investment in both directions currently stands at around €1.5 trillion. Trade relations, worth up to a billion euros a day, are extremely smooth. The transatlantic economy secures 14 million jobs on the two sides of the Atlantic. The EU and the USA together account for roughly 57% of world GDP and can thus be considered the twin engine of the world economy.
The importance of EU-US relations is also illustrated by the two sides' numerous consultations on a wide range of issues. The US and the EU consult each other on foreign policy issues much more often than the general public may be aware. During the term of one EU Presidency alone, there are approximately 50 meetings between the US and the EU on issues such as combating terrorism, promotion of democracy, the UN and on other regions of the world. In addition, there is an almost daily exchange at the working level.
The agenda for the summit is still under negotiation and will of course also be determined by current political events. It can be expected, however, that energy and energy security, democracy and freedom, political developments in Iran, Iraq, the Middle East, economic and environment issues, as well as the visa waiver programme will be discussed.
The EU and the US will sign an agreement* on co-operation in the area of education. Its main objectives are to optimise quality standards on both sides and to promote mutual understanding. Specific measures include the introduction of joint courses of study (= automatic recognition of study periods and, where appropriate, of study certificates), exchange programmes for students and teaching staff, and co-operation programmes for education institutions.
*exact title: Agreement for the Renewal of the Cooperation Programme in the Field of High School and Professional Education, period 2006-2013, estimated funding by each side: € 46 Million.
President Bush will have bilateral talks with President Fischer and Chancellor Schüssel.
They will not be participating in the summit itself but they are informed of every step we take and are involved in the drafting of all documents through the COTRA Council Working Group. The Presidency has the task of working out the EU position with the 24 other Member States and with the European Commission and to defend it in the talks with other partners, in this case the USA.
Summit meetings take place at the level of Heads of State or Government. This means that the US President will be meeting the current President of the European Council, Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, Commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Peter Mandelson, and the Secretary General of the Council and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, will also participate in the talks.
Summit meetings of the EU usually alternate between the country of the partner in question and Europe, more specifically the EU country currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The last EU-US summits took place in June 2005 in Washington and in June 2004 in Ireland (Dromoland Castle)
The Ministry of the Interior and the Vienna police (Landespolizeikommando Wien) have special websites for the EU-US summit, which provide information on policing measures in connection with the summit.
Links:
Federal Ministry of the Interior
or ring 059133-9500 (minimum rate throughout Austria).
There have been numerous visits to Austria by US Presidents in recent times, although neither at an official level nor at a bilateral level. The most spectacular visits to Vienna took place in the context of the US-USSR summit meetings in the sixties and seventies.
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