EU President Barroso to meet US President Bush at the White House on 8 January

President José Manuel Barroso will be travelling to Washington to meet with President George W. Bush at the White House. President Barroso will be accompanied by External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. While the meeting has an open agenda, it can be expected to focus on energy security, climate change, the Middle East, trade and economic relations as well as the Doha Development Round, and a range of global challenges to which the US and the EU have an interest in a joint response. This is President Barroso's second bilateral visit to the White House. President Bush visited the European Commission at its Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels on 22 February 2005.

On the eve of his departure, President Barroso said: I am looking forward to discuss with President Bush where we now stand on the main global challenges facing us and how we can move these forward together during 2007. Europe and the US are committed to the values of freedom of democracy, and to projecting those values in the world. Fighting terrorism and continuing peace efforts in the Middle East are two crucial examples where we need to keep working closely together. The US is also the EU's most important economic relationship. Our economies are more interdependent than ever before.

The President added: I will be raising a number of specific issues with President Bush: Europe and the US have a joint interest in working together for secure and sustainable energy supplies for the future, as the Commission prepares to present a comprehensive and ambitious energy / climate policy package for Europe next week. The economic case for taking action to manage climate change is beyond dispute. In this area we also have much to gain from teaming up, despite our differences. The moment of truth for the Doha trade negotiations is fast approaching, and the US holds the key to making a deal possible in 2007. The alternative, a delay of several years, would come at a high price for all.

Background:

The visit to the White House includes a meeting in the Oval Office at 11:00, followed by a press opportunity. This will be concluded by a lunch. President Barroso will give a press conference and the Commission's Delegation in Washington at 14:30-15:15 (local time). Before the meeting with President Bush, President Barroso will meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The first bilateral visit of President Barroso to the White House took place on 18 October 2005.

Key figures: The EU-US trade relationship represents more than 1 billion dollars a day. Two thirds of the global investment flows into the US stem from Europe (60.1 billion dollars in 2005). The transatlantic economy is estimated to generate roughly 3 trillion dollars a year in total commercial sales, and employs roughly 14 million workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Together, the EU and the US represent 40% of world trade.

| Haut |

• EU-US Summit - Washington, 30 April 2007 (30/4/2007)
• EU and US to sign up to transatlantic economic integration plan at Washington Summit on 30 April (27/4/2007)
• EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner to attend EU-US Troika in Washington (16/3/2007)
• "The Transatlantic Relationship: A Balance Sheet" - Speech by EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner  (20/9/2006)
• EU-US Summit Declaration  (21/6/2006)
• EU - USA Summit: An EU25 surplus in trade in goods of nearly 90 bn euro with the USA in 2005 (20/6/2006)
• EU - US Summit, Vienna, 21 June 2006 (19/6/2006)
• EU Commission President Barroso meets US President Bush at White House (14/10/2005)