EU Commission plans to continue tech standardisation work with US

The future of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) is uncertain following the recent US elections. European Commission officials have indicated that standardization efforts with the United States will continue at a technical level. However, concerns have been raised among several EU member states regarding the political will to maintain the TTC, particularly in light of the election of Republican Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, replacing Democrat Joe Biden.

The TTC was established in 2021 under the Von der Leyen Commission and Biden administration to foster collaboration between the EU and the US on trade and technology policy. With both regions having held elections this year, the continuation of this forum is now in question. Member states such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, and Portugal have expressed apprehension about future cooperation with the US on digital standards.

A significant focus of the TTC includes artificial intelligence (AI), where it aims to facilitate regular discussions through a cooperation agreement between the European AI Office and the US AI Safety Institute. This collaboration will work towards developing a common framework for evaluating generative AI models. Poland, set to chair EU ministerial meetings in the first half of next year, intends to prioritize EU-US cooperation on standards during these discussions.

During a recent meeting, officials from standardization organizations CEN-CENELC and ETSI presented updates on standardization requests. The European Commission had tasked these organizations in May of the previous year with preparing the necessary standards for the industry. The ongoing work reflects the EU’s commitment to maintaining robust standards in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Source: EU Commission plans to continue tech standardisation work with US