Memo: Second TEC meeting to further strengthen EU/US economic integration

The Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) will meet for the second time in Brussels on 13th May. The Council was created at the EU/US Summit in Washington in April 2007 to foster transatlantic economic integration and aims to achieve better regulation, barrier-free and secure trade, protection of intellectual property rights, and integration of financial markets. TEC commitment to strengthening economic cooperation is demonstrated by the impressive list of items to be discussed at its second meeting of TEC on Tuesday. The EU delegation is chaired by Vice President Günter Verheugen and includes the following Commissioners Peter Mandelson (Trade), László Kovács (Taxation and Customs Union), Meglena Kuneva (Consumer Protection) and Charlie McCreevy (Internal Market and Services). Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and Ambassador Susan Schwab are among the members of the US delegation. Dan Price, Assistant to President George Bush for International Economic Affairs, will lead the delegation The TEC will also meet the group of advisors which includes representatives of the legislative, consumers and business dialogues.