Biden sees ‘enormous opportunity’ to expand trade, technology with EU leaders

President Biden on Tuesday laid out an optimistic vision for the partnership between the European Union and the United States, saying the two could work together to take advantage of trade and emerging technologies in an effort to raise the standard of living globally.

“I think we have an enormous opportunity,” Biden said at a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel. “If we think in terms of these changes, particularly in terms of global warming. If we think in terms of jobs, the kind of jobs that we’re going to have to create to preserve the environment.”

“I think we have a lot to deal with from COVID-19 to whether or not we’re in a position that we can generate the kind of strengthening of transatlantic trade and technological cooperation,” he continued.

“They’re certainly a different set of priorities, with the same objective. How do like-minded countries sharing the same values work together to improve living standards for not only our people, but for the rest of the world. And we have the capacity to do that, and it’s going to take an awful lot of hard work and determination.”

Biden said he has reason for optimism because of the younger generation of Europeans and Americans, describing the latter as the “best educated” and “least prejudiced” in U.S. history.

The two sides were able to resolve one trade dispute as of Tuesday’s meeting, announcing a five-year agreement to end the 17-year trade dispute over subsidies to Boeing and Airbus. But other tensions on Trump-era steel and aluminum tariffs remain, and the two sides must also reach a consensus on how to deal with China’s growing influence.

Biden departed Belgium shortly after his meeting with European leaders concluded. He is set to wrap up his weeklong trip abroad on Wednesday in Switzerland with a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.