Atlantic Declaration Action Plan: UK & U.S. Discuss Progress & Next Steps for 21st Century Economic Partnership

by UK Government Press Office May 23, 2024

written by UK Government Press Office May 23, 2024 0 comment

Senior officials from the United States and United Kingdom governments met this week at the White House to discuss progress and next steps since the June 2023 Atlantic Declaration for a Twenty-First Century U.S.-UK Economic Partnership.

The meetings, co-chaired by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and UK National Security Advisor Sir Tim Barrow, highlighted the U.S. and UK economic partnership and focused on progress towards meeting key objectives under the Atlantic Declaration framework for transatlantic and strategic cooperation.

The group welcomed the progress made to date on delivery, including through the launch of a new Strategic Dialogue on Biological Security, the U.S-UK Sanctions Dialogue, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on AI Safety and launch of the U.S.-UK Data Bridge, and engagement with industry on clean energy supply chains.

Officials discussed efforts to continue to deepen U.S.-UK economic, technological, commercial and trade relations and shared information on the latest threats, risks and opportunities related to critical and emerging technologies.

The discussion particularly highlighted where the U.S. and UK could promote growth in these technologies – including quantum, biotechnology and AI – to mutual competitive advantage.

The group reviewed progress under the Atlantic Declaration framework on promoting U.S. and UK leadership in these technologies and strengthening respective tool kits – including inbound and outbound investment screening and export controls – to protect advanced sensitive technologies from actors that may use them to undermine each countries’ national security.

Officials also discussed how to advance efforts to build resilient clean energy supply chains key to energy transition, including through collaboration on civil nuclear, offshore wind and the development of other clean energy technologies, as well as by advancing negotiations towards a Critical Minerals Agreement.

The group also discussed efforts to ensure that macroeconomic imbalances and non-market policies and practices creating Chinese overcapacity in clean energy technologies and other strategic sectors do not undermine efforts.

Finally, officials discussed how to deliver high-standards infrastructure investment in developing countries and emerging markets through the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and via efforts to boost the capacity of the Multilateral Development Banks.

The White House also hosted representatives from the U.S. and UK governments for the inaugural Strategic Technologies Investor Council, convening investors from both sides of the Atlantic to discuss strategies to mobilise private capital, close funding gaps and unlock new investments towards critical and emerging technologies.