‘Concrete results’ for TTC as Russian invasion enhances cooperation

The US-EU Trade and Technology Council (‘TTC’) has started to deliver ‘concrete results’, according to a 16 May statement issued by the partners, as attested to by ramped-up export controls against Russia since February this year.

The TTC, announced in Pittsburgh in September 2021, was launched with the intention of ‘shaping the rules of the road for a 21st century economy, and for rapidly evolving digital and emerging technology.’ It consists of working groups on ‘emerging technology standards, climate and clean tech objectives, data governance and technology platforms, information and communications technology services’ (ICTS) security and competitiveness, and the misuse of technology threatening security and human rights.’

With regard to export controls, the TTC says that through ‘supporting and strengthening the multi-lateral approach to export controls and the work of the non-proliferation regimes, our common approach will ensure that the application of export controls is transparent and equitable for U.S. and EU exporters and will deepen transatlantic trade and economic relations based on our shared democratic values.’

It has also, it says, ‘as a concrete expression’ of the TTC process, ‘deeply enhanced our cooperation on our respective export restrictions in regard to trade with Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine,’ with such restrictive measures ‘demonstrating the added value of close cooperation between the United States and the European Union.’

The TTC says that it has, in consultation with partners, ‘restricted trade with Russia and Belarus and adopted unprecedented comparable sanctions that limit exports of dual-use items and strategic technologies that undermine Russia’s capacity to acquire the technologies for continuing its war against Ukraine. As part of the export restrictions, we now jointly prohibit, in particular, with limited exceptions, exports to Russia and Belarus of:

• dual-use items – those controlled by the multilateral export control regimes;
• advanced technology items not multilaterally controlled which have potential military application, in categories including electronics, telecommunication, information security, lasers, sensors, navigation, avionics, marine, and aerospace; 
• items for military end-users and entities supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.

But, it says, ‘While aiming to have significant and severe impact in particular against Russia and Belarus’s defense sector, these restrictions were carefully tailored to mitigate the impacts on U.S. and EU global trade.’