BRSSEL (dpa-AFX) – Against the backdrop of the broken sale of French submarines to Australia, it is now in the room that the European Union is postponing planned top talks with the US government on trade and technology policy. The current Slovenian EU Council Presidency started preparations for a meeting from the agenda for the meeting of the EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday, according to the tentative agenda.

Indeed, high-ranking representatives from the European Union Commission and the US government wanted to coordinate a joint approach on important global trade, economic and technology issues at the first European-US Trade and Technology Council in Pittsburgh next week (September 29). Vice-Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrowski were to attend the EU Commission, which would represent EU states at the meeting. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Trade Secretary Gina Raimondo and Trade Representative Catherine Tai were announced for the US government.

Relations between the European Union and the United States are now strained by the latest submarine deal. Last week, Australia agreed to build nuclear-powered submarines as part of a three-way agreement with the United States and Great Britain, and ended a €56 billion contract with Paris in 2016. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen asked for details about what happened and why. You need clarity before returning to “business as usual”.

An EU Commission spokesman did not rule out Tuesday that the EU-US meeting could be postponed. Analyze possible impacts on date./wim/DP/zb