Joint Statement on Chapter IV
New Transatlantic Agenda Dialogues
December 18, 1998
Washington, DC
The United States and European Union affirm their commitment to the process
of strengthening and broadening public support on both sides of the Atlantic
for the EU-US partnership by fostering "people-to-people" transatlantic
links between non-governmental actors. We applaud the steps taken during
the Austrian EU Presidency to further the process of building bridges
across the Atlantic, in particular, the establishment of the Transatlantic
Consumer Dialogue and the on-going and constructive input we receive from
the Transatlantic Business Dialogue. We have given encouragement to the
Transatlantic Labour Dialogue to develop further its program of work.
Building on work that began this year, we look forward to the formal launching
of a Transatlantic Environmental Dialogue early next year. We welcome
contacts that are taking place between development NGOs with a view to
the possibility of establishing a Transatlantic Development Dialogue.
We look forward to these dialogues providing recommendations to us on
an on-going basis on issues of mutual concern, as they have done for today's
Summit. We welcome input from these dialogues as well as other sectors
of society to help shape our agenda.
We will work with all of the transatlantic dialogues to ensure that
lines of communication to government are balanced and open. We will work
with the dialogues to help ensure their sustainability. This process will
require resources and support from outside of government, and we will
encourage the development of links with the private sector, including
foundations. We reaffirm our commitment to support initiatives to deepen
the commercial, social, cultural, scientific and educational ties between
our respective societies. We recognise that there is much that our transatlantic
communities can learn from one another.
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