Enhancing the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership: Reducing Regulatory Barriers

With support from the European Union, the George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center has undertaken a project to conduct policy research and engage public debate to identify and analyze key regulatory challenges and opportunities to transatlantic trade. As part of that project, the Center hosted a conference on "Enhancing the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership: Reducing Regulatory Barriers" on November 19 - 20, 2014 in Washington DC. The conference featured remarks by European Union Ambassador to the United States David O’Sullivan, chief TTIP negotiator Daniel Mullaney, Head of the Trade and Agriculture Section of the EU Delegation Damien Levie, and Senator Rob Portman. In addition, senior EU and US policy officials and regulatory experts, and stakeholders exchanged their perspectives and expertise on panels discussing such topics as regulatory analysis, the role for legislators and courts, risk assessment and risk management, public engagement, and regulatory cooperation.

This project is funded in part by the European Union, with additional support from the American Cleaning Institute, American Chemistry Council, Atlantic Council, and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Event Agenda (PDF)

Enhancing the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership: Reducing Regulatory Barriers

Wednesday, November 19

Welcome

• Susan Dudley, Director, The George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center
• David O'Sullivan, Ambassador to the United States from the European Union

Session 1: TTIP Overview

• Daniel Mullaney, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East, Chief TTIP negotiator
• Damien Levie, Head of the Trade and Agriculture Section of the European Union Delegation in Washington, DC

Session 2: Achieving Regulatory Policy Objectives: An Overview and Comparison of U.S. and EU Procedures

• Anne Meuwese, Tilburg Law School, Netherlands (Moderator)
• Susan Dudley, The George Washington University
• Kai Wegrich, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin
• Alberto Alemanno, HEC, Paris
• Richard Parker, University of Connecticut School of Law

Session 3: Role of Legislatures & Courts

• Paul Verkuil, Chairman, Administrative Conference of the United States (Moderator)
• Anne Meuwese, Tilburg Law School, Netherlands
• Richard Pierce, The George Washington University Law School
• Session 4: Role of ex ante Regulatory Impact Analysis & ex post Regulatory Evaluation
• Michael Fitzpatrick, General Electric Company (Moderator)
• Dominic Mancini, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Office of Management and Budget
• Joseph Aldy, John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
• Elizabeth Golberg, External Institutional Relations, Secretariat General, European Commission
• Céline Kauffmann, OECD Regulatory Policy Division

Session 5: Stakeholder Consultation

• Reeve Bull, Administrative Conference of the United States (Moderator)
• Greg Skelton, American Chemistry Council
• Anna Fielder, Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue
• Susan Grant, Consumer Federation of America
• Lena Perenius, The European Chemical Industry Council
• Alex Hunt, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Office of Management and Budget
• Elizabeth Golberg, External Institutional Relations, Secretariat General, European Commission

Thursday, November 20

Keynote Breakfast

• US Senator Rob Portman

Session 6: Lessons and Experiences in Regulatory and Trade Cooperation

• John Morall, former branch chief, Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs (Moderator)
• Neil Eisner, Consultant, former Assistant General Counsel, U.S Department of Transportation  
• Donald Abelson, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative
• Celine Kauffman, OECD Regulatory Policy Division

Session 7: Risk Assessment, Management, & Communication

• Jeff Weiss, U.S. Department of Commerce (Moderator)
• George Gray, The George Washington University School of Public Health
• Ragnar Lofstedt, Kings College, London
• Geoffrey Podger, former Chief Executive of the UK Food Standards Agency and Director of the European Food Safety Authority
• Jonathan Wiener, Duke University

Concluding Remarks & Discussion of Next Steps