It’s Friday.
When Biden Bits was posted for Thursday, President Biden had tweeted 6 times. He added 4 tweets giving him a Thursday Tweeting Total of 10 tweets and 0 retweets.
The White House posted the background press call on: President Biden’s Meetings with the G7 and the European Council
Thanks, [senior administration official]. And let me follow up from [senior administration official] and just preview some of the G7 discussions, in particular the actions we have planned on sanctions.
So, today the U.S. will sanction Russian elites, the Duma, and over 300 Duma members, and over 40 Russian defense companies. All of this will align and strengthen our sanctions in close coordination and partnership with the EU and G7.
The G7 and EU will also announce a new sanctions evasion initiative that’s designed to prevent circumvention or backfilling of our unprecedented measures. And that will happen through closing down avenues, for example, for the Russian Central Bank to prop up the ruble. It could be through growing our coalition of countries to deny cutting-edge technology to Russia, or through preventing Russia from designating crony banks to do it business abroad.
In all cases, we’ll use this initiative to share information and coordinate our responses to prevent the emergence of any safe haven for Russia, whether it’s in China or any other country.
Third, the G7 and the EU will also continue to blunt the Central Bank of Russia’s ability to deploy international reserves by making clear that any transaction involving gold related to the Central Bank of Russia is prohibited.
And for context: As of June of last year — the last official snapshot of Russia’s Central Bank reserves — gold was 20 percent of the total. And our purpose now is to fully disarm its war chest by making sure its foreign reserves serve no purpose in propping up the Russian currency.
And finally, we and the G7 will join together in saying that international organizations and multilateral fora should no longer conduct their activities with Russia in a business-as-usual manner.
Our purpose here is to methodically remove the benefits and privileges Russia once enjoyed as a participant in the international economic order. And this follows our actions to remove Russia’s most-favored-nation trading status and to suspend its borrowing privileges from the IMF and the World Bank.
You all have the factsheet, so I won’t get into all the detail on the specifics, but let me just step back and put all these actions into context.
All of you will remember that well before Putin invaded Ukraine, we warned that he would face the most severe sanctions ever levied on Russia and ever imposed on a large market economy. We also warned that we would respond to an invasion with unprecedented speed and with a historic degree of coordination.
Over the past month, we’ve done exactly what we said we’d do. Judging from the words and actions of the Russian leadership, this caught the Kremlin by surprise. Putin himself said these sanctions are delivering a profound blow; they’re causing “unprecedented” pressure, in his own words. And yesterday, Minister Lavrov said no one could have predicted the actions we’d take. But the reality is these are precisely the consequences we’ve signaled.
And the consequence is that Russia is now looking at a contraction in its economy of 15 percent this year, according to private sector estimates. To put that into perspective, that would be three times as much as the GDP declined after Russia’s debt default in 1998. The Institute for International Finance estimates that the shock to Russia’s GDP this year will wipe out the past 15 years of economic gains.
Meanwhile, the OECD projects that inflation will spike to 15 percent this year in Russia. More than 400 private sector companies have already quit Russia. And independent observers estimate that over 200,000 people emigrated from Russia just in the past month alone, as the brain drain accelerates.
Set against the backdrop of export controls that deny cutting-edge technology and its removal from international supply chains, Russia will soon face an acute shortage of ideas, talent, and technology to compete in the 21st century. And Putin will be left with a strategic failure of his own making.
Let me turn it now to [senior administration official]. Sorry, I guess I’ll take Q&A before turning it to [senior administration official] on refugees, if that’s all right, [moderator].
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
The G7 Leaders’ issued the following statement:
- We, the Leaders of the G7, met today in Brussels at the invitation of the German G7 Presidency, to further strengthen our cooperation in light of Russia’s unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal aggression and President Putin’s war of choice against independent and sovereign Ukraine. We will stand with the government and people of Ukraine.
- We are united in our resolve to restore peace and stability and uphold international law. Following the United Nations General Assembly resolution on
2 March 2022, we will continue to stand with the overwhelming majority of the international community, in condemning Russia’s military aggression and the suffering and loss of life it continues to cause. - We remain appalled by and condemn the devastating attacks on the Ukrainian population and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. We welcome the investigations of international mechanisms, including by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. We will work together to support the gathering of evidence of war crimes. The siege of Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities, and the denial of humanitarian access by Russian military forces are unacceptable. Russian forces must immediately provide for safe pathways to other parts of Ukraine, as well as humanitarian aid to be delivered to Mariupol and other besieged cities.
- The Russian leadership is obligated to immediately comply with the order of the International Court of Justice to suspend the military operations that it commenced on 24 February 2022 in the territory of Ukraine, without any further delay. We also urge Russia to withdraw its military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine.
- We further call upon the Belarusian authorities to avoid further escalation and to refrain from using their military forces against Ukraine. Moreover, we urge all countries not to give military or other assistance to Russia to help continue its aggression in Ukraine. We will be vigilant regarding any such assistance.
- We will spare no efforts to hold President Putin and the architects and supporters of this aggression, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, accountable for their actions. To this end, we will continue to work together, along with our allies and partners around the world.
- We underline our resolve to impose severe consequences on Russia, including by fully implementing the economic and financial measures we already imposed. We will continue to cooperate closely, including by engaging other governments on adopting similar restrictive measures to those already imposed by G7 members and on refraining from evasion, circumvention and backfilling that seek to undercut or mitigate the effects of our sanctions. We task the relevant Ministers in a focused initiative to monitor the full implementation of sanctions and to coordinate responses related to evasive measures, including regarding gold transactions by the Central Bank of Russia. We stand ready to apply additional measures as required, continuing to act in unity as we do so. We commend those partners who have aligned with us in these efforts.
- Russia’s attack has already risked the safety and security of nuclear sites in Ukraine. Russian military activities are creating extreme risks for the population and the environment, with the potential for catastrophic result. Russia must comply with its international obligations and refrain from any activity that imperils nuclear sites, allowing unhindered control by the Ukrainian authorities, as well as full access by and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
- We warn against any threat of the use of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons or related materials. We recall Russia’s obligations under the international treaties to which it is a signatory, and which protect us all. In this regard, we categorically denounce Russia’s malicious and completely unfounded disinformation campaign against Ukraine, a state in full compliance with international non-proliferation agreements. We express concern about other countries and actors that have amplified Russia’s disinformation campaign.
- We are resolved in our support to the Ukrainian people in their heroic resistance to Russia’s unjustifiable and illegal aggression. We will step up our support to Ukraine and neighbouring countries. We thank all those who are already providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine and ask others to join. We will furthermore collaborate in our efforts to bolster democratic resilience and defend human rights in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
- We will continue efforts to support Ukraine in defending its networks against cyber incidents. In preparation for any Russian malicious cyber response to the actions we have taken, we are taking steps to increase the resilience of the infrastructure in our respective nations by strengthening our coordinated cyber defences and improving our shared awareness of cyber threats. We will also work to hold accountable those actors that engage in destructive, disruptive, or destabilising activities in cyberspace.
- We further commend neighbouring states for their solidarity and humanity in welcoming Ukrainian refugees and third country nationals from Ukraine. We highlight the need to further increase international assistance to countries neighbouring Ukraine, and, as a concrete contribution to this end, underline our commitment to receiving, protecting, and supporting refugees and displaced persons as a consequence of the conflict. We thus all stand ready to welcome them on our territories. We will take further steps to broaden our support to Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
- We are concerned by the escalating and reinforced repression against the Russian people and the increasingly hostile rhetoric of the Russian leadership, including against ordinary citizens. We deplore the Russian leadership’s attempt to deprive Russian citizens of access to unbiased information through censorship, and denounce its malicious disinformation campaigns, which we will not leave unaddressed. We express our support to those Russian and Belarusian citizens standing up against the unjustified war of aggression against their close neighbour Ukraine. The world sees them.
- The people of Russia must know that we hold no grievances against them. It is President Putin, his government and supporters, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, who are imposing this war and its consequences on Russians and it is their decision that besmirches the history of the Russian people.
- We are taking further steps to reduce our reliance on Russian energy, and will work together to this end. At the same time, we will ensure secure alternative and sustainable supplies, and act in solidarity and close coordination in the case of possible supply disruptions. We commit to actively support countries willing to phase out their dependency on Russian gas, oil and coal imports. We call on oil and gas producing countries to act in a responsible manner and to increase deliveries to international markets, noting that OPEC has a key role to play. We will work with them and all partners to ensure stable and sustainable global energy supplies. This crisis reinforces our determination to meet the goals of the Paris agreement and of the Glasgow climate pact and limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C, by accelerating reduction of our reliance on fossil fuels and our transition to clean energy.
- We stand in solidarity with our partners who have to bear the rising price of President Putin’s unilateral choice to wage war in Europe. His decision is putting the global economic recovery at risk, undermines the resilience of global value chains and will have severe impacts on the most fragile countries. We call on the international community to take action by fully recognising Russia’s responsibility and protecting the most vulnerable countries, with the support of international and regional institutions.
- More immediately, President Putin’s war places global food security under increased pressure. We recall that the implementation of our sanctions against Russia takes into account the need to avoid impact on global agricultural trade. We remain determined to monitor the situation closely and do what is necessary to prevent and respond to the evolving global food security crisis. We will make coherent use of all instruments and funding mechanisms to address food security, and build resilience in the agriculture sector in line with climate and environment goals. We will address potential agricultural production and trade disruptions, in particular in vulnerable countries. We commit to provide a sustainable food supply in Ukraine and support continued Ukrainian production efforts.
- We will work with and step up our collective contribution to relevant international institutions including the World Food Programme (WFP), in parallel with Multilateral Development Banks and International Financial Institutions, to provide support to countries with acute food insecurity. We call for an extraordinary session of the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to address the consequences on world food security and agriculture arising from the Russian aggression against Ukraine. We call on all participants of the Agriculture Markets Information System (AMIS) to continue to share information and explore options to keep prices under control, including making stocks available, in particular to the WFP. We will avoid export bans and other trade-restrictive measures, maintain open and transparent markets, and call on others to do likewise, consistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, including WTO notification requirements.
- International organisations and multilateral fora should no longer conduct their activities with Russia in a business as usual manner. We will work closely with our partners to act as appropriate, based on shared interests, as well as rules and regulations of respective institutions.
The YouTube is 18 minutes and 59 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.
UPDATE-ISH: the below tweet some how developed a bad link or IDK what the hell happened to be honest. Hopefully this new copy and transfer works…
It has not been deleted.
In case it doesn’t work the tweet reads: Today, I announced that the United States will welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s aggression. We’re focused on reuniting families and providing refuge to those in harm’s way.
President Biden: And today, I’m announcing the United States have prepared to commit more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to help get relief to millions of Ukrainians affected by the war in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian refugees will wish to stay in Europe, closer to their homes. But we’ve also — will welcome 100,000 Ukrainians to the United States with a focus on reuniting families.
The video clip is 23 seconds long.
President Biden: Putin was banking on NATO being split. In my early conversation with him in December and early January, it was clear to me he didn’t think we could sustain this cohesion. NATO has never, never been more united than it is today. Putin is getting exactly the opposite of what he intended to have as a consequence of going into Ukraine.
Like yesterday, President Biden has a busy Friday, March 25th, 2022…
President Biden has tweeted…
I made the executive decision to include a tweet dated for Thursday into Friday’s total. Time zones are real, it was sent after midnight European time and fits with the other European Commission tweets…
FYI I used my time zone not D.C.’s., timeline.
President Biden has tweeted 4 times for Friday.
The White House posted remarks by: President Biden and European Council President Charles Michel Upon Arrival at the European Council…
I have not been able to locate a video of the meeting upon arrival.
The remarks were short:
PRESIDENT MICHEL: We are very pleased, dear President, dear Joe, to welcome you again in Brussels. Your presence here and your participation in this European Council meeting is a very strong signal.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
Our unity is rock solid, and we are very, very pleased to coordinate, to cooperate with you. These are difficult times, challenging times, and we need to take the right and the intelligent decisions for the future and for the security, for the stability.
And thank you for this excellent cooperation and coordination.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, I came to congratulate a man who just got reelected without opposition. I dream about that someday.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
But, look, from the very beginning, I was of the view: The single most important thing that we have to do in the West is be united. I’m not saying that — that’s not a euphemism. I mean it literally. Literally.
I spent some time with Vladimir Putin back in November and December, and we had a conference in — in Switzerland, at the time. And it was clear to me, and it was to you, that his intentions were very different than benign intentions.
And one of the things that he’s tried to do — his overwhelming objective — and I’ve been speaking about it for a year and a half. His overwhelming objective is to demonstrate that democracies cannot function in the 21st century — because things are moving so rapidly, they require consensus, and it’s too difficult to get consensus — and autocracies are going to rule.
As a matter of fact, we’ve lost more democratic in- — democratic countries — fewer democratic countries today than there were 10 years ago.
And so, from the very beginning, my objective — and I had a great partner in this — was to see to it that we built total, complete unity among the major democracies of the world. I’m not joking about that.
That’s why I called just a couple weeks ago and asked NATO to set up a new — a NATO meeting of the heads of state, and it was took — which took place today. And I fortunately am able to attend two other conferences.
But my point is: unity. Unity. And the very thing that Putin has tried to do from the beginning — and I’ve been saying this since my days as Vice President of the United States — is to break up NATO — break up NATO. He’d rather face 30 independent countries than 30 united countries with the United States of America. Not a joke. I’m being deadly earnest. I believe that’s been his intention from the very, very beginning.
And so, what I want to thank Michel for is the — Michel — is that the whole idea of the unity of Europe as a whole, not just NATO — the G7 and this organization — really matters. It’s the single most important thing that we can do to stop this guy who’s — in our country, we believe he’s already committed war crimes.
But thank you very much for the time, and thank you.
The White House posted a joint-statement by: President Biden and President von der Leyen
We are united in our condemnation of Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who are bravely defending their homeland, and we call on Russia to end the brutal onslaught against its neighbor. We are united in our support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. And we are united in our resolve to defend our shared values, including democracy, respect for human rights, global peace and stability, and the rules-based international order.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
Today, we are continuing coordinated transatlantic efforts to support the Ukrainian people, impose severe costs on Russia for its unjustifiable actions, and strengthen the resilience of our democracies, economies, and societies. In particular,
- The United States and the European Union have strengthened and aligned their sanctions regimes, together with like-minded partners across the world. Additionally, efforts should be stepped up to coordinate responses against sanctions evasion.
- We continue to mobilize and coordinate significant humanitarian relief to support people within Ukraine, those who have been forced to flee, and those affected by the severe impacts Russia’s war is causing around the world. This includes more than $1 billion in new humanitarian assistance the United States is prepared to provide on top of the nearly $300 million already contributed and €550 million from the EU.
- The United States and the European Union are coordinating closely to ensure that their efforts on temporary protection and humanitarian admission, including resettlement or transfers, are complementary and provide much-needed support to Ukraine’s neighbors.
- We are announcing new actions to bolster democratic resilience and defend human rights in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
- The United States and the European Union are supporting the work of war crimes documentation experts who are gathering evidence on the ground in Ukraine.
- We are taking further, concrete steps in our energy cooperation to ensure the security of supply and to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
- In order to prevent a potential food crisis triggered by price hikes and disruptions to food supply sparked by Putin’s war in Ukraine, we intend to redouble our combined efforts to increase global food security and provide direct food aid, where warranted, to our partners worldwide.
- We will advance our cooperation on cybersecurity through a variety of actions, from supporting the Government of Ukraine on cyber resilience and cyber defense to aiming to combat the abuse of virtual currency.
ANNEX – TRANSATLANTIC COOPERATION AND SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
Imposing Additional Costs on Russia
The United States and the European Union have strengthened and aligned their sanctions regimes, together with our like-minded partners across the world. Today, the United States is sanctioning more than 400 additional individuals and entities to align with measures taken by the EU and our allies and partners. This includes the Duma (Russia’s lower house of parliament) and 328 of its members, dozens of defense companies that fuel Putin’s war machine and sustain its military industrial base, and more than 20 financial elites, including the head of Russia’s largest financial institution. The Commission, in line with its competences, will continue to support further similar measures. Together, we should aim at holding accountable those responsible for the devastation and commit to imposing further costs on Russia until Putin ceases his aggression.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
The United States and the European Union are jointly working to blunt Russia’s ability to deploy its remaining international reserves, including gold, to prop up its economy and fund its illegal war.
Additionally, as announced in today’s G7 leaders’ statement, we are establishing an initiative to monitor the full implementation of our sanctions measures and coordinate responses against sanctions evasion. This will ensure that Russia will not be able to backfill or find workarounds that undermine the effect of our sanctions.
Providing Humanitarian Assistance to the Ukrainian People
We reaffirm our deep support for the Ukrainian people, who are suffering from Russia’s devastating bombing of civilians and civilian infrastructure. We urge Russia to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access and permanent safe passage for civilians. We continue to mobilize humanitarian relief to support people within Ukraine and those who have been forced to flee. The United States and the European Union are responding to the humanitarian needs in Ukraine and in countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine. The United States and the European Commission are coordinating closely on the provision of aid, including a through a newly-established high-level dialogue and a U.S. government liaison in the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre. Today, the United States is announcing it is prepared to provide more than $1 billion in new funding toward humanitarian assistance for those affected by Russia’s war in Ukraine and its severe impacts around the world over the coming months. The European Commission has made available EUR 550 million in emergency and humanitarian assistance and, through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism in cooperation with its partners, it has delivered almost EUR 300 million worth of in-kind assistance.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
Welcoming Ukrainians Fleeing Violence
The European Union has generously welcomed almost three and a half million Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s violence, providing them food, shelter, school, and employment opportunities, paying particular attention to the plight of children and providing them protection for the time they need. The United States and the European Union are coordinating closely to ensure that their efforts on temporary protection and humanitarian admission, including resettlement, are complementary and provide much-needed support to Ukraine’s neighbors. Today, the United States is announcing plans to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s aggression through the full range of legal pathways, including the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
Partnering to Promote Democratic Resilience and Human Rights
We steadfastly support the democratic aspirations and fundamental freedoms of the Ukrainian people. Today, we are announcing new commitments to bolster societal resilience and defend human rights in Ukraine and neighboring countries, including Moldova.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
To support human rights defenders, anti-corruption watchdogs, journalists, and other members of civil society operating in and around Ukraine, the United States is launching the European Democratic Resilience Initiative (EDRI), which will provide at least $320 million in new funding to these groups and regional governments. The EDRI will support media freedom and counter disinformation, benefit the safety and security of activists and vulnerable groups, strengthen institutions and the region’s rule of law, and help ensure accountability for human rights abuses and violations of international law. And it will expand rapid response capabilities and technical assistance to build resilience to Moscow’s strategic corruption and kleptocracy.
The European Commission announced plans to reallocate funds from EU programmes to support civil society organizations, human rights defenders, journalists, and pro-democracy activists in Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. In addition, the European Endowment for Democracy, with EU funding contributions, provided a significant number of emergency grants to contribute to saving and sustaining civic activism and media pluralism in Ukraine. It also opened a Centre for Ukrainian Activists (CUA) in Przemyśl, Poland, to provide support for activists and independent journalists in maintaining and sustaining their connections to their activities inside Ukraine.
Promoting Accountability
There should be accountability for any war crimes committed in Ukraine. The United States and the European Union are supporting the important work of war crimes documentation experts who are gathering evidence on the ground in Ukraine. The coordination of documentation and evidence preservation efforts to ensure such accountability should be facilitated.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
Supporting Europe’s Energy Security
We reconfirm our commitment to Europe’s energy security and to accelerating the global transition to clean energy. Energy security and sustainability for the EU and Ukraine are essential for peace, freedom and democracy in Europe. The EU has confirmed its objective to reach independence from Russian gas well before the end of the decade while working to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy supplies to citizens and businesses in the EU and its neighbourhood. The United States intends to partner with the EU on these efforts. We understand that the rapid transition to clean energy is essential to advancing EU independence from Russian fossil fuels and are committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, the objective of net zero emissions by 2050, and keeping a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit on temperature rise within reach. In line with this vision, the European Commission and United States will establish a joint Task Force to address the immediate energy security needs of the EU and accelerate the clean energy transition.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
Securing Global Food Supplies
We are deeply concerned by how Putin’s war in Ukraine has caused major disruptions to international food and agriculture supply chains and the threat it poses to global food security. We recognize that many countries around the world have relied on imported food staples and fertilizer inputs from Ukraine and Russia, with Putin’s aggression disrupting that trade. As the United States and EU comprise many of the world’s major agricultural producers and strong economies, we commit to redoubling our combined efforts to provide direct food aid and other forms of assistance, where warranted, and, to continue the necessary support for agricultural innovation and sustainable productivity growth to ensure global food security, while balancing enhancing climate resilience and reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
We are committed to working with partners to address the attendant supply challenges and maintaining strong, ruled-based, and open global markets for staple agricultural commodities that feed the world. Specifically, the United States, through Feed the Future and our nutrition commitments, is providing over $11 billion over the next five years to address food security threats and nutrition across the globe. Additionally, the United States will remain one of the top providers of humanitarian food and nutrition assistance globally, having contributed approximately $4.6 billion in humanitarian food and nutrition assistance in 2021. We are also identifying tools in the U.S. government’s existing food security tool kit and determining whether programs are fit for purpose for this situation and will make strategic adjustments as needed.
For the period 2021 – 2024, the EU is pledging at least EUR 2.5 billion for international cooperation related to nutrition. This international cooperation programme will support food systems in about 70 partner countries. The proposed EU Emergency Support Programme for Ukraine of EUR 330 million will secure access to basic goods and services for the Ukrainian population and also support Ukraine’s agricultural sector.
Ensuring the Security of Cyberspace
We are committed to advancing our cybersecurity cooperation, both in response to Russia’s illegal further invasion of Ukraine and in support of our longer-term strategic objectives. Together, we will enhance our efforts to coordinate cybersecurity assistance and provide Internet access to the Governments of Ukraine and Moldova, working with Member States and other likeminded partners. In the context of Ukraine and more generally, we will continue to reinforce responsible state behavior in cyberspace and to work together to increase cyber resilience in the face of destructive, disruptive, and destabilizing cyber activity by both States and non-State actors, while also working to hold accountable those responsible for such activity.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
We will work towards establishing more structured cybersecurity information exchanges on threats and threat actors and deepen our cooperation on new cybersecurity technologies and standards. We are committed to our partnership in the Counter Ransomware Initiative to disrupt ransomware groups and reduce related threats to our citizens and businesses. We will enhance efforts to address the abuse of virtual currency; bolster cybersecurity resilience; increase partner capacity for detecting and responding to ransomware activity within their own borders; and work to jointly hold accountable states that act as safe havens for ransomware activity.
Combatting Illicit Use of Digital Assets
We intend to announce deeper collaboration to combat the illicit use of digital assets, including their potential misuse in evading multilateral sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Together, we intend to deepen our shared commitment to advance anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) for digital assets, consistent with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
We will share best practices and coordinate capacity building efforts to help other countries implement AML/CFT frameworks for digital assets. We intend to form a transatlantic sprint between U.S. and EU government officials and, as appropriate, digital asset service providers, to expedite and increase sharing of financial intelligence on illicit use of digital assets. Finally, we will seek opportunities for joint actions against those who facilitate the misuse of digital assets for illicit activity.
The White House posted the joint readout by: the United States and the European Council
Today, the European Council was joined by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States. The leaders discussed the coordinated and united response of the European Union and the United States to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression in Ukraine. They reviewed their ongoing efforts to impose economic costs on Russia and Belarus, as well as their readiness to adopt additional measures and to stop any attempts to circumvent sanctions. Leaders discussed the urgent needs caused by Russia’s aggression, committed to continuing providing humanitarian assistance, including to neighboring countries hosting refugees, and underscored the need for Russia to guarantee humanitarian access to those affected by or fleeing the violence. Leaders welcomed the opening of international investigations, including by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and ongoing efforts to gather evidence of atrocities. In addition, leaders discussed EU-U.S. cooperation to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, accelerate the transition to clean energy, as well as the need to respond to evolving food security needs worldwide. The leaders also concurred on the importance of strengthening democratic resilience in Ukraine, Moldova, and the wider Eastern partnership region. Finally, leaders underscored the importance of enhancing transatlantic security and defense, including through robust NATO-EU cooperation as described in the EU’s Strategic Compass.
White House.gov. 03/24/2022.
The next statements and fact-sheets and remarks posted by the White House regarding his European visit are semi-related to this tweet:
The fact-sheet: United States and European Commission Announce Task Force to Reduce Europe’s Dependence on Russian Fossil Fuels
Today, President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a joint Task Force to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels and strengthen European energy security as President Putin wages his war of choice against Ukraine.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
This Task Force for Energy Security will be chaired by a representative from the White House and a representative of the President of the European Commission. It will work to ensure energy security for Ukraine and the EU in preparation for next winter and the following one while supporting the EU’s goal to end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
The Task Force will organize its efforts around two primary goals: (1) Diversifying liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies in alignment with climate objectives; (2) Reducing demand for natural gas.
Diversifying LNG Supplies in Alignment with Climate Objectives
- The United States will work with international partners and strive to ensure additional LNG volumes for the EU market of at least 15 bcm in 2022, with expected increases going forward.
- The United States and the European Commission will undertake efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of all new LNG infrastructure and associated pipelines, including through using clean energy to power onsite operations, reducing methane leakage, and building clean and renewable hydrogen-ready infrastructure.
- The European Commission will prepare an upgraded regulatory framework for energy security of supply and storage, as well as working with EU Member States to accelerate regulatory procedures to review and determine approvals for LNG import infrastructure. The United States will maintain its regulatory environment with an emphasis on supporting this emergency energy security objective and the REPowerEU goals.
- The European Commission will work with EU Member States toward the goal of ensuring, until at least 2030, demand for approximately 50 bcm/year of additional U.S. LNG that is consistent with our shared net-zero goals. This also will be done on the understanding that prices should reflect long-term market fundamentals and stability of supply and demand.
Reducing Demand for Natural Gas
- The United States and the European Commission will engage key stakeholders, including the private sector, and deploy immediate recommendations to reduce overall gas demand by accelerating market deployment of clean energy measures.
- Immediate reductions in gas demand can be achieved through energy efficiency solutions such as ramping up demand response devices, including smart thermostats, and deployment of heat pumps. The REPowerEU plan estimates that reductions through energy savings in homes can replace 15.5 bcm this year and that accelerating wind and solar deployment can replace 20 bcm this year, and through EU’s existing plans such as “Fit for 55” contribute to the EU goal of saving 170 bcm/year by 2030.
- As global leaders in renewable energy, the United States and the European Commission will work to expedite planning and approval for renewable energy projects and strategic energy cooperation, including on technologies where we both excel such as offshore wind.
- We will continue to collaborate to advance the production and use of clean and renewable hydrogen to displace unabated fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions, which will include both technology and supporting infrastructure.
The joint-statement between: the United States and the European Commission on European Energy Security
Preamble
The United States and the European Commission are committed to reducing Europe’s dependency on Russian energy. We reaffirm our joint commitment to Europe’s energy security and sustainability and to accelerating the global transition to clean energy. In condemning in the strongest terms Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, we express our solidarity and support for Ukraine. We share the objective of addressing the energy security emergency – to ensure energy supply for the EU and Ukraine. We welcome the continued progress toward the physical integration of Ukraine with the EU energy markets. The energy security and sustainability of the EU and Ukraine are essential for peace, freedom and democracy in Europe.Through the Joint European action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy (REPowerEU), the EU confirmed its objective to reach independence from Russian fossil fuels well before the end of the decade, replacing them with stable, affordable, reliable, and clean energy supplies for EU citizens and businesses.
The United States and the EU are committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, achieving the objective of net zero emissions by 2050, and keeping a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit on temperature rise within reach, including through a rapid clean energy transition, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. These policies and technologies will also contribute to making the EU independent from Russian fossil fuels. Natural gas remains an important part of the EU energy system in the green transition, including by ensuring its carbon intensity decreases over time.The United States and European Commission confirm our strategic energy cooperation for security of energy supply and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. We share efforts to make available stable, affordable, reliable and clean energy supplies to citizens and businesses in the EU and its neighbouring partner nations. In this framework, we establish an immediate cooperation to address the emergency energy security objective of ensuring appropriate levels of gas storage ahead of next winter and the following one. We will continue our close cooperation on other measures to accelerate the green energy transition, lower energy consumption and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
Task Force on Energy Security
The United States and the European Commission will immediately establish a joint Task Force on Energy Security to set out the parameters of this cooperation and execute its implementation. The Task Force will be chaired by a representative from the White House and a representative of the President of the European Commission.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
This Task Force will focus on the following urgent issues:
- The United States will strive to ensure, including working with international partners, additional liquified natural gas (LNG) volumes for the EU market of at least 15 bcm in 2022 with expected increases going forward.
- The United States and European Commission will undertake efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of all new LNG infrastructure and associated pipelines, including through the use of clean energy to power onsite operations, the reduction of methane leakage, and the construction of clean and renewable hydrogen ready infrastructure.
- The United States commits to maintaining an enabling regulatory environment with procedures to review and expeditiously act upon applications to permit any additional export LNG capacities that would be needed to meet this emergency energy security objective and support the RePowerEU goals, affirming the joint resolve to terminate EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels by 2027.
- The European Commission will work with the governments of EU Member States to accelerate their regulatory procedures to review and determine approvals for LNG import infrastructure, to include onshore facilities and related pipelines to support imports using floating storage regasification unit vessels, and fixed LNG import terminals.
- The European Commission will work with EU Member States and market operators to pool demand through a newly established EU Energy platform for additional volumes between April and October 2022. The European Commission will also support long-term contracting mechanisms and partner with the U.S. to encourage relevant contracting to support final investment decisions on both LNG export and import infrastructure.
- The European Commission will work with EU Member States toward ensuring stable demand for additional U.S. LNG until at least 2030 of approximately 50 bcm/annum, on the understanding that the price formula of LNG supplies to the EU should reflect long-term market fundamentals, and stability of the cooperation of the demand and supply side, and that this growth be consistent with our shared net zero goals. In particular, price formula should include consideration of Henry Hub Natural Gas Spot Price and other stabilising factors.
- The EU is preparing an upgraded regulatory framework for energy security of supply and storage. This will enhance certainty and predictability regarding security of supply and storage needs and ensure closer cooperation within the EU and its neighbouring partner nations. The European Commission has proposed regulation on energy storage to ensure that the existing storage infrastructure is filled up to 90% of its capacity by 1 November each year, with specific phase-in provisions for 2022. The European Commission will coordinate with the Member States and provide transparency with respect to available LNG capacity in EU terminals.
- The United States and the European Commission will engage key stakeholders, including the private sector, to formulate immediate recommendations that will reduce overall gas demand through accelerating market deployment and utilization of clean energy technologies and measures in Europe and the United States such as:
- Partnering on technologies and energy efficiency solutions such as ramping up demand response devices (such as smart thermostats) and heat pump deployment and installations, scaling procurement for clean energy equipment, investing in innovative technologies and fuel-switching away from fossil fuels.
- Expediting planning and approval for renewable energy projects and strategic energy cooperation including in offshore wind technologies.
- Developing a strategy to accelerate workforce development to support the rapidly deployment of clean energy technologies, including an expansion of solar and wind.
- Collaborating to advance the production and use of clean and renewable hydrogen to displace unabated fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions, including by investing in technology development and supporting infrastructure.
- The European Commission is working to advance measures that reduce gas consumption by maximizing renewable energy generation and utilization, including by reducing curtailment rates.
- The United States and the European Commission are resolved to negotiate and then implement an ambitious emissions-based Global Arrangement on Steel and Aluminum Trade that incentives industrial decarbonization and lowers energy demand.
The White House posted a joint press statement by: President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Good morning. Today I’m proud to once again be standing together with President von der Leyen as we announce a new groundbreaking initiative between the European Union and the United States.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
First, we’re coming together to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy. Putin has issued Russia’s energy resources to coerce and manipulate its neighbors. That’s how he’s used it. He’s used the profits to drive his war machine.
And that’s why, earlier this month, I announced the United States would ban all imports of Russian energy to make it clear that the American people would not be part of subsidizing Putin’s brutal, unjustified war against the people of Ukraine.
At the time, I noted that we were able to take those steps when others could not because the United States is a net energy exporter of energy, with a strong domestic industry.
And the United States welcomed the European Union’s powerful statement earlier this month committing to rapidly reduce its dependence on Russian gas.
Today we’ve agreed on a joint game plan toward that goal while accelerating our progress toward a secure clean energy future.
This initiative focuses on two core issues: One, helping Europe reduce its dependency on Russian gas as quickly as possible. And, secondly, reducing Europe’s demand for gas overall.
To address the first point, the United States, together with our international partners, they’re going to — we’re going to work to ensure an additional 15 — one-five — 15 billion cubic meters of liquified natural gas — LNG — for Europe this year.
And as the EU works to discontinue buying Russian gas well before 2030, it will also work to ensure additional EU market demand for 50 billion cubic meters of LNG from the United States annually by 2030.
To accomplish this, the European Commission is going to work with the member states to store gas across the continent, to build more infrastructure to receive LNG, and to take steps to increase the efficiency of gas.
This build-out — this build-out will occur in a way that consists — is consistent with, not in conflict with, the zero — net-zero climate goal we — that we’re shooting for. It’s going to take some time to adjust gas supply chains and infrastructure as is built the last decade — for the last decade.
So we’re going to have to make sure the families in Europe can get through this winter and the next while we’re building an infrastructure for a diversified, resilient, and clean energy future.
At the same time, this crisis also presents an opportunity. It’s a catalyst — a catalyst that will drive the investments we need to double-down on our clean energy goals and accelerate progress toward our net-zero emissions future.
That’s what the second part of this initiative is all about.
The United States and the European Union are going to work together to take concrete measures to reduce dependence on natural gas — period — and to maximize the available — the avail- — the availability and use of renewable energy.
We’re going to accelerate widespread adoption of energy-efficient technologies and equipment, like smart thermostats, the work — that work to — and work to electrify heating systems all across Europe.
We’re going to invest in innovative solutions and technologies to make the switch from fossil fuels.
And together, we’ll advance the use of clean and renewable hydrogen to reduce our carbon emissions.
This — these steps will increase energy security, economic security, and national security.
And we’re going to stand up a joint task force to implement these changes and drive progress that will be co-chaired by representatives from the White House and the President of the European Union’s team — Commission’s team.
Madam President, I know — I know that eliminating Russian gas will have costs for Europe. But it’s not only the right thing to do from a moral standpoint, it’s going to put us on a much stronger strategic footing.
And I’m proud to announce that we’ve also reached another major breakthrough in transatlantic data flows. Privacy and security are key elements of my digital agenda.
And today, we’ve agreed to unprecedented protections for data privacy and security for our citizens.
This new agreement will enhance the Privacy Shield Framework; promote growth and innovation in Europe and the United States; and help companies, both small and large, compete in the digital economy.
Just as we did when we resolved the Boeing-Airbus dispute and lifted the steel and aluminum tariffs, the United States and the EU are finding creative, new approaches to knit our economies and our people closer together, grounded on shared values.
This framework underscores our shared commitment to privacy, to data protection, and to the rule of law. And it’s going to allow the European Commission to once again authorize
transatlantic data flows that help facilitate $7.1 trillion in economic relationships with the EU.
So thank you again, Madam President, for your personal friendship, for your partnership, and above all, your leadership.
All of this is bringing the European Union and the United States even closer together, and that’s a win for all of us.
So I thank you all, and I’m now going to yield the podium to the President.
Let me pull this out. (Pulls out the step stool.) Got to earn my salary here. (Laughter.) Is it out enough? There you go. Thank you. (Laughs.)
PRESIDENT VON DER LEYEN: Thank you. Mr. President, Dear Joe, your presence here in Brussels this week — at the NATO summit, at the G7, and at our European Council — sends a very powerful message to the world.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
The transatlantic partnership stands stronger and more united than ever. And we are determined to stand up against Russia’s brutal war. This war will be a strategic failure for Putin.
Our cooperation on the four successive waves of sanctions against Russia has been extraordinary and exceptional. The sanctions are now working their way deep into the Russian system, draining Putin’s resources to finance this atrocious war.
Our work on sanctions also shows that when we act together, we’re stronger and we really can make a difference.
And we are continuing to reinforce our cooperation in many strategic ways: on humanitarian and security assistance to Ukraine; on energy; on fighting the threats against our democracies; on solving outstanding issues in the EU-U.S. cooperation, including in data protec- — protection and privacy.
In a world faced with disorder, our transatlantic unity upholds fundamental values and rules that our citizens believe in. Let me focus first on refugees.
Until now, around three and a half million people have left Ukraine, half of them children. Every second refugee is a child. And the numbers will keep rising. So, together, we are mobilizing massive resources to support those displaced by the conflict, be it in Ukraine or in the neighboring countries.
Just this week, for example, I announced that the European Union will allocate an extra 3.4 billion euros for this purpose, and more will come. This demonstrates our deep support for Ukraine and its citizens.
And I want to tell the American people how grateful Europe is for their unwavering support. This support also extends to strengthening Europe’s energy security and independence from Russian fossil fuels. As you know, we aim to reduce this dependency on Russian fossil fuels and to get rid of it. And this can only be achieved through, of course, first of all, investment in renewables, but also through additional gas supplies, including LNG deliveries.
So we want, as Europeans, to diversify away from Russia, towards suppliers that we trust, that are friends, and that are reliable.
And therefore, the U.S. commitment to provide the European Union with additional at least 15 billion cubic meters of LNG this year is a big step in this direction because this will replace the LNG supply we currently receive from Russia.
And looking ahead, the United States and Europe will ensure stable demand and supply for additional at least 50 billion cubic meter of U.S. LNG until 2030. And if we look at that, this amount, 50 bcm per year, is replacing one third already of the Russian gas going to Europe today. So, we are right in — on track now to diversify away from Russian gas and towards our friends’ and partners’ reliable and trustworthy suppliers.
We need to secure our supplies not just for next winter but also for the years ahead. And this is a — an important, a big starting point to do that.
Our partnership aims to sustain us through this war, to work on our independence from Russian fossil fuels, but it also focuses on building a greener future with climate neutrality. We will work together also with our energy-intensive industry. And the good news is that the infrastructure that we use for gas today can be used for clean hydrogen in the future. So, this investment we are doing right now is also an investment in the decarbonizing of our economy.
The cooperation shows the power of our democracies. I particularly welcome that we will step up our respective action on strengthening democracies, the rule of law, the freedom of media in the world.
And we also need to continue adapting our own democracies to a changing world. This is particularly true when it comes to digitalization, in which the protection of personal data and privacy has become so crucial.
And therefore, I’m very pleased that we have found an agreement in principle on a new framework for transatlantic data flows. This will enable predictable and trustworthy data flows between the EU and U.S., safeguarding privacy and civil liberties.
And I really want to thank Commissioner Reynders and Secretary Raimondo for their tireless efforts over the past month to finish a balanced and effective solution. This is another step in our — strengthening our partnership. We managed to balance security and the right to privacy and data protection.
Mr. President, Dear Joe: Putin is trying to turn back the clock to another era — an era of brutal use of force, of power politics, of spheres of influence, and internal repression. I am confident he will fail.
We are working together to forge a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future. And I know we will succeed.
Thank you very much.
The White House posted the background press call on the: U.S. and the European Commission’s Task Force to Reduce Europe’s Dependence on Russian Fossil Fuels
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, everybody, for joining. I’m going to say a few things about the energy agreement and then also the new transatlantic data privacy and security agreement as well.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
So first, on energy: Today, President Biden and President von der Leyen are ushering in a new era of energy security for Europe.
As you all know, Putin’s war has highlighted an urgent need to reduce our dependence, Europe’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels. It’s very clear that Putin is continuing to use energy as a weapon to coerce and destabilize Europe. The task force we’re announcing today will hit hard at his ability to do this in the near term, and we’re working toward eliminating his ability to do so in the future.
So, the strategy that we’re announcing today to address the near term is to reduce demand for fossil fuels — natural gas in particular — and also filling in for natural gas that would have come from Russia in the very near term to avoid people getting cold this winter and next winter before clean energy is deployed at scale.
The President knows, and we’ve discussed at length, that the true path to energy security runs through clean energy. So that’s the second part of this agreement. The first part is getting Europe off Russian gas. The second part is getting Europe off gas altogether. And he’s committed to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and reaping the climate, environmental, economic, and energy security benefits of moving decisively down that path.
With respect to the enhanced Privacy Shield agreement — you know, this trip has been all about unity. And when you have the unity that’s been forged between the U.S. and Europe, it creates a lot of trust and goodwill, and you can settle — you can settle issues that have been nagging at the relationship. And we did so with the Boeing-Airbus dispute — resolving that last summer, in June. We did so as well by lifting steel and aluminum tariffs in November. And this is another example of coming together on standards, on writing the rules of the road for data flows between Europe and the U.S. I mean, these data flows underpin the $7 trillion of commerce that takes place between the U.S. and the European Union.
And based on our shared — the shared importance we place on privacy, data protection, and rule of law, we’ve come together and we’ve now settled a dispute that’s been going on for over a year. Another example of why unity matters. And it’s going to forge our partnership even closer.
I’ll turn it over to [senior administration official] to say more about the energy deal.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you so much. So today we announced a task force that will be led out of the White House and the Office of the President of the European Commission to support the EU’s objective to end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible.
[Senior administration official] mentioned the two lines of effort, and I want to underscore that both lines of effort focus on ensuring that the task force is working to ensure European energy security in the near term while also recognizing that a rapid clean-energy transition to renewable energy, and including energy efficiency, are key tools that we will need to avoid these shocks in the future, while advancing our shared climate objectives.
The task force and international partners will target additional LNG volumes to Europe of at least 15 bcm this year, with expected increases going forward.
The task force will also simultaneously focus on reducing overall gas demand, in line with our shared climate and clean energy objectives. This includes engaging with key stakeholders, including from the private sector, to target immediate reductions in gas demand that can be achieved through ramping up energy efficiency measures and accelerating renewable energy development and deployment.
The REPowerEU plan, developed by the European Commission and released on March 8th to phase out of their dependence of Russian fossil fuels well before 2030, estimates that many of these measures can produce even greater savings in the near term.
According to their estimate — their estimate is that energy savings in homes alone can save at least 15.5 bcm by the end of this year. And they estimate that accelerating wind and solar deployments and by frontloading that can replace about 20 bcm by the end of this year — with their goal of saving over 170 bcm a year by 2030 through the plans the EU made before the invasion, such as Fit for 55.
So we — as we support our European partners in the face of Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified war of choice, we’re also strengthening their ability to meet their long-term objectives.
So with that, we’ll turn it over and take some questions.
Not related to a tweet so far the White House has posted: United States and European Commission Joint Statement on Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework
The United States and the European Commission announce that they have agreed in principle on a new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework, which will foster trans-Atlantic data flows and address the concerns raised by the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Schrems II decision of July 2020.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
The new Framework marks an unprecedented commitment on the U.S. side to implement reforms that will strengthen the privacy and civil liberties protections applicable to U.S. signals intelligence activities. Under the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework, the United States is to put in place new safeguards to ensure that signals surveillance activities are necessary and proportionate in the pursuit of defined national security objectives, establish a two-level independent redress mechanism with binding authority to direct remedial measures, and enhance rigorous and layered oversight of signals intelligence activities to ensure compliance with limitations on surveillance activities.
The Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework reflects more than a year of detailed negotiations between the U.S. and E.U. led by Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders. It will provide a durable basis for trans-Atlantic data flows, which are critical to protecting citizens’ rights and enabling trans-Atlantic commerce in all sectors of the economy, including for small and medium enterprises. By advancing cross-border data flows, the new framework will promote an inclusive digital economy in which all people can participate and in which companies of all sizes from all of our countries can thrive.
The announcement is another demonstration of the strength of the U.S.-EU relationship, in that we continue to deepen our partnership as a community of democracies to ensure both security and respect for privacy and to enable economic opportunities for our companies and citizens. The new Framework will facilitate further U.S.-EU cooperation, including through the Trade and Technology Council and through multilateral fora, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, on digital policies.
The teams of the U.S. Government and the European Commission will now continue their cooperation with a view to translate this arrangement into legal documents that will need to be adopted on both sides to put in place this new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework. For that purpose, these U.S. commitments will be included in an Executive Order that will form the basis of the Commission’s assessment in its future adequacy decision.
The White House posted a fact-sheet: United States and European Commission Announce Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework
The United States and the European Commission have committed to a new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework, which will foster trans-Atlantic data flows and address the concerns raised by the Court of Justice of the European Union when it struck down in 2020 the Commission’s adequacy decision underlying the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework.
This Framework will reestablish an important legal mechanism for transfers of EU personal data to the United States. The United States has committed to implement new safeguards to ensure that signals intelligence activities are necessary and proportionate in the pursuit of defined national security objectives, which will ensure the privacy of EU personal data and to create a new mechanism for EU individuals to seek redress if they believe they are unlawfully targeted by signals intelligence activities. This deal in principle reflects the strength of the enduring U.S.-EU relationship, as we continue to deepen our partnership based on our shared democratic values.
This Framework will provide vital benefits to citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. For EU individuals, the deal includes new, high-standard commitments regarding the protection of personal data. For citizens and companies on both sides of the Atlantic, the deal will enable the continued flow of data that underpins more than $1 trillion in cross-border commerce every year, and will enable businesses of all sizes to compete in each other’s markets. It is the culmination of more than a year of detailed negotiations between the EU and the U.S. following the 2020 decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling that the prior EU-U.S. framework , known as Privacy Shield, did not satisfy EU legal requirements.
The new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework underscores our shared commitment to privacy, data protection, the rule of law, and our collective security as well as our mutual recognition of the importance of trans-Atlantic data flows to our respective citizens, economies, and societies. Data flows are critical to the trans-Atlantic economic relationship and for all companies large and small across all sectors of the economy. In fact, more data flows between the United States and Europe than anywhere else in the world, enabling the $7.1 trillion U.S.-EU economic relationship.
By ensuring a durable and reliable legal basis for data flows, the new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework will underpin an inclusive and competitive digital economy and lay the foundation for further economic cooperation. It addresses the Court of Justice of the European Union’s Schrems II decision concerning U.S, law governing signals intelligence activities. Under the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework, the United States has made unprecedented commitments to:
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
- Strengthen the privacy and civil liberties safeguards governing U.S. signals intelligence activities;
- Establish a new redress mechanism with independent and binding authority; and
- Enhance its existing rigorous and layered oversight of signals intelligence activities.
For example, the new Framework ensures that:
- Signals intelligence collection may be undertaken only where necessary to advance legitimate national security objectives, and must not disproportionately impact the protection of individual privacy and civil liberties;
- EU individuals may seek redress from a new multi-layer redress mechanism that includes an independent Data Protection Review Court that would consist of individuals chosen from outside the U.S. Government who would have full authority to adjudicate claims and direct remedial measures as needed; and
- U.S. intelligence agencies will adopt procedures to ensure effective oversight of new privacy and civil liberties standards.
Participating companies and organizations that take advantage of the Framework to legally protect data flows will continue to be required to adhere to the Privacy Shield Principles, including the requirement to self-certify their adherence to the Principles through the U.S. Department of Commerce. EU individuals will continue to have access to multiple avenues of recourse to resolve complaints about participating organizations, including through alternative dispute resolution and binding arbitration.
These new policies will be implemented by the U.S. intelligence community in a way to effectively protect its citizens, and those of its allies and partners, consistent with the high-standard protections offered under this Framework.
White House.gov. 03/25/2022.
The teams of the U.S. government and the European Commission will now continue their cooperation with a view to translate this arrangement into legal documents that will need to be adopted on both sides to put in place this new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework. For that purpose, these U.S. commitments will be included in an Executive Order that will form the basis of the Commission’s assessment in its future adequacy decision.
Live right now or at least streaming that “we will begin shortly” President Biden receives a briefing on the Humanitarian Efforts for Ukraine:
The “live feed” might be concluded by post time.
This is an Open Thread.
