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This event has now taken place. You can view a recording of the session below.
Session 1: The New Transatlantic Agenda 21 April 2021
In its new “Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy”, the EU rightly refers to the transatlantic relationship as “the biggest and most economically significant partnership in the world”, with Presidents Biden and von der Leyen committing in March 2021 to “repair and revitalise the U.S.-EU partnership.” However, challenges such as tariff disputes, digital tax, and WTO reform still loom large, meaning Brussels and Washington must work together on redefining the transatlantic trade relationship, rather than a return to “business as usual.”
Europe has proposed the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) as the key forum if the ambition of a transatlantic technology alliance is to be met. DIGITALEUROPE is bringing together decision-makers and stakeholders to discuss the prospects for establishing the TTC, and how it could ensure that the EU and US lead the global challenge of post-Covid recovery as “tech allies.”
Note: All session timings below are in Central European Summer Time (CEST)
15:00 – 15:05
Platform Introduction
15:05 – 15:10
Session Introduction
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General, DIGITALEUROPE Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl is Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, the leading digital technology industry association representing over 35,000 digital companies in Europe.
She is a member of the Stakeholder Cybersecurity Certification Group of ENISA (the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) and of NATO’s high-level Advisory Group for Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, as well as a board member of the European Commission’s Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition and the European Parliament-led European Internet Forum.
Formerly, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl was a member of the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, and of the High-level Strategy Group on Industrial Technologies in charge of identifying Key Enabling Technologies.
She was an Executive Board Member of the Royal Danish Export Council and Chair of the Export Grant Committee under the Danish Foreign Ministry. She also served as Executive Board member in DIGITALEUROPE, and as a member of the association’s high level Digital Advisory Council.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl has served as Board Member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce and was President of the Board of the Danish ICT association (ITB), where she led the development of policy positions on issues such as business digitalisation, ICT security, disruptive business models, telecoms and education.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl has more than 25 years of experience in the ICT industry. She previously held international positions at IBM and Oracle as well as with SMEs, building businesses across Europe and China and founding the cloud provider GlobeIT. She has deep insights into the digitalisation of business and society and the data-driven economy, and is regularly invited to deliver keynote speeches on these issues at high-level events across the world.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl
Director General, DIGITALEUROPE
15:10 – 15:15
Keynote Speech
Alexandra Whittaker, Chief Trade Counsel at the House Ways and Means Committee Alexandra Whittaker is Chief Trade Counsel and Trade Staff Director to the Chairman and Democratic Members of the Committee on Ways and Means. She previously served two years on the Committee as Trade Counsel.
Before joining the Committee staff, Alexandra was Assistant General Counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) with responsibility for providing legal counsel and policy guidance on a wide variety of international trade matters, as well as litigating trade remedies and agricultural disputes before the WTO. During her time at USTR, Alexandra also served as Assistant Legal Advisor to the U.S. Mission to the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was a U.S. negotiator for the WTO dispute settlement reform negotiations and represented the United States in all disputes and dispute-related matters before the WTO.
Alexandra previously worked as an environmental attorney for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and counsel for a trade association. She is currently a lecturer at Columbia Law School.
Alexandra is a proud graduate of Spelman College and Howard University School of Law.
Alexandra Whittaker
Chief Trade Counsel at the House Ways and Means Committee
15:15 – 15:25
In Conversation
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General, DIGITALEUROPE Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl is Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, the leading digital technology industry association representing over 35,000 digital companies in Europe.
She is a member of the Stakeholder Cybersecurity Certification Group of ENISA (the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) and of NATO’s high-level Advisory Group for Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, as well as a board member of the European Commission’s Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition and the European Parliament-led European Internet Forum.
Formerly, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl was a member of the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, and of the High-level Strategy Group on Industrial Technologies in charge of identifying Key Enabling Technologies.
She was an Executive Board Member of the Royal Danish Export Council and Chair of the Export Grant Committee under the Danish Foreign Ministry. She also served as Executive Board member in DIGITALEUROPE, and as a member of the association’s high level Digital Advisory Council.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl has served as Board Member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce and was President of the Board of the Danish ICT association (ITB), where she led the development of policy positions on issues such as business digitalisation, ICT security, disruptive business models, telecoms and education.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl has more than 25 years of experience in the ICT industry. She previously held international positions at IBM and Oracle as well as with SMEs, building businesses across Europe and China and founding the cloud provider GlobeIT. She has deep insights into the digitalisation of business and society and the data-driven economy, and is regularly invited to deliver keynote speeches on these issues at high-level events across the world.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl
Director General, DIGITALEUROPE
Alexandra Whittaker, Chief Trade Counsel at the House Ways and Means Committee Alexandra Whittaker is Chief Trade Counsel and Trade Staff Director to the Chairman and Democratic Members of the Committee on Ways and Means. She previously served two years on the Committee as Trade Counsel.
Before joining the Committee staff, Alexandra was Assistant General Counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) with responsibility for providing legal counsel and policy guidance on a wide variety of international trade matters, as well as litigating trade remedies and agricultural disputes before the WTO. During her time at USTR, Alexandra also served as Assistant Legal Advisor to the U.S. Mission to the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was a U.S. negotiator for the WTO dispute settlement reform negotiations and represented the United States in all disputes and dispute-related matters before the WTO.
Alexandra previously worked as an environmental attorney for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and counsel for a trade association. She is currently a lecturer at Columbia Law School.
Alexandra is a proud graduate of Spelman College and Howard University School of Law.
Alexandra Whittaker
Chief Trade Counsel at the House Ways and Means Committee
15:25 – 16:15
Discussion and Q&A
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General, DIGITALEUROPE Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl is Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, the leading digital technology industry association representing over 35,000 digital companies in Europe.
She is a member of the Stakeholder Cybersecurity Certification Group of ENISA (the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) and of NATO’s high-level Advisory Group for Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, as well as a board member of the European Commission’s Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition and the European Parliament-led European Internet Forum.
Formerly, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl was a member of the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, and of the High-level Strategy Group on Industrial Technologies in charge of identifying Key Enabling Technologies.
She was an Executive Board Member of the Royal Danish Export Council and Chair of the Export Grant Committee under the Danish Foreign Ministry. She also served as Executive Board member in DIGITALEUROPE, and as a member of the association’s high level Digital Advisory Council.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl has served as Board Member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce and was President of the Board of the Danish ICT association (ITB), where she led the development of policy positions on issues such as business digitalisation, ICT security, disruptive business models, telecoms and education.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl has more than 25 years of experience in the ICT industry. She previously held international positions at IBM and Oracle as well as with SMEs, building businesses across Europe and China and founding the cloud provider GlobeIT. She has deep insights into the digitalisation of business and society and the data-driven economy, and is regularly invited to deliver keynote speeches on these issues at high-level events across the world.
Moderator: Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl
Director General, DIGITALEUROPE
Alexandra Whittaker, Chief Trade Counsel at the House Ways and Means Committee Alexandra Whittaker is Chief Trade Counsel and Trade Staff Director to the Chairman and Democratic Members of the Committee on Ways and Means. She previously served two years on the Committee as Trade Counsel.
Before joining the Committee staff, Alexandra was Assistant General Counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) with responsibility for providing legal counsel and policy guidance on a wide variety of international trade matters, as well as litigating trade remedies and agricultural disputes before the WTO. During her time at USTR, Alexandra also served as Assistant Legal Advisor to the U.S. Mission to the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was a U.S. negotiator for the WTO dispute settlement reform negotiations and represented the United States in all disputes and dispute-related matters before the WTO.
Alexandra previously worked as an environmental attorney for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and counsel for a trade association. She is currently a lecturer at Columbia Law School.
Alexandra is a proud graduate of Spelman College and Howard University School of Law.
Alexandra Whittaker
Chief Trade Counsel at the House Ways and Means Committee
Bernd Lange, Member, European Parliament Bom on November 14,1955 in Oldenburg, grew up and attended school in Varel / Friesland district, parents were independent gas station merchants. 2 children, living in the Hannover region
Since 2019: Chair of the Fair Trade Working Group of the European Parliament; Member of the Brexit Steering Group of the European Parliament (since January 2020: EU-UK Coordination Group); Member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Since 2014: Chairman of the Committee on International Trade, Rapportuer for the trade relation EU-USA
2012 – 2014: Trade policy spokesman for the Socialist Group
since 2009: MEP, Member of the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Rapporteur for industrial policy of the European Parliament 2011
2005 – 2009: Head of the «economic, environmental and Europe» unit of the DGB (German Trade Union Confederation) district Niedersachsen- Bremen-Sachsen/Anhalt)
1997 – 1999: Vice-Chair Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy
1994 – 2004: MEP from Lower Saxony, Member of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy
1974 – 1981: Study and university degrees, Universität Göttingen
Since 1974: Member of the SPD (German Social-Democratic Party) and member of IG Metall (Metalworkers Trade Union)
1974:“Abitur” certificate, Graf – Anton – Günther – Gymnasium, Oldenburg
Awards:
1998:Automobile Association Award for the improvement of air quality by European automotive emissions legislation
2001: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
2012:EU Parliamentarian of the Year, category Trade («Parliament Magazine»)
2012/13:Fair Politician of the Year (Max van der Stoel Foundation)
2018: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany first class
Hobbies:
Motorcycling, historical cars and everything about water
Bernd Lange
Member of European Parliament, Chair of INTA Committee
Pastora Valero, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, EMEAR, and Executive Board Member, DIGITALEUROPE Pastora Valero is responsible for leading Cisco’s Government Affairs team in Europe, Middle East and Africa and advancing Cisco’s technology and communications policy agenda with the European Institutions and governments across the EMEAR region.
Pastora joined Cisco in 2003 and she has some 25 years of experience in regulatory and EU public policy issues with respect to telecommunications and information technologies, competition and trade. She is also a member of Cisco’s Senior Leadership Team in EMEAR.
Prior to Cisco, Pastora was Vice-President Regulatory Affairs for Global TeleSystems (GTS), a pan-European fibre optic network operator. She started her career with the Brussels law firm Van Bael & Bellis, and dealt in particular with EU trade and competition law issues.
Pastora is a qualified lawyer in Spain, holds a Masters degree in European law (ULB, Brussels) and an L.L.M in International law (VUB, Brussels). She is a former Vice Chair and Board member of AmCham EU.
Pastora Valero
Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, EMEAR, CISCO and Executive Board Member, DIGITALEUROPE
John Neuffer, President & CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association John Neuffer is President and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) where he’s responsible for setting and leading the association’s public policy agenda and serving as the primary advocate for maintaining U.S. leadership in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and research.
Prior to joining SIA, John served as Senior Vice President for Global Policy at the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), where he led ITI’s global team to expand market access opportunities for ITI member companies around the world. He directed all ITI’s global government relations in trade, cybersecurity, standards, regulatory, Internet governance, and privacy. John built strong relationships with foreign governments and industry associations in key global capitals, and advanced the high-tech industry’s trade agenda in Washington.
Before joining ITI, John served for over seven years at the Office of United States Trade Representative (USTR) in Washington, DC: two years as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Affairs, preceded by over five years as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan.
Prior to his tenure with USTR, John was a Senior Research Fellow and Political Analyst with the Mitsui Kaijyo Research Institute in Tokyo for nine years. As a leading commentator on Japanese politics and policy at the institute, he published a widely read newsletter and wrote regular
John Neuffer
President & CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association
Wolfgang Weber, CEO, ZVEI Since the beginning of 2020, Wolfgang Weber has been Chairman of the Management Board of ZVEI – German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association in Frankfurt/Main.
After studying chemistry in Frankfurt, completing his PhD in Zurich, and short occupations with SAP and a postdoctoral work in San Diego, he joined the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) in 1999.
In 2006, Wolfgang moved to BASF in Ludwigshafen as Head of Energy and Climate Policy, Communications & Government Relations. Five years later, he moved to Brussels as Vice President EU Government Relations of the BASF Group. From 2017 until 2019, he was Vice President Corporate Communications and Government Relations for the BASF region Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Wolfgang Weber
CEO, ZVEI
16:15 – 16:45
Networking
Jennifer Yokoyama, Deputy General Counsel, IP Group & Chief IP Counsel, Microsoft Jennifer Yokoyama is Deputy General Counsel, IP Group and Chief IP Counsel at Microsoft. Yokoyama was previously Microsoft’s head of IP litigation, but has only been with the software giant since June 2018. Before that, she was principal counsel for patent litigation at Apple. In her four years there, her focus was on the management of complex multijurisdictional patent, competition and FRAND-based disputes, with a special emphasis on Asia, where she was responsible for the APAC litigation docket. Between 2010 and 2013 Yokoyama was assistant general counsel of IP litigation and licensing strategy at Nike. She was also a partner at McDermott Will & Emery for seven years.
Jennifer Yokoyama
Deputy General Counsel, IP Group & Chief IP Counsel, Microsoft
Jeni Tennison, Vice President and Chief Strategy Adviser, Open Data Institute Jeni Tennison is Vice President and Chief Strategy Adviser at the Open Data Institute. She gained a PhD in AI from the University of Nottingham, then worked as an independent consultant, specialising in open data publishing and consumption, before joining the ODI as Technical Director in 2012, becoming CEO in 2016, and Vice President in 2020.
She served on the W3C’s Technical Architecture Group from 2011 to 2015 and co-chaired the W3C’s CSV on the Web Working Group. She also sits on the Advisory Board for the Open Contracting Partnership; the Board of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; the UK’s Health Tech Advisory Board; and advises the Board of OpenUK.
Jeni Tennison
Vice President and Chief Strategy Adviser, Open Data Institute
Thank you everyone for a very interesting discussion, will be looking forward to other roundtable talks soon! THANKS.
I liked the divergent speaker positions which provided a good overview of the challenges and possible solutions.
Thanks for the invitation and for this very well organised tech policy talk!
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