Trade

The NAM wrapped up its “Competing to Win” Tour in Europe with key meetings in Brussels and Paris, cementing important partnerships and building consensus on the imperative to strengthen U.S. alliances with European nations. It also advocated policies that will enable manufacturers to withstand geopolitical risks and threats to global stability.

Brussels power meetings: In Brussels, the epicenter of EU political activity, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons met with a who’s who of experts deeply involved in trade and economic policy. He touched on a wide range of priorities including free trade agreements, permitting reform in the United States, IP, energy security and regulatory certainty.

• Timmons met with top trade policy leaders in the EU, including Tomas Baert, a trade adviser to European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen, and Member of European Parliament and Chairman of the Trade Committee Bernd Lange.
• The team also met with BusinessEurope, led by Director General Markus Beyrer and Deputy Director General Luisa Santos, and participated in a roundtable organized by BDI Brussels Head of Office Heiko Willems. The roundtable also included some of BDI’s leading German member companies.

Evening event: The finale of the day in Brussels was a reception co-hosted by NAM Council of Manufacturing Associations member Distilled Spirits Council at the residence of U.S. Ambassador to the EU Mark Gitenstein.

• Timmons and NAM Vice President for International Economic Affairs Ken Monahan discussed the U.S.-EU relationship and the NAM’s priorities with key EU leaders on trade, including European Parliament members Reinhard Hans Bütikofer and Radek Sikorski.

French connection: In France, Timmons met with the ardent champion of manufacturing Benoit Bazin, chief executive officer of Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and the manufacturer of innovative material solutions. In North America, Saint-Gobain has approximately 150 locations and more than 15,000 employees.

• The NAM also visited AmCham France. Managing director Eglé de Richemont said following the meeting: “Today, AmCham France had the privilege to welcome three top representatives from the [NAM] to discuss over key themes, including the importance of close economic partnership between the U.S. and France, the criticality of resilient manufacturing in the U.S., France and across Europe and the importance for manufacturers of standing with Ukraine now and tomorrow for the rebuilding of the country.”

The final word: After meeting with other manufacturers on the final leg of his tour, Timmons remarked “We’ve been hard-charging now for almost two weeks, and it’s truly inspiring how unified our partners across the Atlantic are in their solidarity with Ukraine and in meeting this moment with not just talk but also action. We’re just getting started.”