United States of America

The European Union and the United States are each other’s main trading partners, largest investors, and investment markets of first choice, and account for the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world.

While the ministerial-level EU-U.S. Energy Council is our main cooperation framework to address mid- and long-term issues, the transatlantic cooperation has been elevated to the Presidential level with the setting up of an EU-U.S. Task Force on Energy Security.

EU-U.S. Task Force on Energy Security

Established on 25 March 2022 by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the United States Joe Biden, the EU-U.S. Task Force on Energy Security aims primarily to reduce the EU’s reliance on Russian energy, including by diversifying its natural gas supplies in alignment with its climate objectives and reducing its overall demand for natural gas.

In 2022, in response to the energy crisis which followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States significantly stepped up liquified natural gas (LNG) exports to the EU, exporting more than 50.1 bcm (billion cubic metres) in 2022 (up from 18.9 bcm in 2021). In 2023, the U.S. exported 56.3 bcm of LNG to the EU. The U.S. has consistently been the EU’s main LNG supplier since 2021, and played an important role in pursuit of the REPowerEU objective of fully phasing out Russian fossil fuels by 2027. 

On 10 March 2023, President Biden and President von der Leyen declared in a joint statement that the U.S. and the EU will continue to work together to advance energy security and sustainability in Europe by diversifying sources, lowering energy consumption, and reducing Europe's dependence on fossil fuels.

To mark the first anniversary of the work of the task force, both sides published on 3 April 2023 a progress report that presents the task force’s accomplishments and outlines the next steps.

The task force met for the 11^th time on 31 October 2023. The discussion focussed on reviewing the diversification of Europe’s natural gas supply sources, how to further reduce gas demand and how the EU has responded collectively and effectively to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine by accelerating the clean energy transition, diversifying supplies and saving energy.

EU-U.S. Energy Council

The EU-U.S. Energy Council is the lead transatlantic coordination forum on strategic energy issues, meeting yearly to deepen the dialogue on energy security, technology and markets. Established in 2009, the Council works to accelerate a just energy transition to climate neutrality for citizens of the EU and the U.S., also promoting research and development, innovation and deployment in related fields.

The Council is chaired by the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President (HRVP), and the EU Commissioner for Energy, the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Secretary of Energy. A representative from the rotating EU Presidency also participates.

Joint press releases or statements of the ministerial meetings

• Eleventh EU-U.S. Energy Council (15 March 2024)
• Tenth EU-U.S. Energy Council (4 April 2023)
• Ninth EU-U.S. Energy Council (7 February 2022)
• Eighth EU-U.S. Energy Council (12 July 2018)
• Seventh EU-U.S. Energy Council (4 May 2016)
• Sixth EU-U.S. Energy Council (3 December 2014)
• Fifth EU-U.S. Energy Council (2 April 2013)
• Fourth EU-U.S. Energy Council (5 December 2012)
• Third EU-U.S. Energy Council (28 November 2011)
• Second EU-U.S. Energy Council (19 November 2010)
• First EU-U.S. Energy Council (4 November 2009)

Lithium roundtable series

Under the Energy Council, the EU and the U.S. held 2 roundtables with EU and U.S. industry focusing on lithium as a key mineral for the clean energy transition. The first took place in the context of the 11^th EU-U.S. Energy Council and the second was held in conjunction with the EU Raw Materials Week. The U.S.–EU lithium roundtable industry discussion summary lays out actionable recommendations for policymakers shared by industry during roundtable discussions.

Business-to-business forums

In previous years, within the same context of bilateral cooperation on energy issues, the EU and the U.S. co-led a high-level business forum on offshore wind on 27 April 2022. It was the third business-to-business forum organised within the framework of the Energy Council, and the first one focusing on renewables. The previous forums related to liquefied natural gas (2019) and small modular nuclear reactors (2020).

Documents

• EU-U.S. task force on energy security progress report 2022-2023
• Report from the high-level business forum on offshore wind
• Factsheet: EU-U.S. LNG TRADE
• Establishment and objectives of the EU-U.S. Energy Council