US and EU announce agreement in principle on critical materials for electric vehicles

The United States and the European Union agreed on Friday to start talks on trade in critical materials for use in electric vehicles, after some trade friction.

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, received the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen at the White House.

“This type of agreement would further our shared goals of boosting our mineral production and processing and expanding access to sources of critical minerals that are sustainable, reliable and free from labor abuses,” the two leaders said in a statement. release set.

Biden reaffirmed US support for “Europe’s energy security” and mentioned the creation of a joint working group for this purpose.

At the beginning of the conversation in the Oval Office and before the reporters, the European leader affirmed: “We are not only partners, the European Union and the United States are good friends.”

The settlement announcement seeks to ease differences over electric vehicle tax credits that are included in Biden’s clean energy bill, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Industrial Green Deal Plan. presented in February by the EU.

The American plan is close to 375,000 million dollars and was approved last year. The legislation includes incentives for the purchase of vehicles, if they are manufactured to a large extent in the United States.

[Con información de Reuters y la Casa Blanca]

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