U.S.-European Union High-Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum Meets in Washington

May 3, 2006 - Senior officials from regulatory agencies in the United States and the European Union (EU) gathered at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to move forward on a common agenda of promoting better-quality regulation, minimizing regulatory divergences, increased consumer confidence, and facilitating Trans-Atlantic commerce. Heinz Zourek, Director-General for Enterprise and Industry (DG ENTR) at the European Commission (EC) led a delegation that included 15 representatives from various EC Directorates-General. Led by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S.  Government side of the Forum included representatives from HHS; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Consumer Product Safety Commission; the Federal Communications Commission; the Federal Trade Commission; the Office of Management and Budget; and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation.

HHS Deputy Secretary Alex M. Azar II addressed the Forum on the importance of collaboration between the U.S. Government and the EC as they develop regulations. He also shared insights on the strengths of the U.S. rule-making process, and highlighted our transparency and stakeholder involvement, our use of the most contemporary and robust science and our commitment to cost-justification and judicial review.

The meeting followed the June 2004 U.S.-EC Roadmap for U.S.-EU Regulatory Cooperation. The Roadmap outlines areas intended to reduce costs, expand market opportunities, and help minimize U.S.-EU regulatory differences. Topics under discussion at this meeting included pharmaceuticals; auto safety; information and communications technology, including security, biometrics, and e-accessibility and websites; cosmetics; consumer-product safety; chemicals; nutritional labeling; and eco-design of electrical products. An exemplary example of U.S.-EU regulatory cooperation is between the HHS/Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

Last revised: October 11, 2007