Department of Commerce: Newsroom Items

Investing in communities and workers

Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal ahead of the second Ukraine Partnership Forum. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo reiterated the Department of Commerce’s continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression. The Secretary updated the Prime Minister on the Department’s engagement with the U.S. private sector on Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction objectives. The two also discussed the Department’s work with partners in coordinating export controls and restricting sales of advanced technologies to Russia, which have hampered Russia’s ability to access to key components and technology.

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Export Controls

Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Announces First-of-its-Kind National Child Care Innovation Summit

ASowah@doc.gov — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:51:03 +0000

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Announces First-of-its-Kind National Child Care Innovation Summit ASowah@doc.gov Wed, 04/17/2024 - 13:51

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

During a White House event on expanding access to care and other supportive services workers need to train for and stay in good-paying jobs, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Commerce Department will co-host a first-of-its-kind National Child Care Innovation Summit later this year. The summit will be held in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

The event will bring together key public- and private-sector stakeholders to discuss the vital role of child care as economic infrastructure and work towards accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care. The program will highlight and explore child care solutions, including creative care models and policies, emerging employer approaches, and public-private partnerships that can help address the child care crisis. The Summit will encourage action by the private sector as a partner and force multiplier to the public sector in establishing child care as critical infrastructure.

“Access to affordable, quality child care is not a social issue – it’s an economic issue. If we’re to train and retain workers for 21^st century jobs, we need to provide them with the economic infrastructure they need to stay in those jobs and care for their families,” said Secretary Raimondo. “I’m excited to announce that the Department of Commerce will co-host this first-of-its-kind event to bring together lawmakers, private sector leaders, and non-profit representatives to identify solutions to help solve the child care crisis.”

Details on the National Child Care Innovation Summit will be made available in the following weeks.

A White House fact sheet on the Biden-Harris Administration’s progress toward providing care and other supportive services for workers is available here.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to Travel to Kenya to Highlight Important Bilateral Commercial Relationship, Burgeoning Digital Opportunities to Advance U.S. and Kenyan Societies and Economies

KCPullen@doc.gov — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:52:27 +0000

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to Travel to Kenya to Highlight Important Bilateral Commercial Relationship, Burgeoning Digital Opportunities to Advance U.S. and Kenyan Societies and Economies KCPullen@doc.gov Wed, 04/17/2024 - 08:52

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will travel to Nairobi, Kenya from April 23 to April 25. Secretary Raimondo will lead a delegation of private sector companies from the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA). She will highlight the U.S.-Kenya bilateral commercial and investment relationship and flourishing digital space in Kenya, and throughout Africa, that is helping to shape the world for the better and create exciting opportunities for partnerships with the United States. While in Nairobi, Secretary Raimondo will meet with Kenyan government officials, as well as trade and digital ministers from across Africa. She will also engage with U.S. and Kenyan private sector representatives and speak with women and youth leaders in science, technology and creative industries. The Secretary’s visit builds on the Department of Commerce-wide Africa strategy announced by Deputy Secretary Graves last fall at the AGOA forum in South Africa and underscores the enormous potential that comes with technological advances to support our societies and economies to address global challenges.

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Leadership

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Secretary Gina Raimondo

Doing Business in Africa

CHIPS for America Announces over $50 million Funding Opportunity to Encourage Small Business Research and Development

ASowah@doc.gov — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:34:51 +0000

CHIPS for America Announces over $50 million Funding Opportunity to Encourage Small Business Research and Development ASowah@doc.gov Tue, 04/16/2024 - 15:34

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to seek applications from eligible small businesses to explore the technical merit or feasibility of an innovative idea or technology for developing a viable product or service for introduction in the commercial microelectronics marketplace. The Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to helping small businesses access the resources they need to thrive and promote competition to level the playing field.

The CHIPS for America program anticipates up to approximately $54 million in funding across multiple topics on research projects for critically needed measurement services, tools, and instrumentation; innovative manufacturing metrologies; novel assurance and provenance technologies and advanced metrology research and development (R&D) testbeds to help secure U.S. leadership in the global semiconductor industry.

President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law on August 9, 2022. The Department of Commerce is overseeing $50 billion to revitalize the U.S. semiconductor industry and strengthen the country’s economic and national security. CHIPS for America R&D within the U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for administering $11 billion to advance U.S. leadership in semiconductor R&D. CHIPS R&D is a critical part of President Biden’s agenda to support American innovation for decades to come.

Metrology, the science of measurement and its application plays a key role in semiconductor manufacturing. As devices become more complex, smaller, and multi-layered, the ability to measure, monitor, predict, and ensure quality in manufacturing becomes much more difficult and uncertain.

In September 2022, NIST published a report titled Strategic Opportunities for U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing, which identifies seven grand challenges that need critical attention from a metrology perspective to achieve U.S. leadership in semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing. This report summarizes input from industry, academia, and government and provides strategies for addressing the grand challenges.

“CHIPS for America is committed to building opportunities for all businesses, including small businesses, to prosper as we grow the U.S. semiconductor industry. Because we recognize the high costs associated with innovation in the semiconductor industry, we’re offering awardees of this funding opportunity up to the maximum amount possible per award by the Small Business Innovation Research Program to ensure opportunity is within reach for all businesses seeking to be part of the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

“Small businesses have an important role to play in the semiconductor ecosystem,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio. “NIST has long supported the SBIR program, and this funding opportunity dedicated to CHIPS Metrology will help give small businesses the opportunity to take innovative ideas, scale them for the commercial marketplace, and boost the U.S. economy.”

Funded activities are expected to include, but not necessarily be limited to compact, fieldable cryogenic technologies, compact extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources, and the seven grand challenges.

This funding opportunity is provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, the federal government’s largest platform to promote U.S. technology innovation research and private-sector commercialization. NIST is one of eleven federal government agencies that operate an SBIR program.

CHIPS for America will provide a briefing on details of the NOFO on April 18, 2024, at 3:30pm ET. Webinar participants must register in advance.

Learn more about the CHIPS Metrology Program and the seven grand challenges.

About CHIPS for America  

CHIPS for America is part of President Biden’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development (R&D) Office, responsible for R&D programs. Both offices sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. NIST is uniquely positioned to successfully administer the CHIPS for America program because of the bureau’s strong relationships with U.S. industries, its deep understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and its reputation as fair and trusted. Visit www.chips.gov to learn more.   

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CHIPS for America

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Announces Expansion of U.S. AI Safety Institute Leadership Team

ASowah@doc.gov — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:15:00 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Announces Expansion of U.S. AI Safety Institute Leadership Team ASowah@doc.gov Tue, 04/16/2024 - 05:15

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced today additional members of the executive leadership team of the U.S. AI Safety Institute (AISI), which is housed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Raimondo named Paul Christiano as Head of AI Safety, Adam Russell as Chief Vision Officer, Mara Campbell as Acting Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff, Rob Reich as Senior Advisor, and Mark Latonero as Head of International Engagement. They will join AISI Director Elizabeth Kelly and Chief Technology Officer Elham Tabassi, who were announced in February. The AISI was established within NIST at the direction of President Biden, including to support the responsibilities assigned to the Department of Commerce under the President’s landmark Executive Order.

“To safeguard our global leadership on responsible AI and ensure we’re equipped to fulfill our mission to mitigate the risks of AI and harness its benefits, we need the top talent our nation has to offer. That is precisely why we’ve selected these individuals, who are the best in their fields, to join the U.S. AI Safety Institute executive leadership team,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Developing guidelines that will strengthen our safety and security, engaging with civil society and business, and working in lockstep with our allies are fundamental to addressing this generation-defining technology. Because of President Biden’s leadership, we’re cultivating the talent pool necessary to achieve these critical goals.”

“At the direction of President Joe Biden, the United States Government is moving fast and using every tool at our disposal to seize the promise of AI while managing the risks,” said Bruce Reed, White House Deputy Chief of Staff. “One of the best levers we have to get this right is to bring in the experts from civil society to tech innovators to scientists. We are building a strong team across government to keep pace with this technology, protect our interests, and shape it in accordance with our values.”

“I am very pleased to welcome these talented experts to the U.S. AI Safety Institute leadership team to help establish the measurement science that will support the development of AI that is safe and trustworthy,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio. “They each bring unique experiences that will help the institute build a solid foundation for AI safety going into the future.”

Paul Christiano, Head of AI Safety, will design and conduct tests of frontier AI models, focusing on model evaluations for capabilities of national security concern. Christiano will also contribute guidance on conducting these evaluations, as well as on the implementation of risk mitigations to enhance frontier model safety and security. Christiano founded the Alignment Research Center, a non-profit research organization that seeks to align future machine learning systems with human interests by furthering theoretical research. He also launched a leading initiative to conduct third-party evaluations of frontier models, now housed at Model Evaluation and Threat Research (METR). He previously ran the language model alignment team at OpenAI, where he pioneered work on reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), a foundational technical AI safety technique. He holds a PhD in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mara Quintero Campbell, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff, will be responsible for staff and decision-making coordination and design, execution, and oversight of the AISI operations and activities. Most recently, Campbell served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer within the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA), where she managed the internal operations for 300 staff across six regional offices and headquarters. While at EDA, she was charged with running major projects, including COVID response and implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act and the CHIPS and Science Act programs. Before EDA, Campbell was Associate General Counsel and Acting General Counsel at the Inter-American Foundation. She holds a law degree from American University, Washington College of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bard College.

Adam Russell, Chief Vision Officer, will shape and help implement the vision and strategy for the AISI, while also communicating that vision externally. Russell is the Director of the Information Sciences Institute’s (ISI) AI Division at the University of Southern California. Russell previously worked at University of Maryland’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), where he focused on human-AI teaming, forecasting, and collective intelligence. While at UMD, he also helped stand up the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Prior to UMD and ARPA-H, Russell served in government for over a decade, both as a Program Manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) – launching programs focused on the social sciences and AI – and as a Program Manager at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) – launching programs on enhancing intelligence and measuring trust and trustworthiness. He received a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and holds a B.A. in cultural anthropology from Duke University.

Rob Reich, Senior Advisor, will advise the AI Safety Institute and lead engagement with civil society organizations to help ensure that AISI efforts reflect the feedback and input of a diversity of stakeholders. Reich will be on public service leave from Stanford University, where he is a professor of Political Science at Stanford University, Associate Director of the Institute for Human-Centered AI, Co-Director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, and past Director of the Center for Ethics in Society. He has authored a number of books that address technology, ethics, and policy. He holds a PhD in the philosophy of education from Stanford University, and a B.A. in philosophy from Yale University.

Mark Latonero, Head of International Engagement, will lead AISI’s international collaboration to help achieve globally aligned approaches to guidance, testing, and standards development. He will also work to expand partnerships with counterpart government Institutes, multilateral organizations, international standards organizations, and other scientific offices to further the vision of a global scientific network for AI safety. Latonero was most recently the Deputy Director of the National AI Initiative Office at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he helped lead on international AI policy, including on the AI executive order, and coordinated AI activities across the federal government and with private sector and civil society stakeholders. He was previously a senior policy advisor for AI and international cooperation at NIST and worked on the AI Risk Management Framework. He has also served as a senior consultant for the United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary General and Human Rights Office and as a senior policy advisor at the Partnership on AI. Latonero holds a PhD from the University of Southern California, specializing in the social impact of emerging technologies, and was a postdoctoral research scholar at the London School of Economics.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Samsung Electronics to Establish Leading-Edge Semiconductor Ecosystem in Central Texas

ASowah@doc.gov — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Samsung Electronics to Establish Leading-Edge Semiconductor Ecosystem in Central Texas ASowah@doc.gov Mon, 04/15/2024 - 05:00

Manufacturing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 15, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Proposed CHIPS Investment of up to $6.4 Billion Would Complement More than $40 Billion in Private Investment to Support a Comprehensive Semiconductor Cluster for Leading-Edge Logic, Advanced Packaging, and R&D in Taylor, Texas, and Expansion of Austin Fab in Texas

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Samsung Electronics (Samsung) have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $6.4 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, advance U.S. technology leadership, and fuel U.S. global competitiveness. Samsung – the only leading-edge semiconductor company that is a leader in both advanced memory and advanced logic technologies – is expected to invest more than $40 billion dollars in the region in the coming years, and the proposed investment would support the creation of over 20,000 jobs.

The proposed investment would turn Samsung’s existing presence in Texas into a comprehensive ecosystem for the development and production of leading-edge chips in the United States, including two new leading-edge logic fabs, an R&D fab, and an advanced packaging facility in Taylor, as well as an expansion to their existing Austin facility. It also demonstrates Samsung’s ongoing commitment to the United States, where it has been manufacturing chips since 1996. By continuing to develop the technologies of the future in the United States, Samsung is taking steps that would work towards strengthening U.S. economic and national security and increasing the resilience of both the U.S. and global semiconductor supply chains. Because of investments like Samsung’s, the United States is projected to be on track to produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge logic chips by 2030.

“I signed the CHIPS and Science Act to restore U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and ensure America’s consumers, businesses, and military maintain access to the chips that underpin our modern technology,” said President Biden. “This announcement will unleash over $40 billion in investment from Samsung, and cement central Texas’s role as a state-of-the-art semiconductor ecosystem, creating at least 21,500 jobs and leveraging up to $40 million in CHIPS funding to train and develop the local workforce.”

“Thanks to President Biden’s CHIPS Act, Samsung is expected to invest more than $40 billion to build a cluster of semiconductor factories here in the U.S. that will employ thousands of workers in good-paying jobs, support a robust supplier ecosystem, and fuel innovation through R&D,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Proposed CHIPS investments like the ones we are announcing today will be a catalyst for continued private sector investments to help secure the long-term stability we need to put America at the beginning of our semiconductor supply chain and to safeguard a strong resilient ecosystem here at home. The chips that Samsung will be making in Texas are important components to our most advanced technologies, from artificial intelligence to high-performance computing and 5G communications. With President Biden’s leadership and Samsung’s commitment to the U.S., this proposed funding advances America’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing on the world stage.”

President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to usher in a new era of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, bringing with it a revitalized domestic supply chain, good-paying jobs, and investments in the industries of the future. The proposed CHIPS investment in Samsung would propel Central Texas into a state-of-the-art leading-edge ecosystem, creating over 17,000 construction jobs and more than 4,500 good-paying manufacturing jobs within the next five years, while stimulating regional commercial growth, leveraging the robust two-year and four-year academic footprint in the state to produce the skilled workers needed to fill the critical roles created by the proposed investment. With these proposed investments and the formation of this ecosystem, CHIPS for America would be helping to deliver on the CHIPS Vision for Success and contributing to the development of the local communities across Central Texas.

“Semiconductor research and development is critical to building a robust and thriving semiconductor manufacturing industry in the United States,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Samsung’s plans to build a cutting-edge R&D and advanced packaging facilities in Texas are shining examples of the types of R&D projects that will help build, and heavily contribute to, America’s chip manufacturing industry.”

“We’re not just expanding production facilities; we’re strengthening the local semiconductor ecosystem and positioning the U.S. as a global semiconductor manufacturing destination," said Kye Hyun Kyung, President and CEO of the Device Solutions (DS) Division at Samsung Electronics. "To meet the expected surge in demand from U.S. customers, for future products like AI chips, our fabs will be equipped for cutting-edge process technologies and help advance the security of the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.”

The proposed investment would be split across multiple projects at two separate locations in Central Texas:

Taylor, Texas: Construct a comprehensive advanced manufacturing ecosystem, ranging from leading-edge logic to advanced packaging to R&D, transforming the small municipality of Taylor into an expansive hub of leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. This ecosystem would include two leading-edge logic foundry fabs focused on mass production of 4nm and 2nm process technologies, an R&D fab dedicated to development and research on technology generations ahead of nodes currently in production, and an advanced packaging facility producing 3D High Bandwidth Memory and 2.5D packaging, both of which have critical artificial intelligence applications. The semiconductors that are designed and manufactured in this ecosystem would serve a wide variety of end markets – from communications, automotive, and defense industries to high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.

Austin, Texas: Expand a facility that has been an economic engine for Central Texas for nearly 30 years. This proposed investment would expand the existing facilities to support the production of leading fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process technologies for critical U.S. industries, including aerospace, defense, and automotive. This proposed investment also includes commitments to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Samsung has a proven record of workforce engagement in Texas, including robust partnerships with local education institutions — such as Austin Community College, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas State Technical College, Temple College, Manor High School and Taylor High School — to train its future semiconductor workforce. The proposed CHIPS investment also includes up to $40 million in dedicated workforce funding. Additionally, to attract and maintain the skilled workforce necessary for its projects, Samsung is exploring options in collaboration with the Department to build supply and defray the cost of high-quality and accessible child care for its employees.

Samsung’s waste management efforts at its Austin site have received the Zero Waste to Landfill Gold Level certification for recycling or reusing 96% of waste and its wastewater pretreatment practices have received longstanding recognition from the City of Austin. The Taylor site would use leading-edge sustainability strategies to promote carbon-free electricity use, conserve water resources, and avoid or reduce other impacts to the environment.

In addition to the proposed direct funding of up to $6.4 billion, the company has indicated that it plans to claim the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to cover up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.

As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of a long-form term sheet and award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After the PMT is signed, the Department begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in the long-form term sheet and the final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.

About CHIPS for America

The Department has received more than 630 statements of interest, more than 180 pre-applications and full applications for NOFO 1, and more than 160 small supplier concept plans for NOFO 2. The Department is continuing to conduct rigorous evaluation of applications to determine which projects will advance U.S. national and economic security, attract more private capital, and deliver other economic benefits to the country. The announcement with Samsung is the sixth PMT announcement the Department of Commerce has made under the CHIPS and Science Act, with additional PMT announcements expected to follow throughout 2024.

CHIPS for America is part of President Biden’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. NIST is uniquely positioned to successfully administer the CHIPS for America program because of the bureau’s strong relationships with U.S. industries, its deep understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and its reputation as fair and trusted. Visit https://www.chips.gov to learn more.

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CHIPS for America

Semiconductor Industry

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Republic of Korea Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Ahn Duk-geun

ASowah@doc.gov — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 01:18:44 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Republic of Korea Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Ahn Duk-geun ASowah@doc.gov Fri, 04/12/2024 - 21:18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, April 12, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Republic of Korea Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) Ahn Duk-geun. During their meeting, the Secretary and Minister discussed the progress that MOTIE and the U.S. Department of Commerce have made under the U.S.-Korea Supply Chain and Commercial Dialogue (SCCD), noting in particular the opportunities for increased collaboration on export controls, critical minerals, and semiconductor supply chains. They also reaffirmed their strong support for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and the ongoing efforts to deliver concrete outcomes, including at the upcoming IPEF Ministerial Meeting and Clean Economy Investor Forum in Singapore in early June, as well as the Trilateral Commerce and Industry Ministerial Meeting, which Secretary Raimondo will convene with Minister Ahn and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Saito Ken in Washington, D.C. in late June.

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Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

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South Korea

U.S.-Japan-Philippines Commerce and Industry Ministerial Joint Readout

ASowah@doc.gov — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:00:22 +0000

U.S.-Japan-Philippines Commerce and Industry Ministerial Joint Readout ASowah@doc.gov Thu, 04/11/2024 - 19:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

On the occasion of the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit Meeting hosted by U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in Washington, D.C., today, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo met with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Saito Ken and Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual for a groundbreaking discussion on our shared interests in strengthening trilateral economic cooperation.

The three ministers discussed opportunities for potential trilateral trade and investment collaboration, including in the areas of critical minerals supply chains, semiconductors, Open RAN deployment, clean energy, and infrastructure development. They committed to working together to advance the economic outcomes of the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit Meeting, including through the upcoming Indo-Pacific Business Forum in May in Manila and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity Clean Economy Investor Forum in Singapore in June.

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Joint Press Release: Japan – U.S. Commercial and Industrial Partnership Ministerial Meeting

ASowah@doc.gov — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:30:36 +0000

Joint Press Release: Japan – U.S. Commercial and Industrial Partnership Ministerial Meeting ASowah@doc.gov Wed, 04/10/2024 - 18:30

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Saito Ken held the third Japan-U.S. Commercial and Industrial Partnership (JUCIP) Ministerial Meeting in Washington, DC, on April 10. The Secretary and Minister reviewed progress made to date in deepening bilateral economic and commercial cooperation, and discussed how they will contribute to the implementation of outcomes from the Japan-U.S. Summit that was held between President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida earlier in the day.

The Secretary and Minister committed their ministries to accelerating Commerce-METI cooperation to achieve more transparent, robust, and sustainable supply chains, including addressing non-market policies and practices, and cooperating on current-generation and mature-node (“legacy”) semiconductors, as agreed upon in the Japan-U.S. Economic Policy Consultative Committee (EPCC, or Economic “2+2”) Ministerial Meeting held on November 14, 2023, in San Francisco. The Secretary and Minister also acknowledged the progress made through Commerce-METI cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, including semiconductors, AI, quantum, and biotechnology, and committed to further collaboration between the ministries. They agreed to continue existing, robust export control cooperation to address national security threats and protect critical and emerging technologies from abuse by malign actors who seek to use them in contravention to our regional and national security interests.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with TSMC, Expanded Investment from Company to Bring World’s Most Advanced Leading-Edge Technology to the U.S.

ASowah@doc.gov — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with TSMC, Expanded Investment from Company to Bring World’s Most Advanced Leading-Edge Technology to the U.S. ASowah@doc.gov Mon, 04/08/2024 - 05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 8, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

With Up to $6.6 Billion in Proposed CHIPS Direct Funding, TSMC Announces 2 Nanometer Technology at Second Fab and a New Third Fab to Produce 2 Nanometer or More Advanced Chips

Proposed CHIPS Investment in Arizona Would Support AI, High-Performance Computing, 5G/6G Communications, and More Applications

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and TSMC Arizona Corporation (TSMC Arizona), a subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $6.6 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. This proposed funding would support TSMC’s investment of more than $65 billion in three greenfield leading-edge fabs in Phoenix, Arizona, which will manufacture the world’s most advanced semiconductors.

Through this proposed investment in TSMC Arizona, the Biden-Harris Administration would take a significant step in strengthening U.S. economic and national security by providing a reliable domestic supply of the chips that will underpin the future economy, powering the AI boom and other fast-growing industries like consumer electronics, automotive, Internet of Things, and high-performance computing. After initially announcing two fabs in the U.S., TSMC Arizona is committing to build an additional third fab before the end of the decade. With this proposed funding, TSMC Arizona would be ensuring the formation of a scaled leading-edge cluster in Arizona, creating approximately 6,000 direct manufacturing jobs, more than 20,000 accumulated unique construction jobs, and tens of thousands of indirect jobs in this decade and bringing the most advanced process technology to the United States.

“Semiconductors – those tiny chips smaller than the tip of your finger – power everything from smartphones to cars to satellites and weapons systems. America invented these chips, but over time, we went from producing nearly 40% of the world’s capacity to close to 10%, and none of the most advanced chips, exposing us to significant economic and national security vulnerabilities. I was determined to turn that around, and thanks to my CHIPS and Science Act – a key part of my Investing in America agenda – semiconductor manufacturing and jobs are making a comeback,” said President Joe Biden. “TSMC’s renewed commitment to the United States, and its investment in Arizona represent a broader story for semiconductor manufacturing that’s made in America and with the strong support of America’s leading technology firms to build the products we rely on every day.”

“One of the key goals of President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act was to bring the most advanced chip manufacturing in the world to the U.S., and with this announcement and TSMC’s increased investment in their Arizona campus, we are working to achieve that goal,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The leading-edge semiconductors that will be made here in Arizona are foundational to the technology that will define global economic and national security in the 21st century, including AI and high-performance computing. Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and TSMC’s continued investments in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, this proposed funding would help make our supply chains more secure and create thousands of good-quality construction and manufacturing jobs for Arizonans.”

“America’s ability to maintain our competitive edge in advanced technologies like artificial intelligence is essential to igniting the next generation of research, innovation, development, and production,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Our proposed support for TSMC Arizona represents an inflection point for America’s innovative capacity that would restore our nation’s leadership in an industry that is foundational to the U.S. and global digital economy.”

“The proposed funding from the CHIPS and Science Act would provide TSMC the opportunity to make this unprecedented investment and to offer our foundry service of the most advanced manufacturing technologies in the United States,” said TSMC Chairman Dr. Mark Liu. “Our U.S. operations allow us to better support our U.S. customers, which include several of the world’s leading technology companies. Our U.S. operations will also expand our capability to trailblaze future advancements in semiconductor technology.”

“We are honored to support our customers who have been pioneers in mobile, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, whether in chip design, hardware systems or software, algorithms, and large language models,” said TSMC CEO Dr. C.C. Wei. “They are the innovators driving demand for the most advanced silicon that TSMC can provide. As their foundry partner, we will help them unleash their innovations by increasing capacity for leading-edge technology through TSMC Arizona. We are thrilled by the progress of our Arizona site to date and are committed to its long-term success.”

TSMC is widely recognized as a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, having pioneered the pure-play foundry business model in 1987, and now manufactures over 90% of the world’s leading-edge logic chips. In Arizona, TSMC’s three fabs are expected to bring a suite of the most advanced process node technologies to the United States: the first fab will produce 4nm FinFET process technologies; today, TSMC Arizona announced that the second fab will produce the world’s most advanced 2nm nanosheet process technology, in addition to previously announced plans to produce 3nm process technologies; and TSMC Arizona’s third fab will produce 2nm or more advanced process technologies depending on customer demand. At full capacity, TSMC Arizona’s three fabs would manufacture tens of millions of leading-edge chips that will power products like 5G/6G smartphones, autonomous vehicles, and AI datacenter servers. TSMC Arizona expects to begin high-volume production in their first fab in the U.S. by the first half of 2025.

Thanks to investments like those at TSMC Arizona, the United States is now on track to produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge chips by 2030. With total capital expenditures of more than $65 billion, TSMC Arizona’s investment is the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield project in U.S. history. TSMC Arizona’s investment in the United States is catalyzing meaningful investment across the supply chain, including from 14 direct suppliers that plan to construct or expand plants in Arizona or other parts of the U.S., further strengthening U.S. domestic supply chain resilience.

TSMC’s advanced chips are the backbone of core processing units (“CPUs”) for servers in large-scale datacenters and of specialized graphic processing units (“GPUs”) used for machine learning. Through the proposed funding for TSMC Arizona, the United States would onshore the critical hardware manufacturing capabilities that underpin AI’s deep language learning algorithms and inferencing techniques. This would help strengthen America’s competitive edge in science and technology innovation. Furthermore, through its Arizona fabs, TSMC will be able to better support its key customers, including U.S. companies AMD, Apple, Nvidia, and Qualcomm, among others, by addressing their leading-edge capacity demand, mitigating supply chain concerns, and enabling them to compete effectively in the ongoing digital transformation era. With the proposed incentives, TSMC Arizona has also committed to support the development of advanced packaging capabilities – the next frontier of technology innovation for chip manufacturing – through its partners in the U.S., creating the opportunity for TSMC Arizona’s customers to be able to purchase advanced chips that are made entirely on U.S. soil.

The PMT also proposes $50 million in dedicated funding to develop the company’s semiconductor and construction workforce. To build the long-term construction workforce needed to support these projects, TSMC Arizona recently signed an agreement with the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council. The company also plans to utilize registered apprenticeship programs to meet a 15 percent apprenticeship utilization rate on the Phoenix construction site.

As part of its commitment to developing local talent, TSMC Arizona established one of the first state-supported Registered Apprenticeship programs for semiconductor technicians, with support from the City of Phoenix. TSMC's U.S.-based recruiting team is also actively collaborating with university engineering programs around the country, including Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and Purdue University, and is partnering with Maricopa Community Colleges and career technical education programs on initiatives to develop the skills for a career in the semiconductor industry. Site employees have access to discounts, reimbursements, and priority enrollment through partnerships for local area early education and childcare centers.

In addition to the proposed direct funding of up to $6.6 billion, the CHIPS Program Office would make approximately $5 billion of proposed loans – which is part of the $75 billion in loan authority provided by the CHIPS and Science Act – available to TSMC Arizona under the PMT. The company has indicated that it is planning to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.

As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a potential CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of a long-form term sheet and award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After the PMT is signed, the Department begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in the long-form term sheet and the final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.

About CHIPS for America

The Department has received more than 630 statements of interest, more than 180 pre-applications and full applications for NOFO 1, and more than 160 small supplier concept plans for NOFO 2. The Department is continuing to conduct rigorous evaluation of applications to determine which projects will advance U.S. national and economic security, attract more private capital, and deliver other economic benefits to the country. The announcement with TSMC is the fifth PMT announcement the Department of Commerce has made under the CHIPS and Science Act, with additional PMT announcements expected to follow throughout 2024.

CHIPS for America is part of President Biden’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. NIST is uniquely positioned to successfully administer the CHIPS for America program because of the bureau’s strong relationships with U.S. industries, its deep understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and its reputation as fair and trusted. Visit www.chips.gov to learn more.

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U.S-EU Joint Statement of the Trade and Technology Council

KCPullen@doc.gov — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 14:31:08 +0000

U.S-EU Joint Statement of the Trade and Technology Council KCPullen@doc.gov Fri, 04/05/2024 - 10:31

Trade enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, April 5, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

The following was issued by the White House

Leuven, Belgium

I. Introduction

The sixth ministerial meeting of the Trade and Technology Council (“TTC”) took place in Leuven, Belgium, on 4 and 5 April 2024. It was co-chaired by European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager, European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, joined by European Commissioner Thierry Breton, and hosted by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of significant geopolitical developments and challenges, including Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine and the escalation of violence in the Middle East, that have shaken the international rules-based order to which we are jointly committed. The United States and the European Union remain unwavering in our long-term political, financial, humanitarian, and military support to Ukraine.

There has been a buildup of global economic pressure through extensive non-market policies and practices. This accentuates excessive and possibly high-risk dependencies of strategic supplies, tilts the level playing field, and poses a threat to our economic security, our prosperity, and the well-being of our firms, workers, and citizens.

The acceleration of the digital transformation creates unprecedented opportunities for growth and innovation but also raises numerous risks and challenges that call for accelerating our efforts to establish joint leadership and continue robust coordination on our approaches for creating rules of the road for emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, and 6G wireless communication systems. We aim to foster interoperability and support our common democratic values and the protection of human rights, while also promoting innovation. We are also dedicated to continuing to equip our workforce with the skills necessary to meet the needs created by rapidly changing technology, including AI.

The cooperation between the United States and the European Union continues to be the bedrock for dealing with such global challenges, and the TTC has played a vital role in shaping a forward-looking dialogue and facilitating unprecedented coordination and quick responses to key trade and technology related issues and developments, not least in the context of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine. We therefore reaffirm the importance of the TTC and will continue to refine and adapt this forum to advance our shared objectives.

We have used the TTC to address global trade challenges, strengthen our economic and trade ties, accelerate the transition to climate-neutral economies, and boost our economic security. With the Transatlantic Initiative on Sustainable Trade (TIST), the TTC is contributing to the creation of a stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient transatlantic marketplace and facilitating environmentally responsible trade in goods and technologies. We have increased cooperation on interoperability of digital trade tools as well as standardisation of critical and emerging technologies to reduce the costs of trading across the Atlantic. To boost our economic security, we continue to cooperate through the TTC to diversify strategic supply chains, including solar panels, semiconductors, and critical raw materials, and to reduce vulnerabilities, including those caused by other countries’ non-market policies and practices. We have also deepened our dialogue and cooperation on export controls and investment screening.

Working with stakeholders, we continue to use the TTC to advance the governance of critical and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, biotechnology, and online platforms, including by supporting the development of rights-respecting international technical standards, codes of conduct, principles, and guidance. In particular, we call upon online platforms to ensure their services contribute to an environment that protects, empowers, and respects their users and the general public. We are working together to advance public interest research on online platforms, including to address particular societal risks, such as technology-facilitated gender-based violence. We will continue to combat foreign information manipulation and interference and to protect human rights defenders online, including in the context of elections.

We intend to continue our trade and technology cooperation as set out below.

II. Key Outcomes of the Sixth TTC Ministerial Meeting

A. Advancing Transatlantic Leadership on Critical and Emerging Technologies Artificial Intelligence

The United States and the European Union reaffirm our commitment to a risk-based approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and to advancing safe, secure, and trustworthy AI technologies. The dedicated coordination under the TTC continues to be instrumental to implementing our respective policy approaches which aim to reap the potential benefits of AI while protecting individuals and, society against its potential risks, and upholding human rights.

Our exchanges confirm our joint understanding that transparency and risk mitigation are key elements to ensure the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of AI, and we will continue to coordinate our contributions to multilateral initiatives such as the G7, the OECD, G20, Council of Europe, and UN processes to advance the responsible stewardship of AI. We encourage advanced AI developers in the United States and Europe to further the application of the Hiroshima Process International Code of Conduct for Organizations Developing Advanced AI Systems which complements our respective governance and regulatory systems.

With a view to ensuring continued and impactful cooperation on AI, leaders from the European AI Office and the U.S. AI Safety Institute have briefed one another on their respective approaches and mandates. These institutions today committed to establishing a Dialogue to deepen their collaboration, particularly to foster scientific information exchange among their respective scientific entities and affiliates on topics such as, benchmarks, potential risks, and future technological trends.

This cooperation will contribute to making progress with the implementation of the Joint Roadmap on Evaluation and Measurement Tools for Trustworthy AI and Risk Management, which is essential to minimize divergence as appropriate in our respective emerging AI governance and regulatory systems, and to cooperate on interoperable and international standards. Following stakeholder consultations, we have further developed a list of key AI terms with mutually accepted joint definitions and published an updated version.

We are also united in our belief of the potential of AI to address some of the world’s greatest challenges. We applaud the United Nations General Assembly Plenary Resolution “Seizing the Opportunities of Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development,” that has solidified a global consensus around the need to manage the risks of AI while harnessing its benefits for sustainable development and the protection and promotion of human rights.

We are advancing on the promise of AI for sustainable development in our bilateral relationship through joint research cooperation as part of the administrative arrangement on artificial intelligence and computing to address global challenges for the public good. Working groups jointly staffed by U.S. science agencies and European Commission departments and agencies have achieved substantial progress by defining critical milestones for deliverables in the areas of extreme weather, energy, emergency response, and reconstruction. We are also making constructive progress in health and agriculture.

We will continue to explore opportunities with our partners in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany in the AI for Development Donor Partnership to accelerate and align our foreign assistance in Africa to support educators, entrepreneurs, and ordinary citizens to harness the promise of AI.

Quantum

The United States and the European Union established a Quantum Task Force to address open questions on science and technology cooperation between the United States and the European Union on quantum technologies. Its primary objective is to bridge gaps in research and development (R&D) between the United States and the European Union, thereby harmonizing efforts in quantum technology advancements. This includes the establishment of a shared understanding and approach to technology readiness levels, development of unified benchmarks, identification of critical components in quantum technology, and advancement of international standards.

The task force continues work to address key questions that are necessary to reach an agreement on launching joint actions for science and technology cooperation in quantum, such as reciprocity in openness of quantum research programs and in intellectual property rights regimes.

Post-Quantum Cryptography Coordination

The United States and the European Union affirm the importance of the rapid mobilization to secure our digital communication networks against the threats posed by the potential for a future cryptanalytically-relevant quantum computer. Our joint work in Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC), feeding into the U.S-EU Cyber Dialogue, enables U.S. and EU partners to share information to understand activities in PQC standardization and in the transition to PQC.

The Road to 6G

The United States and the European Union share the belief that advanced connectivity can facilitate a more inclusive, sustainable, and secure global economy. We concur on shared principles for the research and development of 6G wireless communication systems, and we recognize that by working together we can support the development of technologies and global technical standards for tomorrow’s critical digital infrastructure that reflect shared principles and values. We support open, global, market-driven, and inclusive multi-stakeholder approaches for the development of technical standards for secure and interoperable telecommunications equipment and services. On the road to 6G, in a geopolitical environment increasingly marked by tension and conflict, the growing requirement for security and resilience of key enabling communications technologies and critical infrastructure highlights the need to rely on trusted suppliers, to prevent vulnerabilities and dependencies, with potential downstream effects on the entire industrial ecosystem.

We delivered a 6G outlook in May 2023. In addition, the two main industry associations on each side of the Atlantic jointly developed a 6G Industry Roadmap in December 2023. The roadmap affirmed the commitment of the stakeholders to collaborate on the development of 6G networks and proposed a comprehensive set of critical strategic reflections and recommendations from academia and industry. On 26 February 2024, ten countries, including some EU Member States concluded a joint statement on 6G.

These milestones have contributed to shaping the joint “6G vision” that we are adopting today. This vision focuses on technology challenges and research collaboration including on microelectronics; AI and cloud solutions for 6G; security and resilience; affordability and inclusiveness, sustainability and energy efficiency; openness and interoperability; efficient radio spectrum usage; and the standardisation process.

Having decided on this 6G vision, the United States and the European Union will strengthen cooperation between their research and innovation funding agencies, notably through an Administrative Arrangement signed between the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Directorate‑General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect) of the European Commission covering collaboration in the field of 6G and Next Generation Internet technologies.

Considering the importance of developing a common vision to 6G and cooperating in the global standardisation process through standardisation organisations such as ETSI/3GPP, we also intend to develop an outreach plan with likeminded partners to support and advance the development of 6G networks.

Semiconductors

The coordination on our respective efforts to build resilient semiconductor supply chains remains crucial to the secure supply of semiconductors, which are indispensable inputs to an ever-growing range of key industry sectors, and to ensure leadership in cutting-edge technologies.

We have been cooperating fruitfully under two administrative arrangements:

A joint early warning mechanism aimed at identifying (potential) supply chain disruptions and enabling early action to address their impacts, which has already proven useful in monitoring developments in the gallium and germanium markets; and
A transparency mechanism for reciprocal sharing of information about public support provided to the semiconductor sector.

We intend to extend the two administrative arrangements for a period of three years to enable further coordination and to establish synergies between our support for investments in the semiconductor sector taking place under the EU Chips Act and the U.S. CHIPS Act.

The United States and the European Union share concerns about non-market economic policies and practices that may lead to distortionary effects or excessive dependencies for mature node (“legacy”) semiconductors. On the side of the fifth TTC ministerial meeting, which took place on 30 January 2024 in Washington, D.C., we held a joint roundtable with high-level industry representatives dedicated to legacy semiconductor supply chains. Both the United States and the European Union are committed to continuing to engage closely with industry on the issue. We plan to convene further government-to-government discussions with like-minded countries on this topic in the near future. In January 2024, the United States launched an industry survey to assess the use of legacy chips in supply chains that directly or indirectly support U.S. national security and critical infrastructure. The European Union is also gathering information on this issue. We intend to, as appropriate, continue to collect and share non-confidential information and market intelligence about non-market policies and practices, commit to consult each other on planned actions, and may develop joint or cooperative measures to address distortionary effects on the global supply chain for legacy semiconductors.

We plan to continue working to identify research cooperation opportunities on alternatives to the use of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in chips. For example, we plan to explore the use of AI capacities and digital twins to accelerate the discovery of suitable materials to replace PFAS in semiconductor manufacturing.

Biotechnology Cooperation to Promote the Bioeconomy and Address Global Challenges

The bioeconomy is supported by the use of foundational and widely-applicable tools and technologies (including emerging biotechnologies), which have the potential to drive innovation to address global challenges. .These tools and technologies also represent an opportunity to begin developing a common international understanding of the bioeconomy and future efforts to evaluate, measure, and grow the global bioeconomy as a whole. A crucial component of this effort is establishing a shared understanding of some of the risks and vulnerabilities associated with the bioeconomy, including economic and security considerations, alongside a simultaneous commitment to enabling the safe, secure, sustainable, and responsible use of tools and technologies for bioeconomic development.

We look forward to cooperating on shared research, development, and innovation priorities through the U.S.-EU Joint Consultative Group that will push bioeconomic development forward in ways that address the most pressing global challenges we all face.

We acknowledge the significant promise and risks associated with the integration of advanced biotechnology with other technological disciplines such as AI, information technology, nanotechnology, neurotechnology, chemistry, and medicine, which will drive innovation and have significant implications for academia, industry, and economic security. To address the potential risks associated with the convergence of these technologies, we are committed to work toward mechanisms to safeguard dual-use advanced biotechnology items and equipment.

Transatlantic Cooperation on Standards for Critical and Emerging Technologies and Clean Energy Transition

The United States and the European Union share an interest in recognizing mutually compatible technical standards as a way to expand transatlantic approaches for the deployment of critical and emerging technologies that reflect our shared values.

We plan to continue to exchange information on international standardisation activities for critical and emerging technologies via the “Strategic Standardisation Information (SSI)” mechanism, as established at the second U.S-EU TTC ministerial meeting. Our deepened cooperation enables us to cooperate on global standards. In order to strengthen collaboration with the private sector, we organised a joint stakeholder workshop in Washington D.C. on 17 November 2023, which identified relevant areas for transatlantic collaboration.

Together with standards development organisations and stakeholders, we have endeavoured to work towards mutually compatible standards and best practices in areas of strategic interest with the objective of avoiding unnecessarily burdensome technical trade barriers, without prejudice to the specificities and needs of our respective legal systems.

Over the last two years, our cooperation has led to tangible outcomes. We have facilitated commonly recognised international standards for the rollout of megawatt charging systems for heavy-duty vehicle charging points, and joint work of U.S. and EU standardisation bodies on plastics recycling and additive manufacturing since the start of the TTC. Our work continues to facilitate the development of mutually recognised and compatible standards to enhance new opportunities for cooperation within our respective standardisation systems.

Following a successful round of government-to-government technical exchanges, the European Commission and U.S. government released a Digital Identity Mapping Exercise ReportDigital Identity Mapping Exercise Report which provides the results of an initial mapping centred on the definitions, assurance levels, and references to international standards included across Revision 3 of the NIST Digital Identity Guidelines (Special Publication 800-63, Revision 3) and European Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market. The next phase of this project will focus on identifying potential use cases for transatlantic interoperability and cooperation with a view toward enabling the cross-border use of digital identities and wallets.

The United States and the European Union intend to continue to identify emerging technology standards that are enablers of the clean energy transition for transatlantic collaboration.

B. Promoting Sustainability and New Opportunities for Trade and Investment

Transatlantic Initiative on Sustainable Trade

The Transatlantic Initiative on Sustainable Trade (TIST) work programme, which we launched at the fourth U.S-EU TTC ministerial meeting in May 2023, has advanced our cooperation on actions to accelerate the transition to climate-neutral economies in the United States and the European Union in a mutually beneficial way. The United States and the European Union have been making progress on the different work strands under the TIST work programme and will continue to advance this work.

Building a Transatlantic Green Marketplace

Building on our strong economic links to accelerate the green transition while creating new business opportunities for our firms and good employment opportunities for our citizens is a key objective of the TIST.

On 30-31 January 2024, the United States and the European Union jointly organised the “Crafting the Transatlantic Green Marketplace” event in Washington, D.C. The event brought together representatives from the U.S. and EU business, civil society, and labor communities to engage in a series of thematic stakeholder-led discussions that focused on identifying opportunities for transatlantic collaboration to promote the transition to a more sustainable and climate-neutral economy on both sides of the Atlantic. The United States and the European Union thank the participants for their time and input. We are currently analysing the various proposals for cooperation received from the stakeholders to assess their potential to be taken forward.

In addition, the United States and the European Union will continue various efforts under the TIST umbrella, including exploring potential avenues of cooperation on conformity assessment.

Green Public Procurement

The United States and the European Union underscore that, by achieving a common understanding on green public procurement practices, we can accelerate the uptake of more sustainable and greener solutions to achieve our common environmental and climate goals.

To this end, we have issued a Joint U.S.-EU Catalogue of Best Practices on Green Public Procurement. It will contribute to advancing sustainability objectives by identifying and promoting policy tools for accelerating the deployment of publicly financed sustainability projects in the United States and the European Union.

The Joint Catalogue presents a collection of policies, practices, and actions used across all stages of the procurement process, from the strategic planning to pre-procurement, procurement, and post-contract award stage, and addresses all types of environmental and climate challenges, such as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency or promoting circular economy approaches. It can serve as an inspiration for policymakers and suppliers, as well as provide ideas for the uptake of green solutions in public procurement globally.

The United States and the European Union will continue to work together on how to use the Joint Catalogue and maximise its impact.

Secure and Sustainable Supply Chains for the Clean Energy Transition

The United States and the European Union reaffirm that secure and sustainable transatlantic supply chains are key for a solid and steadfast transition towards a net zero economy and will help reduce excessive dependencies in strategic economic activities. We intend to continue to cooperate on strategic supply chains, such as solar, to help us increase secure supply of clean energy. The United States and the European Union share common challenges in the solar sector and reaffirm the importance of a dedicated workstream that explores ways to jointly support our photovoltaic manufacturing capacity (including equipment) and to diversify and de-risk this supply chain.

The United States and the European Union also continue efforts to promote transparency and traceability to improve social standards and environmental protections across supply chains that support the green transition. In this context, we are planning a workshop with stakeholders to present ongoing initiatives to promote innovative solutions in the management of sustainable supply chains, including a focused session on solar.

U.S-EU Clean Energy Incentives Dialogue

The United States and the European Union share a strong commitment to tackling the climate crisis. We want to further the growth of the global clean energy economy while establishing resilient, secure, and diverse clean energy supply chains. By strengthening and expanding clean energy industries and investing in future-oriented sectors, we generate jobs, ignite a positive cycle of innovation, and decrease costs for clean energy technologies.

Through the U.S-EU Clean Energy Incentives Dialogue, we continue to work in a transparent and mutually reinforcing manner, to avoid zero-sum competition, subsidy races and distortions in transatlantic trade and investment flows that could arise from our respective policies and incentives. In this way, we strive to maximise clean energy technology deployment that creates jobs and does not lead to windfalls for private interests. To further enhance transparency, we intend to share specific information about our respective public incentive programs starting with one sector as a pilot with the possibility to extend this to further sectors in the future and will explore putting in place a reciprocal mechanism for consultations.

We share concerns about a range of third country non-market policies and practices. We have discussed thoseused by certain third countries to attain a dominant global position in clean energy sectors, and recognise the value of continuing to exchange information on such non-market policies and practices. We will continue to explore policy tools and possible coordinated action to address harm caused by these policies and practices. including by fostering supply chain diversification, reducing dependencies, and building resilience to economic coercion.

Critical Minerals

The United States and the European Union affirm their close collaboration on diversifying global critical minerals supply chains. We welcome the launch of the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) Forum, which we will co-chair. The MSP Forum will formalize and expand its existing engagements with minerals producing countries, with a particular focus on advancing and accelerating individual projects with high environmental protections and social governance and labor standards and promoting discussion of policies that contribute to diverse and resilient supply chains.

Continuing our well-established cooperation on critical raw materials, a workshop on “Developing the permanent magnets value chain” resulted in valuable exchanges focussing on rare earth magnets. We plan to continue these exchanges in the future.

To promote a green transition, enhance economic security, and strengthen environmental protections and labor rights in international critical minerals supply chains, the United States and the European Union are advancing negotiations toward a Critical Minerals Agreement.

Transatlantic E-Mobility Cooperation

We welcome the successful completion of the Electro-mobility and Interoperability with Smart Grids workstream with the publication of the U.S-EU joint technical recommendations for “Future Public Demonstrations of Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI) Pilots”. Devised in consultation with industry experts and stakeholders, the recommendations propose the development of best practices to prepare for large-scale VGI demonstrations, educate potential customers, and incorporate requisite customer-related factors in demonstration programme designs, and aim at supporting communication and coordination between the United States and the EU.

The recommendations complement the “Transatlantic Technical Recommendations for Government Funded Implementation of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure,” which were presented at the fourth TTC ministerial meeting in May 2023 in Luleå, Sweden.

Together, the two sets of recommendations can benefit companies and end users, and transatlantic trade and investment, by supporting the expansion of e-mobility as well as the realization of U.S. and EU clean energy and de-carbonization commitments.

Enhancing eInvoicing Interoperability between the United States and the European Union

As part of our efforts to increase the use of digital tools that enhance trade, Electronic Invoicing (eInvoicing) has emerged as a transformative tool in modern business, offering efficiency gains, cost savings, and trade benefits. The continued cooperation and efforts towards compatible eInvoicing between the United States and the European Union. offer a spectrum of advantages, with the potential to significantly reshape cross-market transactions and the dynamics of transatlantic trade. Even though most of the eInvoicing technical specifications and profiles are highly aligned, there are differences between our respective eInvoicing systems. We intend to continue to cooperate and coordinate for greater compatibility, particularly in terms of business and technical interoperability, as outlined in the declaration annexed to this Joint Statement.

Trade and Labor in the Green Transition

Today, the United States and the European Union held their third session of the tripartite Transatlantic Trade and Labor Dialogue (TALD). This session brought together TTC principals and senior representatives from labor, business, and government from both sides of the Atlantic and continued the joint transatlantic work with social partners on the promotion of sustainable and responsible supply chains with strong protections for labor rights. Building on the discussions during the workshop on the “Promotion of Good Quality Jobs for a Successful, Just and Inclusive Green Transition” on 30 January 2024, the TALD meeting provided the opportunity to dive deeper and hear views from labor and business stakeholders on the topic of the green transition, with specific focus on the green transition and other challenges, and the future of TALD.

In addition, the United States and the European Union reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains, as called upon in the labor and businesses stakeholders’ May 2023 joint recommendations, and they expressed the intention to continue technical dialogue to exchange information, as well as share best practices regarding the implementation of their forced labor policies, including with regard to research and risk assessment.

C. Trade, Security, and Economic Prosperity

Trade for Economic Security

Strengthening our economic security is a fundamental pillar of the transatlantic partnership. The TTC has helped provide a better understanding of our respective approaches to economic security. We intend to continue cooperation under the TTC to address common challenges using relevant trade and technology tools, bilaterally and in relevant fora, including the G7 and the World Trade Organization. We reaffirm shared concerns about the challenges posed to our economic security by, among other issues, economic coercion, the weaponization of economic dependencies, and the use of non-market policies and practices by third countries. We share the objective of continuing efforts to de-risk and diversify our trade and investment relations, including by reducing critical and excessive dependencies and strengthening the resilience of strategic supply chains.

Cooperation on Export Controls and Sanction-Related Export Restrictions

We continue to recognise the important role played by the TTC in supporting the European Union, the United States, and other international partners in their unprecedented cooperation on measures against Russia and Belarus. Such cooperation has helped bring about a continuous alignment of our regulations and a consistent application of export restrictions targeting Russia and Belarus through, for example, regular exchanges of information about authorisation and denial decisions. It has also supported coordination to counter the circumvention of our measures, such as through the creation and update of a common list of high priority items (CHP) and our outreach to industry.

We will continue to work to further align U.S. and EU priorities on Russian export restrictions and coordinated international messaging on those priorities to combat circumvention and improve efficiency and effectiveness of domestic controls. As regards the implementation of export restrictions against Russia, both sides welcome the setting up of the platform for the exchange of licensing information and plan to continue to exchange information on outreach activities, including to third countries and industry.

Both sides have also decided to continue work on facilitating secure high-technology trade and reducing administrative burdens in areas covered by export controls by developing a common understanding of respective rules and mapping out measures that would help streamline this trade, while maintaining a well-functioning and effective export control regime. For example, the United States has expanded licencing exceptions to EU Member States.

We welcome the impulse the TTC has given to coordinated action by the United States and the European Union in reaching out to other countries and supporting them in strengthening their export controls, for example, through the provision of secure software for the processing of licenses.

Investment Screening

We reiterate the importance of having effective foreign direct investment (FDI) screening mechanisms in place aimed at addressing national security risks in the United States and addressing threats to security and public order in the European Union. We welcome the progress in this regard and will continue to support the development and implementation of these mechanisms, while promoting an open and attractive investment environment.

We have carried out joint work to identify certain best practices on foreign direct investment screening with the intention to eventually bring these to the attention of screening authorities and stakeholders more broadly. We will soon launch of a joint repository that will provide additional resources to U.S. and EU Member State investment screening professionals. We have deepened our cooperation on investment screening through hosting a public stakeholder event and conducting outreach to like-minded partners in the Western Balkans to support their development of effective FDI screening mechanisms and intend to continue such outreach in 2024.

We will continue our cooperation on investment screening through technical exchanges, including on investment trends impacting security risks related to specific sensitive technologies to provide a better understanding of similarities and differences in approach.

Outbound Investment Security

We recognize the importance of investment, innovation, and open economies. At the same time, we are also attentive to concerns regarding potential security threats and risks to international peace and security that may arise from certain outbound investments in a narrow set of critical technologies. Against this background, the United States and the European Union will continue to exchange information on the security risks, risk analyses, and on our respective approaches around this issue, and how to address this new challenge.

Addressing Non-Market Policies and Practices

The United States and the European Union remain concerned about the persistent use of other countries’ non-market policies and practices and the challenge they pose both to our workers and businesses and to other third-country markets. We continue to exchange on the risks that non-market policies and practices, including non-market excess capacity, pose in certain sectors and to engage with partners where appropriate.

We engaged with other countries who share our concerns about China’s non-market policies and practices in the medical devices sector, and conveyed these concerns directly to China. The United States and the European Union will continue to monitor developments in the medical devices sector.

D. Defending Human Rights and Values in a Changing Geopolitical Digital Environment

Protecting Information Integrity in a Pivotal Year for Democratic Resilience

The United States and the European Union reiterate our unwavering commitment to support democracies across the world. We are determined to defend human rights and will continue to call out authoritarianism. In a year marked by democratic elections around the world, we call upon all actors including governments, industry, journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society to protect and defend information integrity both online and offline.

We express our strong support for the role of free, pluralistic, and independent media in protecting information integrity. Independent media should serve as a public watchdog and a key pillar of democracy, as well as an important and dynamic part of our economy. We recognize its indispensable role informing public opinion, fact-checking, and holding those in power accountable.

We are witnessing rapid technological advancements which provide opportunities to enhance information integrity but also create new risks. The United States and the European Union share the concern that malign use of AI applications, such as the creation of harmful “deepfakes,” poses new risks, including to further the spread and targeting of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). We call upon technology companies and online platforms to uphold information integrity, including in the run-up to elections across the world.

In the European Union, the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires designated very large online platforms and search engines to assess and mitigate societal risks emanating from their services, including negative effects on civic discourse and electoral processes and recommends specific measures, including on generative AI content.

Cooperation on Online Platforms

The United States and the European Union reaffirm their view that online platforms should exercise greater responsibility in ensuring that their services contribute to an online environment that protects, empowers, and respects their users. We reiterate that online platforms should take appropriate actions to address the impact of their services on the mental health and development of children and youth.

The United States and the European Union also reaffirm that urgent action is needed to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, which disproportionately impacts women and girls, who often experience multiple and intersecting discriminations and oppressions. We developed a set of joint principles on combatting gender-based violence on online platforms that complement further the joint high-level principles on the protection and empowerment of children and youth and facilitation of data access from online platforms for independent research, which were released at the fourth TTC ministerial meeting.

In addition to releasing these principles, we are also publishing a status report on mechanisms for researcher access to online platform data, which builds upon efforts undertaken by the academic and research community. The aim of this work is to disseminate information about the new and improved possibilities now available to study and understand systemic risks related to online platforms. We call on online platforms to expand and improve access for researchers, particularly on societal risks.

To deepen this work, in the margins of this Ministerial Meeting, we organized a joint workshop on access to platform data and using this data to combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence. We invited, and continue to encourage, the research community to analyse these data access mechanisms, and to explore how they can contribute to a better understanding of the functioning of – and the potential risks emanating from online platforms with regard to areas such as the mental health and development of children and youth, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

We share the commitment to the highest appropriate standards of protection in these areas for users in both the United States and the European Union.

Protecting Human Rights Defenders Online

The United States and the European Union recognise the key role human rights defenders (HRDs) play in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we are committed to the protection of HRDs online and offline. We are working together to address human rights risks stemming from the misuse of digital technologies, including combatting internet shutdowns, unlawful surveillance, and the targeting of HRDs online. Elevating the critical role of HRDs and supporting and protecting them in doing their work safely is not only a shared foreign policy priority for the United States and the European Union, but an imperative for advancing human rights for all.

Following the commitment made at the fourth TTC ministerial meeting, we have published joint Recommended Actions for Online Platforms on Protecting Human Rights Defenders Online. This document sets out ten recommendations that online platforms can take globally to prevent, mitigate, and provide remedy for attacks against HRDs online.

These recommendations reflect commitments we made with global partners through the Declaration of the Future of the Internet and reflect key principles of U.S. and EU legislation, initiatives, and policies to safeguard human rights online. They were informed by extensive stakeholder consultations organized by the United States and the European Union from January 2023 to February 2024. The United States and the European Union intend to take further actions to address the needs of HRDs around the world. We will engage with all relevant stakeholders to promote the recommended actions and facilitate their implementation. We will also facilitate further exchanges and cooperation between the European Union- and United States-based emergency mechanisms on support strategies which seek to prevent, curb, mitigate, and eliminate online attacks, including the use of arbitrary and unlawful surveillance targeting HRDs.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference in Third Countries

The United States and the European Union consider foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) to be geopolitical and security challenges. We share the aim of addressing this threat and enhancing the resilience of democracies. Against this background, we have taken a number of actions to increase transatlantic cooperation to proactively address FIMI, including disinformation, while upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms. We will continue to work together to address FIMI through the TTC and other multi- and bilateral contexts.

We will continue to jointly use and further advance the common analytical methodology to identify, analyse and detect FIMI decided at the fourth TTC ministerial meeting. We are engaging with other international partners on a quarterly basis to familiarise them with this methodology. Expanding the network of partners familiar with this methodology will enhance our common understanding of the threat and allow us to jointly identify, analyse, and counter FIMI globally.

The European Union, the United States, and the Western Balkan partners share the same vision for an open, reliable, and secure Internet, as evidenced by their joint endorsement of the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. We will coordinate our efforts in order to support the Western Balkan partners by launching a coordination mechanism to address FIMI threats more effectively in the region. This is in line with the European Union’s and like-minded partners’ initiatives to increase their capabilities to further identify, assess, and counter FIMI. Our support will reduce third countries’, and in particular Russia’s and other actors’, including China’s, ability to effectively employ FIMI campaigns in the region. We will help our partners in the Western Balkans to develop capacity in five key action areas: the development of national strategies and policies, the creation of dedicated governance structures and institutions, increasing human and technical capabilities, protecting and supporting the role of independent media, academia, and civil society, and multilateral engagement.

Secure and Trusted Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity in Third Countries

The United States and the European Union reiterate the importance of and support for secure, trusted, and resilient digital connectivity and information and communication technology and services (ICTS) supply chains in third countries, provided by trusted suppliers.

We commend the decisions taken by partner countries towards trusted ICT ecosystems by ensuring high cybersecurity and resilience standards for connectivity solutions and networks, including by restricting or excluding high-risk suppliers from their national networks and using trusted vendors and services providers for maintenance and repair.

We will continue to reach out to partners across the world to understand the needs and challenges around securing digital infrastructure and explore how we can best collaborate to support the digitalisation goals of emerging economies. We continue to engage emerging economies through technical discussions and high-level roundtables to increase interest in secure digital connectivity. We also remain committed to continued exchanges with relevant industry actors such as mobile network operators and trusted equipment suppliers.

We are delivering on our commitments to support to secure and resilient connectivity projects in Costa Rica, Jamaica, Kenya, and the Philippines, including through mechanisms like the Global Gateway, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, and technical exchanges, including third counties sharing experiences to accelerate secure connectivity in other parts of the region.

The United States and the European Union are supporting Tunisia’s goal of establishing secure digital connectivity and infrastructure by relying on trusted vendors through collaborative advocacy, technical assistance and by exploring financing, coordination, and policy alignment. This includes providing training programs to targeted Tunisian government agencies, IT professionals, and businesses, and promoting the development of cybersecurity standards and frameworks, in particular for 5G. The United States and the European Union are advancing discussions with relevant financial institutions for the mobilisation of support for secure digital connectivity infrastructure projects with trusted vendors.

We aim to continue our actions to support secure and resilient digital connectivity in third countries. Following the earlier signing of a memorandum of understanding between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the United States and the European Union intend to augment their actions by furthering cooperation between the EU Member State and United States financing agencies. In 2023, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) signed co-financing memorandums of understanding with the Swedish EKN and Finnish Finnvera respectively to facilitate joint support for export projects, and has enabled direct support to trusted suppliers from both sides.

We are committed to exploring options to act strategically, cooperatively, and efficiently to provide attractive incentives to partner countries to choose trusted suppliers for the development of their connectivity networks.

Secure and Resilient International Connectivity

The United States and the European Union recall the economic and geostrategic importance of cooperating on trust and security in the entirety of ICT infrastructure, including maintenance and repair. To this end, we continue to seek ways to advance cooperation on international connectivity with trustworthy, secure, and resilient networks. This could include trans-oceanic routes including through the Arctic and Pacific regions.

III. Building the Transatlantic Partnership Together with Stakeholders

We remain committed to high levels of transparency and the close involvement of the transatlantic stakeholder community at large in the work of the TTC, including businesses, labor organisations, non-profit organisations, environmental constituencies, and academics.

We have therefore extensively reached out to stakeholders and given them the possibility to be involved and to provide input and receive feedback through the organisation of events, roundtables, and workshops and the establishment of dedicated websites like Futurium. With the support of the EU-financed Trade and Technology Dialogue, several high-level events have taken place and stakeholders have been consulted on topics such as sustainable trade, standardisation, AI, connectivity, and semiconductors.

In addition to these activities, we have also engaged with relevant stakeholders in more structured formats such as the Transatlantic Trade and Labor Dialogue, the Talent for Growth Task Force, and with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a series of webinars on the topic of SME access to and use of digital tools.

Talent for Growth

The Talent for Growth Task Force, launched in April 2023 with a one-year mandate, has served both as a platform for best practices and a catalyst for innovative skills approaches that promote economic growth and create opportunities for workers in the technology sector. The Task Force brought together leaders from government, business, labor unions, and organisations that support training from the United States and the European Union. The Task Force identified, mapped, and disseminated implementable models and ideas in four critical areas: training workers to meet business needs, including women and underrepresented groups in technical jobs, Moving to a skills-first culture, and micro-credentials. The Task Force endorsed a statement featuring key messages stemming from these discussions.

The discussions in this group have confirmed the critical role talent plays for the sustainable growth of our economies and the well-being of our societies in an age of rapidly changing technology. It examined the acceleration of change brought about by AI. The Task Force has established bilateral relations between Task Force members which have catalysed private-sector initiatives and will last beyond the timeframe of the Task Force. The European and the United States remain dedicated to continuing to equip our workforces with the skills necessary to meet the needs created by rapidly changing technology, including AI.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

The United States and the European Union recognise the use of digital tools as a key enabler for SMEs to innovate, grow, and compete and are continuing their work to promote the uptake of digital technologies by SMEs.

Several webinars and outreach activities where SMEs shared their needs and experience were held during the last two years. After an analysis of these stakeholder exchanges, we have developed a common set of recommendations for U.S. and EU policymakers to implement measures to help SMEs to accelerate access to these technologies.

The recommendations focus on the topics of digital-related trainings; transatlantic exchange programmes; information-sharing on cyber-security, intellectual property, and standards; and access to finance. To continue the work, we intend to develop an implementation process for these recommendations, including measures such as a webinar on access to finance and the publishing of cross-referenced U.S. and EU websites with practical information for SMEs.

IV. Conclusion and Next Steps

Since its inaugural meeting on 29 September 2021, the TTC has realized substantial progress and achievements across all workstreams. These results have enabled the United States and the European Union: to explore how to create new trade and investment opportunities, notably to contribute to the green transition; to advance our shared leadership in emerging technologies, such as 6G, quantum, and biotechnology so that democracies can remain at the vanguard of these developments; to provide a robust joint response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; to cooperate on economic security measures to reduce economic dependencies; to continue to develop a shared understanding of the non-market policies and practices and the risks they pose or our workers, businesses and markets globally; to jointly enhance supply chain resilience while promoting transparency and cooperation on our industrial policy approaches in key sectors, including semiconductors and clean energy; to exchange information on best practices in eliminating forced labor from our global supply chains; to advance and reinforce interoperability between AI governance frameworks based on our shared democratic values to achieve our common vision for safe, secure, and trustworthy AI globally ; to advance the resilience and security of our ICT infrastructures; and to finance and promote secure connectivity with trusted suppliers around the world.

These achievements demonstrate the enduring ties between the United States and the European Union and the importance of maintaining an operational forum for cooperation on strategic trade and technology issues of common interest and geopolitical relevance. As the United States and the European Union enter their respective electoral processes, the work we do under the TTC will remain relevant, strategic, and timely, while allowing for the necessary flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.

Building on the lessons learned from our cooperation so far, we intend to use the remainder of 2024 to engage with U.S. and EU stakeholders to learn their views on the future of the TTC.

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Secretary Gina Raimondo

Trade and Technology Council

U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Talent for Growth Task Force Concludes its Work, Private Sector Collaboration Continues

ASowah@doc.gov — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 16:59:47 +0000

U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Talent for Growth Task Force Concludes its Work, Private Sector Collaboration Continues ASowah@doc.gov Thu, 04/04/2024 - 12:59

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

LEUVEN, Belgium – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and European Commission (EC) Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager concluded the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Talent for Growth Task Force’s final meeting and brought to a close the work announced in December 2022. The Talent for Growth Task Force consisted of fourteen members appointed in April 2023 from government and private sector leaders from business, labor, and organizations that provide training. The goal of the Task Force was to build collaboratively on each other’s experiences and to serve as a catalyst for innovative skills approaches that can be pursued in the private sector after the term of the Task Force concluded.

“With the TTC, Executive Vice-President Vestager and I – along with our co-chairs – are helping to set the rules of the road for the technology that will determine our global economic competitiveness and our national security – both in the U.S. and in Europe. Today marks a milestone in that approach with the conclusion of the Talent for Growth Task Force,” said Secretary Raimondo. “Through this Task Force over the last year, which included leaders in business, labor, education and government, we have put workers at the center of our efforts to ensure that technology benefits society. This Task Force wasn’t formed just to write a report; it was created with the intention of fostering an environment to learn from each other and from the best programs and systems in both the U.S. and Europe. I believe we achieved that goal and that we will all benefit from these efforts and research for many years come.” 

“Skills are essential for us to succeed with our digital transition. And with the Talent for Growth Task Force, we have combined valuable experiences from Europe and the U.S. alike,” said Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager. “Technology offers vast opportunities if we use it well, including for and by the workforce. Our cooperation has helped us learn and identify best practices on developing talents and skills needed for existing and emerging technologies and the opportunities it represents.”

In establishing the Task Force, the TTC recognized the challenges that the rapid development of technology – in particular, AI – poses to our workers and companies. The TTC is dedicated to continuing to equip the United States’ and European Union’s workforces with the skills necessary to meet the needs created by that rapid development. To address this need, the Task Force focused on four key areas: training workers to meet business needs; including women, youth, and underrepresented groups in technical jobs; using skills-based hiring; and upskilling through credentials, including micro-credentials.

The Task Force was Co-Chaired by Zoë Baird, Senior Counselor to Secretary Gina Raimondo for Technology and Economic Growth, and Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director General, EC Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion.

The Talent for Growth Task Force issued a Task Force Statement of the Members from the United States and EU. The Statement highlights the work that the Task Force has done to catalyze businesses, labor, and organizations that support training to act to build lifelong training for working-age populations. At today’s meeting, the Task Force members highlighted how they are carrying this work forward through actions catalyzed by the Task Force.

About the Task Force

The U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) announced the establishment of the Talent for Growth Task Force on December 5, 2022. The TTC is committed to collaborating to build middle-income careers for millions of workers in both the U.S. and EU. The Talent for Growth Task Force brought together government and private sector leaders from business, labor, and organizations that provide training, building on existing initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic. The goal of the Task Force was to exchange experiences and to serve as a catalyst for innovative skills approaches.

The Task Force’s members are:

U.S. Section Members

Zoë Baird, Senior Counselor for Technology and Economic Growth to Secretary Raimondo, U.S. Department of Commerce, Co-Chair
Gregory Haile, Director, Achieving the Dream  
Sal Khan, Founder & CEO, Khan Academy 
Michael Lynton, Chair, Snap Inc. 
Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO, Cisco
Ameenah Salaam, Secretary-Treasurer, Communications Workers of America   
Elizabeth H. Shuler, President, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

EU Section Members

Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director-General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, Co-Chair
Markus Beyrer, Director General, BusinessEurope
Esther Lynch, General Secretary European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Giulia Meschino, Secretary General of the European Vocational Training Association (EVTA)
Claes-Mikael Ståhl, Deputy Secretary General, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Marloes de Vries, Head of Zadkine Vocational Education College, Rotterdam
Véronique Willems, Secretary General, SMEunited

For more information about the Task Force, please visit the website.

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Belgium

U.S. and UK Announce Partnership on Science of AI Safety

KCPullen@doc.gov — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 23:07:08 +0000

U.S. and UK Announce Partnership on Science of AI Safety KCPullen@doc.gov Mon, 04/01/2024 - 19:07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 1, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

U.S. and UK AI Safety Institutes to work seamlessly with each other, partnering on research, safety evaluations, and guidance for AI safety

Institutes to develop shared capabilities through information-sharing, close cooperation, and expert personnel exchanges

The U.S. and UK have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which will see them work together to develop tests for the most advanced AI models, following through on commitments made at the AI Safety Summit last November.

Signed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, the partnership will see both countries working to align their scientific approaches and working closely to accelerate and rapidly iterate robust suites of evaluations for AI models, systems, and agents.

The U.S. and UK AI Safety Institutes have laid out plans to build a common approach to AI safety testing and to share their capabilities to ensure these risks can be tackled effectively. They intend to perform at least one joint testing exercise on a publicly accessible model. They also intend to tap into a collective pool of expertise by exploring personnel exchanges between the Institutes.

The partnership will take effect immediately and is intended to allow both organizations to work seamlessly with one another. AI continues to develop rapidly, and both governments recognize the need to act now to ensure a shared approach to AI safety which can keep pace with the technology’s emerging risks. As the countries strengthen their partnership on AI safety, they have also committed to develop similar partnerships with other countries to promote AI safety across the globe.

“AI is the defining technology of our generation. This partnership is going to accelerate both of our Institutes’ work across the full spectrum of risks, whether to our national security or to our broader society. Our partnership makes clear that we aren’t running away from these concerns – we're running at them. Because of our collaboration, our Institutes will gain a better understanding of AI systems, conduct more robust evaluations, and issue more rigorous guidance,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “By working together, we are furthering the long-lasting special relationship between the U.S. and UK and laying the groundwork to ensure that we’re keeping AI safe both now and in the future.”

“This agreement represents a landmark moment, as the UK and the United States deepen our enduring special relationship to address the defining technology challenge of our generation,” said UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donelan. “We have always been clear that ensuring the safe development of AI is a shared global issue. Only by working together can we address the technology’s risks head on and harness its enormous potential to help us all live easier and healthier lives. The work of our two nations in driving forward AI safety will strengthen the foundations we laid at Bletchley Park in November, and I have no doubt that our shared expertise will continue to pave the way for countries tapping into AI’s enormous benefits safely and responsibly.”

Reflecting the importance of ongoing international collaboration, today’s announcement will also see both countries sharing vital information about the capabilities and risks associated with AI models and systems, as well as fundamental technical research on AI safety and security. This will work to underpin a common approach to AI safety testing, allowing researchers on both sides of the Atlantic—and around the world—to coalesce around a common scientific foundation.

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Secretary Gina Raimondo

Office of Public Affairs

Thank you, Secretary Donelan, for traveling here for this historic day. It’s wonderful to be with you.

Last November, at the AI Safety Summit in Bletchley Park hosted by Secretary Donelan and Prime Minister Sunak, I committed to establishing a formal partnership between the U.S. AI Safety Institute and the UK’s Safety Institute. Today’s signing of this Memorandum of Understanding between us is the culmination of that commitment.

It’s a major milestone for the United States, the United Kingdom, and in the history of AI safety. And it’s in line with the Biden Administration’s approach to AI: managing its risks so that we can harness its benefits.

AI is the defining technology of our generation. This partnership is going to accelerate both of our Institutes’ work across the full spectrum to address risks within both our national security and broader society. Our partnership makes clear that we aren’t running away from these concerns – we're running at them. Because of our collaboration, our Institutes will gain a better understanding of AI systems, develop, and conduct more robust evaluations, and provide more rigorous and useful guidance.

And it’s going to mean that – as we develop tests and guidelines – we stay aligned and coordinated to the greatest extent possible. By working together, we’re laying the groundwork to ensure that we’re keeping AI safe both now and in the future.

And this is just the beginning.

We need global solutions, as unsafe AI developed in one country can pose risks to the entire world. AI presents complex challenges and risks, and both governments and the private sector need to be part of the solution. On Wednesday, I’ll head to Belgium for a Trade and Technology Council ministerial meeting where our global coordination on AI will continue.

We anticipate that in the weeks and months ahead, more partnerships will help create a global network of AI safety, built through numerous linkages between government-backed scientific institutions that are doing research on and developing standards and guidelines for the safe development and implementation of advanced AI systems.

That will include our Safety Institutes but may also incorporate other types of scientific organizations. We want to think outside the box. We want to think big.

Secretary Donelan, I am grateful for your leadership and partnership, and I’m eager to continue working with you. Thank you again for traveling here today. Today, and together, we take a momentous step. Our historic partnership is a win-win for our nations and, as we expand our network, for the world.

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Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the BIS Update Conference

KCPullen@doc.gov — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:57:12 +0000

Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the BIS Update Conference KCPullen@doc.gov Thu, 03/28/2024 - 14:57

Trade enforcement

AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Bureau of Industry and Security

Hello everyone! I’m very pleased to be back here today speaking with you all. I’d like to give a big thank you to the BIS team for putting together this remarkable conference.

The last time I spoke at this conference was in 2022. Looking back, I don’t think anyone expected that in two years’ time, Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine would still be ongoing. But I believe that is a testament to the courage, grit, and determination of the Ukrainian people and their leadership, and to the steadfast support of democracies and industry around the world standing up for what is right.

I know Ambassador Markarova spoke here yesterday. And I just want to say – we stand with you, we’re inspired by you, and the Department of Commerce will continue to do everything we can to support Ukraine and its people during this challenging time.

Our support is spearheaded by Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

BIS is a critical part of this Department’s national security strategy and as many of you here know has been at the vanguard of our national security work for decades.

So what’s changed? The demand for BIS’s work has skyrocketed. As a result, both the scale and scope of its efforts have increased exponentially. Put simply: BIS is doing more work, on more complex challenges, faster than ever before.

And that is true across all aspects of BIS’s work. License applications, rules, entity listings, enforcement, industry and international engagement – BIS is the tip of the spear on addressing threats from our adversaries and protecting our technology and goods from abuse by malign actors who seek to use them against us.

But let me take a step back and tell you how we got here.

In recent times, we’ve witnessed a number of acute shocks to the global environment. Russia’s brutal war is one example. The COVID-19 pandemic is another. It laid bare the real vulnerabilities in our supply chains, following the decades-long hollowing out of America’s industrial base.

But there’s even more beyond that. Our larger strategic environment has also transformed in the last decade. We now live in an era of strategic competition and global interdependence.

The PRC, for example, is the only state with both the intent and increasingly, the power to reshape the existing international order – an order that has prevailed for the last three-quarters of a century. The problem that poses is exacerbated by the breakneck pace of technological development, global democratic backsliding, and greater challenges to global and regional governance across the world. At the same time, the PRC and the United States are reliant on one another economically and share interests in addressing transnational problems, such as the systemic threat of climate change.

The complexity of the China challenge is rooted in the interconnected relationship between economics, science, technology, and national security. And the Department of Commerce sits at that very nexus, and so has never been more central to ensuring our country’s national security than today.

And our national security priorities reflect the strategic moment we’re facing. For each of those priorities, BIS is a critical piece of our strategy. Let me give two brief examples.

First, take critical and emerging technologies, or CET. As President Biden has stated time and again, the world will witness more technological change in the next few years than in the last fifty. Critical and emerging technologies — such as quantum information science, biotech, AI, and others – are driving this transformation. These technologies will increasingly underpin how societies function, interact, and grow.

CET are especially important to the future of society, but like all technologies, they can be manipulated by our adversaries to endanger and harm our national security interests, including through efforts to modernize their militaries. We must prevent technology transfer to an adversary that threatens to use our own innovations against us or our allies.

Export controls are some of the Department’s most important tools for protecting CET from such abuse and misuse. We now know the PRC, in particular, will do everything in its power to out-innovate us and to circumvent our regulations.

Export control changes have also increased in frequency, complexity, and significance over the last decade to keep up with the pace of innovation, requiring us to double down on their enforcement.

For example, we are co-leading the Disruptive Technology Strike Force alongside the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute criminal violations of export laws and enhance administrative enforcement of our export controls.

We have also built upon our partnerships, like the historic Trilateral Leaders’ Summit at Camp David with Japan and South Korea. In February, export control principals from our three countries met in Tokyo to further align on Russia controls, collaborate on outreach to countries in Southeast Asia, and cooperate on controls for CET.

In order to address CET, we must be faster, more agile, and more creative to stay ahead. And that’s the core challenge before us: The very nature of innovation – constant change – means that the job will never be done. So the key to success going forward will be the process of revision, and the strategic impeding and disrupting of adversary advancement when national security interests demand it.

Another national security priority to highlight is our work to counter traditional military threats. Not all abuses of force involve critical and emerging technologies – and even still, Commerce has a significant part to play.

For instance, BIS has long supported State Department-led arms control and nuclear, chemical, and biological nonproliferation efforts by administering and enforcing export controls addressing such concerns. That ongoing work is tremendously important, even though it may not always grab headlines.

But let me return to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine – a prime example of our work to counter traditional threats. When malign actors abroad use military force that threatens our friends, our shared values, and our collective security, the Commerce Department and the Biden-Harris Administration step up.

Just look at what we’ve accomplished over the last two years.

We cut off trade with Russia in items beyond the Commerce Control List, including thousands of categories of goods identified by six-digit harmonized tariff codes. The use of tariff codes has given us the unprecedented ability to track our controlled trade around the world, and to track down circumvention efforts with new insights into global evasion networks.

We’ve used our Entity List to impose comprehensive license requirements for more than 900 foreign companies supporting Russia, including nearly 250 entities outside Russia who are supporting Russia’s defense industrial base, and recently expanded export controls against thousands of blocked persons designated by the Treasury Department.

We’ve built and maintained a coalition of 39 export control partners, who are substantially aligned with us against Russia, and are working closely with dozens of other nations to cut off transshipment of controlled items to Russia.

We’ve established enforcement information sharing mechanisms with like-minded partners such as the G7 to better coordinate enforcement efforts and make them more effective.

What’s more, we’re working closely with our sister agencies, including the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and Homeland Security, to build out government-wide enforcement policies and actions.

Those are just a few examples that illustrate this simple fact: We’ve accomplished a lot, and we’re going to keep accomplishing more, for as long as Russia’s illegal war persists.

And not just that: we are going to use the lessons we’ve learned in addressing this unnecessary conflict – applying that knowledge to future efforts aimed at protecting the global order.

The last time I spoke here, the theme of the conference was “Building a Network of Global Cooperation”, centering on multilateralism. This year’s theme of “Partnerships in National and Global Security” challenges us to prioritize greater internal coordination, enhance industry engagement, and continue to embrace the importance of multilateral efforts.

So much of this work would be impossible to execute without the work and careful coordination of our interagency partners, but it also highlights the need for partnership collaboration between the federal government and our friends in the private sector.

In September of last year, I had the privilege of leading a cybersecurity trade mission to Korea and Japan, where I got to see firsthand just how important the U.S. private sector is to the enduring national security not just of the United States, but of the whole globe.

We need the private sector’s resources, expertise, and partnership to ensure that the global rules-based economic order can both withstand the threats it faces and strengthen and expand in the decades to come.

In that spirit, we look forward to continuing to develop our National Security Strategy, which will drive us forward in our shared mission to protect, promote, and preserve our national security.

We look forward to deepening our involvement in this important work, at this critical moment in our country’s history, to build a safer and more secure world.

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Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit

KCPullen@doc.gov — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:16:58 +0000

Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit KCPullen@doc.gov Thu, 03/28/2024 - 11:16

Cybersecurity

Investing in communities and workers

Intellectual property

Trade enforcement

AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Bureau of Industry and Security

Thank you, Troy, for that introduction. Hello everyone!

I am thrilled to be here with our partners at U.S. Customs and Border Protection to kick off the Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit. This summit could not come at a better time, as all of us here – business and government – remain focused on ensuring the continued reliability, safety, and security of cross-border trade in goods and services with our trading partners. This has been essential to the rules-based economic order that the United States has fostered for generations. And it will remain essential to the global competitiveness of the United States and the economic well-being of countless Americans.

I’m particularly proud of the close partnership between the Commerce Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on this agenda, and across several domains. To name a few, there is our joint work to promote the use of secure non-intrusive inspection equipment at borders and ports including in Mexico; CBP’s collaboration with investigators in our International Trade Administration to facilitate accurate collection and assessment of remedial duties that provide relief to U.S. workers, farmers, and companies against unfair trade; and our partnership in support of commercial dialogues in key markets.

There is no better exemplar of the Commerce-CBP partnership than Mr. Ian Saunders, a CBP and Commerce alum, who was recently elected to be the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization in Geneva, the only intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness of customs administrations worldwide. Ian’s election reflects the best of U.S. leadership as well as broad endorsement by the international customs community of our shared values of transparency and innovation.

COMMERCE DEPARTMENT’S APPROACH UNDER BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION

The challenges and threats to cross-border trade and U.S. competitiveness have grown exponentially in recent years. The pandemic laid bare vulnerabilities in our supply chains. And supply chain disruptions have resulted from the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and attacks by Houthi rebels of vital shipping lines in the Red Sea. Our adversaries, including the PRC, are taking ever more aggressive efforts to control supply chains, to exploit chokepoints, and to expropriate dual use technologies to fuel their military ambitions and threaten our national security. Our companies tell us they face new and growing cybersecurity risks, theft of intellectual property, and unfair trade and investment practices by our competitors both here and abroad.

From day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has recognized these threats to our economic security and has taken bold steps to address them. The Department of Commerce is at the center of many of these actions – I’d like to share two of them.

The first is to build resilient supply chains including with our allies.
And the second is to ensure the safety and security of the tech ecosystems in which our companies operate, innovate, trade, and attract investment.

Let me touch on our approach in each of these areas.

BUILDING RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAINS

The Administration recognized early on that our ability to ensure reliable, fair, and efficient trade – so essential to U.S. competitiveness -- requires a sharper focus on building resilient supply chains. And President Biden’s bold executive actions on supply chains opened a new chapter in U.S. economic policy, including through the creation of the Council on Supply Chain Resilience and efforts to build a rapid reaction capability to assess, respond to, and resolve supply chain crises in real-time. As result, Americans are now better able to access the medicines, manufacturing inputs and other critical technologies they need to stay healthy and productive. And we are reducing our dependency on adversaries that threaten our national security and hinder our economic competitiveness, especially in critical and emerging technologies such as chips.

The Commerce Department has been central to these vital and timely efforts. Last summer, we launched the first-of its-kind Supply Chain Center, which aims to be an analytic engine for U.S. supply chain resilience policy, leveraging our deep industry expertise, quantitative data, and advanced analytics to be more proactive and impactful. I’m especially proud the Supply Chain Center’s work in developing innovative quantitative and qualitative tools to identify and assess supply chain risks that can threaten U.S. industry, economic competitiveness, and national security. We also recently launched an updated Semiconductor Alert Mechanism, a public-private information gathering mechanism that supports faster problem solving through coordination with trading partners and the private sector.

Supply chain resilience and our economic security also demand that we rebuild our industrial base – our productive capacity here at home – including critical and emerging technologies. The Biden-Harris Administration is making historic investments in American competitiveness, to the tune of $1 trillion, that are enabling us to compete and win in the 21st century global economy – in clean energy, economic development, and technological innovation. Under landmark legislation such as the CHIPS and Science Act, we are making strategic public investments and leveraging unprecedented private investment in American chips fabrication capacity – I’m sure many of you heard our recent announcement involving Intel and its plans to invest in chips fabrication across several states.

As a result of these investments, like the Administration’s investments in clean technologies, I believe we are at the beginning of an industrial and infrastructure renaissance that will recenter supply chains of our most critical technologies here in the United States.

Also under the CHIPS and Science Act, we are supporting 31 newly designated “Tech Hubs” in regions across the U.S. to increase our capacity to produce and deliver critical and emerging technologies – from renewable energy to critical minerals, from AI to bio tech. One component of our support for each Hub is a Global Resiliency Stress Test, a strategic framework designed to guide technology-focused regions in strengthening their position in the global market.

Building supply chain resilience requires more than investing in our industrial base. For success, we cannot go it alone. Even as we invest in our productive capacities at home, we are expanding government-to-government, commercial, trade, and investment linkages between the U.S. and our allies around the world, in the Indo-Pacific, Europe, Western Hemisphere, and in Africa. I’ll give you three examples.

First, on February 24 of this year, as part of the landmark Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a first-of-its-kind Supply Chain Agreement among partners entered into force. We have already begun working with our partners to strengthen our supply chains and prevent potential disruptions. This includes identifying critical sectors and key goods in order to develop a shared understanding of global supply chain risks.
Second, under the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), we are working with U.S. and European companies on legacy semiconductors, diversification of the solar supply chain, and AI risk management and standards.
Third, as part of the U.S.-Brazil Commercial Dialogue, the Commerce and CBP teams are working together to support Brazilian partners in improving their customs processes and facilitate expanded bilateral trade opportunities.

SAFETY AND SECURITY OF TECH ECOSYSTEMS

The resilience of U.S. supply chains, especially in critical and emerging technologies, will also depend on fostering innovation ecosystems that are safe and secure. That is why we remain focused on countering malign actors that undermine our economic and national security and hamper the ability of our private sector to innovate and grow. For instance:

We know that we must help our companies protect themselves against cybersecurity threats. Our National Institute of Standards and Technology has updated the widely-used Cybersecurity Framework, a landmark guidance document for managing cybersecurity risk. NIST’s updated edition is designed for all audiences, industry sectors and organization types, from the smallest schools and nonprofits to the largest agencies and corporations.
Our Bureau of Industry and Security has implemented export controls on sensitive goods, software, and technology to address threats to our national security. It is common sense to prevent transfers of sensitive technology to an adversary that threatens to use our innovations against us or our allies. In doing so, especially when we coordinate with like-minded countries, we help ensure trusted, prosperous trade ecosystems are free of abuse. For instance, our response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine represented an unprecedented level and pace of coordination on export controls with partners and allies, an alignment that contributes to a safer, more prosperous world. BIS is also working closely with CBP, starting with our partnership at the National Targeting Center, to identify and detain shipments of concern. We rely on CBP to carry out many of the seizures related to illegal exports identified in our export enforcement investigations.
We’re also redoubling our efforts on AI safety under President Biden’s Executive Order on AI. We’re asking frontier AI developers to disclose red-teaming, safety, and cybersecurity measures taken for next-generation frontier models. We see this combination of voluntary measures coupled with reporting requirements as an important step toward the safe development of frontier AI that will affect all sectors of our economy. Well-developed standards and testing capability will also be critical for safety. We’ve launched an AI Safety Institute and a consortium to work with partners in academia, industry, and non-profits to advance its frontier AI safety mission.
IP protection also plays a central role in our economic security. The Department of Commerce manages the interagency STOPfakes.gov program, which utilizes programs, presentations, and web-based resources to help U.S. exporters effectively protect their intellectual property assets from counterfeiting and compromise in foreign markets.

From export controls on dual use items to AI safety standards, from IP protection to combatting forced labor, our goals are to ensure technology innovation and trade take place within secure ecosystems that help innovative companies thrive and trade freely, and to build resilient supply chains that will be robust to shocks – whether natural or human-made.

As you can tell, our work on promoting reliable and efficient trade and U.S. competitiveness is a whole-of-government effort. We are continuing to produce world-class analytics and market intelligence, ensure a level-playing field, and building our industrial base with the goal of enabling our private sector. The President, the Commerce Department and our partners across the U.S. government are committed to ensuring your competitiveness and securing our economic and national security.

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Economic Development Administration

Leadership

U.S.-Brazil CEO Commercial Dialogue

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Exports

CHIPS and Science Act

Secretary Raimondo Highlights Bilateral Commercial Relationship, Need for Diverse Semiconductor Supply Chains in Official Visit to Costa Rica

ASowah@doc.gov — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:10:13 +0000

Secretary Raimondo Highlights Bilateral Commercial Relationship, Need for Diverse Semiconductor Supply Chains in Official Visit to Costa Rica ASowah@doc.gov Wed, 03/27/2024 - 17:10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo traveled to Costa Rica to emphasize the strength of the U.S.-Costa Rican bilateral commercial and investment relationship and to underscore the importance of diverse and resilient semiconductor supply chains. During her visit, Secretary Raimondo highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to diversify the semiconductor supply chain with partners like Costa Rica as a compliment to the historic investments in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing under President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act.

While in San Jose, the Secretary met with President Rodrigo Chaves to discuss efforts to enhance semiconductor supply chain capacity in the Western Hemisphere and welcomed Costa Rica’s efforts to elevate the country as a key market for semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging. During a meeting with Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Trade Manuel Tovar and Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications Paula Bogantes, Secretary Raimondo emphasized the Department of Commerce’s support for Costa Rica’s digital transformation efforts related to artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital networks.

The Secretary also participated in two roundtable discussions – one with supply chain leaders on the importance of collaboration on supply chain challenges, particularly in the semiconductor industry, and one with the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Center of Excellence Companies on support for workforce development initiatives in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 5G, and cloud computing industries. The companies in attendance committed more than $47 million to provide equipment, software, curriculum, and training programs that will benefit the future of Costa Rica’s workforce.

Please find readouts from Secretary Raimondo’s travel to San Jose below:

Readout of Deputy Secretary Graves’ Meeting with U.S. Investment Advisory Council

KCPullen@doc.gov — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:42:04 +0000

Readout of Deputy Secretary Graves’ Meeting with U.S. Investment Advisory Council KCPullen@doc.gov Tue, 03/26/2024 - 17:42

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

Yesterday, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, Assistant Secretary of Global Markets and Director General of the Foreign Commercial Service Arun Venkataraman, and SelectUSA Executive Director Jasjit Singh met with the U.S. Investment Advisory Council (IAC) for their final meeting of the term. They provided an update on the progress made on the recommendations submitted by the Council throughout their term and thanked them for their service.

During the meeting, Deputy Secretary Graves highlighted how landmark legislation spearheaded by the Biden-Harris Administration, such as the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, is playing a key role in helping the United States retain its position as the premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). He highlighted the incredible opportunities for foreign investors to help develop the next generation of American innovative technologies – from semiconductor production to the clean energy economy – and emphasized the milestone achieved by SelectUSA earlier this year, facilitating more than $200 billion in client-verified FDI, which supports more than 200,000 jobs across the country.

Assistant Secretary Venkataraman and Executive Director Singh shared updates on the progress made with regards to the IAC recommendations that were submitted over the course of the term and encouraged everyone to attend the 10^th SelectUSA Investment Summit this year. Chair Barbara Humpton and Vice Chair Richard Chin discussed a final report that they plan to submit summarizing the accomplishments of the Council and best practices for future members.

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Leadership

SelectUSA Investment Summit

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SelectUSA

Foreign direct investment [FDI]

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves

ASowah@doc.gov — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 21:50:51 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves ASowah@doc.gov Fri, 03/22/2024 - 17:50

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, March 22, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with President of Costa Rica Rodrigo Chaves and members of his Cabinet. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo and President Chaves discussed efforts to enhance semiconductor supply chain capacity in the Western Hemisphere. She welcomed President Chaves and the Government of Costa Rica’s efforts to elevate the country as a key market for semiconductor assembly, testing and packaging. They also discussed the Americas Partnership Center of Excellence and workforce development efforts for Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity countries in critical digital technology sectors ranging from cybersecurity to semiconductors to artificial intelligence.

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Digital Economy

Workforce Development

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Center of Excellence Companies

ASowah@doc.gov — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 21:25:28 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Center of Excellence Companies ASowah@doc.gov Fri, 03/22/2024 - 17:25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, March 22, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo co-led a roundtable discussion with Costa Rica’s Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT) Paula Bogantes, Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Trade Manuel Tovar and Industry and other stakeholders to discuss their collective commitments to support the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) Center of Excellence (COE). The COE will support workforce development initiatives in Costa Rica and across all APEP countries in the semiconductor, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 5G, and cloud computing industries. The companies in attendance also committed more than $47 million to provide equipment, software, curriculum, and training programs that will benefit the future of Costa Rica’s workforce.

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