Brussels, 24 February 2025
Željana Zovko, Vice-President of the EPP Group responsible for EPP diplomacy and relations with the US Congress, as well as the EPP’s permanent rapporteur for trade relations with the United States, will be in Washington this week for a five-day study trip organized by the EPP.
This visit to the United States comes at an extremely important time, given the extraordinary political events currently unfolding in the country. The visit program will be very dynamic, involving exchanges with leading experts and academics on trade, industry, technology regulation, and geopolitics in the context of key global challenges. The visit will provide an opportunity to deepen the transatlantic partnership and gain a better understanding of the direction of the new US administration through high-level meetings with US Congress members and a dinner with European ambassadors.
The study trip will begin with a series of meetings focused on trade and economic issues, which Zovko has been working on intensively, especially after the shift in US trade policy towards the European Union with President Trump’s return to the White House. To exchange views on the transatlantic trade partnership – the largest trade relationship in the world, valued at 1.6 trillion euros last year – Zovko will meet with Congressman Jim Costa and Nathaniel Moran, academic representatives, industry representatives, chambers of commerce, and leading companies.
Additionally, she will discuss challenges in industry and technological regulation, particularly in light of the previous administration’s decision on restricting AI chip exports, which has also impacted Croatia. Zovko will also hold bilateral meetings with representatives of the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR).
On Wednesday, Zovko will participate in meetings and discussions about the geopolitical implications of transatlantic relations and global security. Special emphasis will be placed on establishing peace in Ukraine, the situation in Southeastern Europe, with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and current events in the Middle East and Eurasia.
While in the US, she will also visit the prestigious US Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Georgetown University, George Washington University, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the American Business Institute, the Hudson Institute, and the Atlantic Council.
As a reminder, in her parliamentary work, Zovko consistently emphasizes the importance of establishing strong contacts with the US administration and like-minded partners to jointly find the best solutions for deepening and strengthening the transatlantic dialogue and gaining insights into the priorities and shared goals of the new administration.