The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs has tasked the Croatian MEP and rapporteur on relations with the United States, Tonino Picula, with drawing up a document of recommendations for EU-US relations, Picula's office said in a press release on Wednesday.

The Committee’s decision coincided with Picula’s exchange of opinions on Tuesday with William Keating, Chairman of the Europe, Eurasia, Energy & the Environment Subcommittee in the US Congress, another step in the preparation of the recommendations, the press release said.

Picula said that in the past four years the EU-US relationship was at its lowest since the establishment of the global multilateral order and the Euro-Atlantic partnership after WWII.

Before that, for 70 long years, the international order based on democratic values, open societies, and protection of human and minority rights was the product of joint US and EU efforts, he added.

Keating welcomed Picula’s assessment and said that neither the US nor the EU could be successful if they did not work together. He said the US had returned to the Paris climate agreement, but noted that a lot more needed to be done.

Keating said relations with China would be an important part of the new transatlantic agenda, notably in the wake of US President Joe Biden’s announcement that a common approach to those relations would be agreed.

He underlined the importance of protecting common democratic values, labour rights and intellectual property in relations with China.

Picula welcomed the US intention to rejoin the Iran nuclear programme, saying it was the basis for working on the establishment of stability in the Middle East.

As for relations with Russia, Picula said that the different strategies towards COVID-19 vaccines and Russia’s active role in disinformation campaigns and support to anti-European groups were the challenges that the EU needed to address through a common and comprehensive action strategy.

Keating said that relations with Russia were a major challenge, both economically and in terms of security and cyber security. He noted that Russia’s role in Belarus, Ukraine, Syria and Libya should not be ignored either.

Speaking of the Western Balkans, Picula said that the greatest successes achieved in the region were always the result of common efforts. He pointed out that the EU integration of the Western Balkan countries was the Union’s strategic interest.

Keating concurred, announcing the greater involvement of the United States in the Western Balkans. He expressed concern about a possible further deterioration in democratic standards there.

On the subject of the common defence policy within NATO, Picula said that the EU should strengthen its diplomatic, security and defence capabilities. “I believe that a self-confident and self-sufficient EU will be a more reliable and stronger partner in protecting multilateralism and the international order,” he said.

Picula also talked about the European Green Deal as the most ambitious EU project, saying that climate change was not just an environmental, but also economic and social challenge that should be addressed in a socially equitable way. He called on the US for a joint fight on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and received Keating’s support in that regard.