EU seeks 'new transatlantic agenda' with Biden - EU chief executive

The United States and the European Union need to forge a new transatlantic alliance in areas such as climate change and the digital economy under President-elect Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday (November 10).

In an address to EU ambassadors, the former German Defense minister congratulated Biden and U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory but did not mention outgoing President Donald Trump, who has not conceded to his opponent.

The Commission president said it was also time to reverse the trend of weakening multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization, with reform where appropriate.

Also addressing ambassadors, EU Council President Charles Michel called on European Union member states to "put back together" the transatlantic bond.

He said the EU should remain vigilant not to react with "euphoria" to the change in U.S. administration, warning EU and U.S. interests would "not always converge in a systematic way."