U.S., EU Strike Deal on Sec. 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum

On October 31, the U.S. and the European Union announced agreement on a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system to settle the trade dispute stemming from the U.S. Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports first imposed in 2018. The U.S. and EU also agreed to suspend the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement proceedings related to the Section 232 tariff action and the EU’s retaliatory tariffs against U.S. exports. Furthermore, the two partners committed to negotiate a global arrangement to address the effects of high-carbon steel and aluminum production and to cooperate on non-market excess capacity in the steel and aluminum sectors.

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Nov 3: U.S. Announces $25 Million to Support Access to Clean Nuclear Energy

The Nuclear Futures Package underscores the United States’ strong commitment to energy innovation and nuclear technology as an important component of achieving global climate change goals. In addition to Department of State, these activities are carried out by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the Departments of Commerce and Energy.  

U.S. Support to Romania: Romania is set to receive U.S. technical assistance to advance its goals to become an SMR educational and training hub in the region. The assistance covers cooperation on establishing an SMR simulator at one of its premier universities and support for an SMR siting study, a reverse trade mission, and an SMR regulations workshop series. This assistance will complement Romania’s commitment at COP26 to bring U.S. built SMR technology to Romania by possibly 2028.

Source: U.S. Embassy Romania

Nov 4: U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Romanian Minister of Energy Virgil Popescu Highlight New Partnership on SMRs

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and Romanian Minister of Energy Virgil Popescu highlighted a new commercial partnership between NuScale Power and Nuclearelectrica that was signed earlier this week on the sidelines of the 26th United Nations Conference on Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. The new agreement has the potential to advance the deployment of Europe’s first small modular reactor (SMR) in Romania by the end of the decade and could position Romania as a potential hub for SMR production in the region.

Source: U.S. Embassy Romania

Nov 8: Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu's political consultations with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken & Press Statements

Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Aurescu - Readout Office of the Spokesperson

Source: Ministry of External Affairs