Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue

Links between our legislators

The Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue ( TLD ) aims to strengthen and enhance the level of political discourse between European and American legislators. It constitutes the formal response of the European Parliament and the US Congress to the commitment in the New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) of 1995, to enhanced parliamentary ties between the European Union and the United States . In practical terms the TLD includes, the bi-annual meetings of the European Parliament and the US Congress delegations and a series of teleconferences, organized on specific topics of mutual concern, with a view to fostering an ongoing and uninterrupted dialogue.

The delegation with the EU is one of the only three official delegations of the US Congress, along those with Canada and Mexico . The importance of the EU - US relationship attracts high-ranking members of both the European Parliament and the US Congress. Over the years, the membership of the EP delegation has included vice-presidents of the European Parliament, committee chairmen, quaestors and other senior MEPs. Similarly, the US delegation has always contained a number of high-ranking Democrats and Republicans.

The 62 nd TLD meeting took place between December, 1-5 2006 in Charleston and Washington D.C.