Harney stresses EU ties to US

THE European Union will be a strong partner with the US in political, economic and security matters, Tánaiste Mary Harney told business leaders during the EU-US summit.

She told the meeting in Adare Manor, Co Limerick, that Europe was now at the beginning of a new era in transatlantic relations and the US would be central. Based on shared values, it will be a partnership for open societies, open markets and an open world.

US Commerce Secretary Donald Evans and EU Enterprise Commissioner Jan Figel attended the meeting which discussed the creation of a barrier-free transatlantic market, intellectual property rights, the fight against counterfeiting and the world trade talks.