Seán Kelly (PPE). – Madam President, it is important to caution against the increasing move we are witnessing towards protectionism. Take the US president-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs. A 60 % tariff on Chinese imports, combined with smaller tariffs on others, could cost American and European households thousands annually while driving inflation, reducing disposable income and ultimately harming businesses and workers on both sides of the Atlantic.

The transatlantic relationship remains the largest economic partnership in the world. EU-US trade alone supports over 16 million jobs and accounts for nearly a third of global GDP. It is not in our interest, nor the United States', to risk this with trade barriers or tariffs. With Trump threatening 20 % tariffs on EU goods, this could lead to a trade war, and the trade war will only harm our shared prosperity.

As we face increasing threats to security from Russia and to our competitiveness from China closer cooperation between the EU, US and UK is not optional – it is essential.

Oibrímis chuige sin.