THE US President Joe Biden and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen they agreed today to begin immediately negotiations for a targeted agreement to make it easier for Europeans to meet the subsidy requirements of the US Anti-Inflation Act, the two leaders said in their joint statement.

Von der Leyen said that in her meeting with Biden at the White House, they agreed to start a dialogue on incentives for cleantech industries.

Describing the meeting with Biden as “very good”, von der Leyen said the two sides agreed to work to ensure that critical raw materials from the EU gain access to the US market. He added that the EU welcomed the Inflation Reduction Act because it foresees a huge investment in the transition to green energy.

The new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes massive subsidies for products made in the US and is aimed, according to Washington, at addressing the climate crisis and promoting renewable energy sources.