Transatlantic Growth Enterprise Act
The Transatlantic Growth Enterprise Act would create a new program, the Transatlantic Growth Enterprise (TGE), led by the Secretary of State in coordination with the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and other federal agencies. Its goal is to strengthen U.S. relations and economic ties with a defined group of Central and Eastern European countries (the “Enterprise countries”)—starting with the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and Bulgaria—and potentially adding other countries in the region. The initiative emphasizes boosting business-to-business ties, expanding investment and energy cooperation (including nuclear energy), increasing people-to-people connections, and strengthening security cooperation to counter Russian influence and, to a lesser extent, counter China’s footprint in the region. The act also imposes safeguards to avoid engagement with governments that undermine U.S. interests (for example, governments cooperating with Russia or China or allowing foreign police or military forces on their soil). Key elements include formal objectives for the Enterprise, a requirement to convene biannual stakeholder meetings, a set of reporting duties to Congress (including an energy strategy), and a limitation on engagement with target governments that are deemed to undermine U.S. interests. The bill frames the Enterprise as a tool to bolster transatlantic security, democratic governance, and energy security through investment and diplomatic effort.
Key Points
- 1Establishment and leadership of the Transatlantic Growth Enterprise (TGE): The Secretary of State, with the Development Finance Corporation CEO and other federal agencies, would run a program aimed at strengthening U.S. ties with participating Enterprise countries, focusing on investment, business-to-business ties, and energy security (including nuclear energy).
- 2Objectives of the Enterprise:
- 3- Strengthen relationships with like-minded Enterprise countries.
- 4- Expand business-to-business ties (e.g., through chambers of commerce) between U.S. industry and sectors in Enterprise countries.
- 5- Expand energy sector cooperation, including nuclear energy.
- 6- Improve people-to-people connections between the U.S. and Enterprise countries.
- 7- Strengthen security cooperation to counter Russian malign influence and aggression.
- 8- Counter China’s growing private-sector footprint in Enterprise countries.
- 9Participation and limitations: The Enterprise countries are defined (initially Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria) and may include others deemed appropriate. Engagement with counterpart governments is limited to those the Secretary determines do not undermine U.S. interests—specifically avoiding governments that cooperate with Russia or China or that undermine democracy, such as by allowing Chinese or Russian police/military presence through bilateral agreements.
- 10Meetings and stakeholder engagement: The Secretary must convene appropriate stakeholders from participating countries at least twice per calendar year, including government officials, business leaders, and civil society representatives, where practicable.
- 11Reporting and oversight:
- 12- Implementation reports due within 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter, detailing activities, diplomacy, progress toward objectives, and recommendations for future initiatives. Reports can be unclassified with a possible classified annex.
- 13- A separate energy strategy report due within one year, covering ongoing energy cooperation, dependencies on Russian and Chinese energy sectors, opportunities in energy infrastructure, and assessments of needed funding or authorities to advance public-private energy projects and private-sector engagement.
- 14Definitions and scope:
- 15- “Enterprise country” is defined as the specified Central/Southeast European countries (with potential additions) that participate in the Enterprise.
- 16- “Appropriate congressional committees” are the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
- 17- The act clarifies terms like NATO to ensure consistent understanding.