WITA’s Sanctions Series: The War, Sanctions, Supply Chains, and the U.S.-European Union Trade and Technology Council

On Friday, May 13, WITA held a webinar previewing what we might expect from the second meeting of the U.S.-European Union Trade and Technology Council (TTC). Speakers discussed opportunities for the US and EU to work together on issues such as secure supply chains, semiconductors, rare earths, and critical minerals, which have taken on added importance in the midst of the war in Ukraine and Russia sanctions.

Featured Speakers: 

Tyson Barker, Head of the Technology and Global Affairs Program, German Council on Foreign Relations

Tony Fernandes, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade Policy and Negotiations, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Jordan M. Haas, Director, Trade Policy and Government Relations, Intel Corporation

Eva Maydell, Member of the European Parliament (Bulgaria)

Moderator: Former Congressman Bart Gordon, U.S. Director, Trans-Atlantic Business Council (TABC)

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Tyson Barker

Tyson Barker is the Head of the Technology and Global Affairs Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations. Tyson Barker joined DGAP in October 2020 as head of its Technology and Global Affairs Program. He previously worked at Aspen Germany where, as deputy executive director and fellow, he was responsible for the institute’s digital and transatlantic programs. Prior to that, Barker served in numerous positions including as senior advisor in the Bureau for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US State Department and director for transatlantic relations at the Bertelsmann Foundation. He has written for numerous publications on both sides of the Atlantic including Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Politico, The Atlantic, The National Interest, and Der Spiegel.

Barker was a Fulbright scholar in Austria and a Truman National Security Project Fellow. He was a recipient of the Taiwan Cultural Exchange Fellowship and a grant from the Starr Foundation to conduct research on Sino-European relations. Barker has a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). In addition to his native English, he speaks fluent German and Spanish.

Tony Fernandes

Tony Fernandes is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Trade Policy and Negotiations in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, after having served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary since August 2021. Prior to that, Tony was Director of the Multilateral Trade Affairs Office in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

Previously, Tony was Director for Regional Affairs in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs and Director for Africa and Middle East Programs in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. He also served in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Diplomatic Readiness Task Force, and the Operations Center. His overseas assignments include positions in Turkey, Nigeria, Russia, Canada, and China.

Tony joined the Foreign Service in 1997 and is a member of the Senior Foreing Service. He holds a B.A. from Boston College, a J.D. from the University of Minnesota School of Law, and a Master’s in National Security Strategy from the National War College. 

Bart Gordon

Bart Gordon is the U.S. Director of the Trans-Atlantic Business Council, and a former Congressman. Mr. Gordon joined K&L Gates as partner in the Washington D.C. office after 26 years representing the state of Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives. Mr. Gordon served as Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 to 2012. Mr. Gordon was also a senior member of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Gordon was also a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and served on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Rules, Transatlantic Parliamentary Dialogue, and NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Mr. Gordon is a member of the Tennessee bar and the District of Columbia bar. 

Jordan M. Haas is the Director of Trade Policy and Government Relations at Intel Corporation and has over 20 years of experience advocating for policies that foster economic growth for American businesses. 

Haas joined the Obama Administration during the first year of the first term and served until the last day of the Administration. He played a lead role in advancing the Obama Administration’s trade legislative agenda, including running the Department of Commerce’s Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) outreach and as an active member of the White House interagency trade team. He was centrally involved in the teams that stood up the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework and the SelectUSA Summit.  

Haas served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) where he facilitated the development and passage of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, a long-term reauthorization of the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, and the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

As Director of Trade Policy at Internet Association, Haas was an active player in the private sector push for the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement. Haas was the first person to represent the digital industry on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (ITAC-13). 

Haas previously worked on Capitol Hill as Legislative Director for Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), on the Senate Democratic Technology and Communications Committee, and for half a decade on the House Committee on Small Business. Haas has also worked for Polsinelli Shughart PC and at the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). A native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, Haas holds a BA from American University.