01/04/2009 – The summit meeting between the USA and EU member states on 5 April 2009 is a historic event. It is historic because it marks the EU‟s first formal discussion with the new US administration, and also because it offers the opportunity to mark a step change in EU-US co-operation. It provides the opportunity to begin to draw to a close the dark chapter of abusive practices, involving states on both sides of the Atlantic, used to combat terrorism, and to open a new chapter in global relations, with both the EU and the USA in a position to show responsible leadership in tackling human rights issues of mutual concern.
