Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the Trade and technology council.
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
a. Both statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
b. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
c. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.
d. Statement -I- is incorrect but Statement-II is correct.

Question from UPSC Prelims 2023 GS Paper

Explanation :

c. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.

United States and the European Union

The United States and the European Union have indeed launched the Trade and Technology Council, as mentioned in Statement-I.

However, Statement-II is incorrect because the main aim of the council is to coordinate approaches to key global trade, economic, and technology issues, rather than controlling technological progress and physical productivity. The council seeks to promote innovation, facilitate cooperation on standard-setting, and reduce trade barriers.