Speeches and Official Announcements
EU and US Conclude First Round of TTIP Negotiations in Washington
After concluding the first week of negotiations, chief EU negotiator Ignacio Garcia-Bercero and Assistant USTR Dan Mullaney held a press conference on their progress. The first negotiating round focused on both sides outlining their positions across a range of issues, and they identified notable areas of agreement, including trade facilitation rules.
Let Italy and the UK Usher in a New Era for the EU
In a speech to be delivered in London this evening, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta stresses the important role Great Britain plays in the European Union, the need for further economic and political EU integration, and the great opportunity for growth that TTIP represents.
Speech by the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy on the 50th Anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU
Speaking in Brussels, European Council President Van Rompuy expressed confidence in the ability of the US and EU to strike an ambitious trade agreement. “Support for trade is support for the economy, for growth, and [for] employment.”
US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means to Hold Hearing on President Obama’s Trade Policy Agenda with USTR Michael Froman
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) announced his committee would call on Ambassador Froman on Thursday July 18 to discuss how Trade Promotion Authority and how the President’s trade agenda will affect US companies, workers, and farmers. The Congressman noted that in light of the need to “move forward aggressively on a number of trade fronts… The Administration’s active and engaged leadership is critical.”
Commissioner Barnier Speaks at the Brookings Institution
European Commissioner Michel Barnier spoke yesterday morning at the Brookings Institution on the importance of streamlining financial regulation. While the US has been hesitant to include financial services in TTIP negotiations, Commissioner Barnier is confident that the EU can convince the US otherwise.
News
US Wants Financial Services Off the Table in EU Trade Talks | Wall Street Journal
US officials and lawmakers are concerned that putting financial rules on the table in the trade talks risks watering down or abandoning new safeguards implemented as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. EU Commissioner Michel Barnier, however, strongly disagrees, emphasizing the critical need for transatlantic regulatory dialogue across all issue areas, including finance.
Angela Merkel Calls for EU-wide Agreement on Data Protection | Financial Times
In a television interview on Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on her European counterparts to work towards a common European data protection law. She hoped such a law would ensure companies like Facebook and Google would be held to the same demanding standards in all EU member-states. In the clearest sign yet of the German leader’s disapproval of reported US spying tactics, Merkel insisted that internet companies in the EU “must give European countries the information about who they have given data to.”
Initial negotiations on the free trade agreement between the EU and US | Heise Online
With the conclusion of the first week of TTIP negotiation, most officials seem pleased with progress. Despite this, German Greens and Left Party in the European Parliament continue to voice their concerns due to US spying revelations. Text in German
Recent Analysis
Monitoring the Negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agenda | AICGS
American Institute for Contemporary German Studies fellow Professor Paul Welfen notes that in light of the failed WTO Doha Round and continued economic stagnation, the benefits of potential transatlantic trade and investment liberalization should compel the negotiators to get past regulatory hurdles and political disagreements.
Turbocharging Transatlantic Regulatory Cooperation | E!Sharp
Peter Chase of the US Chamber of Commerce calls for enhanced transatlantic regulatory cooperation through TTIP for the benefit of consumers, businesses, and regulators alike.