News

The One Solution to Unemployment That Our Leaders Clearly Haven’t Thought Of | PolicyMic
A successful conclusion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership would provide an unparalleled opportunity to boost economic growth and production. TTIP would provide a sizeable boost to household income on either side of the Atlantic. But if the two blocks are going to address chronic youth unemployment, negotiators must tackle a much more fundamental issue as well: education.

France Wants Mandate for EU-US Trade Talks Published | Reuters
French Trade Minister Nicole Bricq is arguing to make the European Commission’s TTIP negotiating mandate publicly available. Critics contend that transparent negotiations could weaken the EU’s hand by revealing their red lines to Washington.

Free Trade versus Single Market? | PressEurop
Economists and politicians alike agree that removing transatlantic barriers to trade will spark economic growth. A recent Bertelsmann Foundation report demonstrated that Europe’s North -South divide will not worsen, as the economies of Spain, Greece, and Portugal stand to gain alongside stronger countries like Germany. Still, what might a transatlantic common market mean for EU unity? Text in French

Greek PM Samaras Urges European Leaders to Adopt Growth Policies as Country Suffers Recession | Star Tribune
Antonis Samaras expressed the sentiment of many European leaders facing further demands for fiscal austerity: “We need growth!’ As the Greek economy declined for a fifth straight year, Mr. Samaras believes higher taxes and further cuts to government services will not lead to a revived Greece. “Greece, Italy and all of Europe are in need of policies that combine reforms and deficit reduction with growth. Of course we cannot have growth while Europe is retreating into recession,” he said. The growth problem demands a EU-wide solution that does not add to national debt levels. In other words, Europe needs increased trade and investment via TTIP.

Tire, Rubber Industries Support US-EU Trade Agreement | Rubber News
The tire and rubber industries are eagerly anticipating the chance for international standards harmonization and tariff reform through TTIP. “If you’re a manufacturer in the US with plants in Europe, you have to pay tariffs on the goods you ship yourself across the Atlantic,” said Ann Wilson, MEMA senior vice president of government affairs and onetime Rubber Manufacturers Association official. “Any way we can address this is a good step forward.”

Recent Analysis

Want World Domination? Size Matters | New York Times
Countries with more people, wealth, and territory can produce more and exert greater economic influence over a greater region. While power may be moving East, President Obama and Chancellor Merkel argue that the US and EU are the “engine of the global economy” and we should “see ourselves as something bigger” in the global quest for freedom, justice, and peace. Importantly, TTIP offers a chance at Western economic revival.

Against the Eavesdroppers | Financial Times
The US government continues to deal with fallout from the Edward Snowden/NSA leaks. Despite senior-official involvement from Washington, many European governments are demanding further explanation of the NSA’s actions and are considering changing longstanding data privacy rules that would drastically change the way big US tech companies like Google and Facebook do business overseas. It will be difficult for the Obama administration to reestablish trust with its European partners.