TTIP Action aggregates the latest news and best analysis from across the United States and European Union on the ongoing negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)
Speeches & Official Announcements
“TTIP – Strengthening our Values” – EU Trade Commissioner Speaking at 2014 Wroclaw Global Forum
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht spoke at the Atlantic Council’s Wroclaw Global Forum in Poland last Friday about the importance of TTIP for the Polish economy, and for strengthening transatlantic values like democracy and the rule of law. Polish exports have been an important buffer for the country during the financial crisis, which actually managed to avoid recession entirely. The Commissioner also reminded attendees that TTIP aims to strengthen shared American and European values and protections for labor, the environment, and consumers, not downgrade them, and emphasized that the two sides of the Atlantic have much more in common than they disagree on.
Commissioner De Gucht’s speech is available here.
My full analysis of his remarks is available on the Wroclaw Global Forum’s website.
News
UK ‘Would Not Be Freer’ After Leaving EU
A British exit from the European Union would have a number of serious consequences that Prime Minister David Cameron and his electorate should consider. The Financial Times cites statistics from a report issued by the UK-based think tank Center for European Reform, which underlines that the UK’s trade with other members of the EU has increased by 55 percent since it joined the European Union. The report also argues that while the United Kingdom would benefit from reduced contributions to the EU budget, it would face having to meet EU standards in order to export to the Single Market despite no longer having the power to influence EU policy. (Financial Times)
The Center for European Reform report, analyzing the economic consequences of a UK exit from the EU, can be found here.
Brussels Briefing on Trade: All you need to know for June 11–23
EU Trade Insights has a nice video recap of the coming week’s trade agenda in the EU. It highlights upcoming third round of negotiations over a free trade area with Ecuador (June 9-13), the June 12 TTIP Advisory Group meeting with key stakeholders, and lastly the EU’s meeting with Chinese authorities in a third round of talks over a potential EU-China Investment Agreement scheduled for June 17-19.
Video of this briefing is available here. (via viEUws)
Cameron Seeks Backing for Juncker Roadblock
On Monday, UK Prime Minister David Cameron called on European leaders to try forge a consensus in the European Council to block the presidency of Jean-Claude Juncker, and elect a leader that will put Europe on the right path to reform. Prime Minister Cameron mistrusts the European Parliament’s ability to pick a reformist candidate for the European Commission presidency, and faces major political constraints in Britain from those who wish to leave the EU entirely. (Financial Times)
Recent Analysis
Transatlantic Trade: Hard Sell
FT Trade Editor Shawn Donnan has an excellent recap of the progress to date in the TTIP negotiations and the many political obstacles that have arisen over the past several months. Despite the progress that has been made in five rounds of TTIP negotiations and the recent revitalization of talks in light of the Ukrainian crisis, there remain a number of political obstacles that the United States and EU will have to overcome as they move forward. Politically-charged include the debate over data privacy and its implications for the transatlantic flow of data, the rise of anti-EU parties in recent EU Parliamentary elections, and the growing influence on national politics and technical disagreements over negotiating positions in certain sectors (agricultural tariffs, for example). (Financial Times)
Conversations Center on Poland’s Progress and Ukraine’s Challenges
Discussions at the Atlantic Council’s Wroclaw Global Forum 2014 centered on Poland’s progress since fits first democratic elections in 1989, its efforts to modernize its economy and create strong democratic institutions, and how Poland can serve as a model for reform in post-crisis Ukraine. This recap also features a summary of remarks delivered by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), who both called on Congress to support President Obama’s efforts to strengthen the United States’ commitment to their European allies.
The panel discussions and keynote speeches from the Senators, EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht, and others, can be watched online here.
Is TTIP Worth the Trouble?
This analysis argues that TTIP is needed not only to generate growth in the United States and the EU, but developing countries stand to benefit as well. TTIP would grow the global economy by approximately 100 billion euros and increase average global per capita income by 3.3 %, as many inputs of US and EU goods come from developing countries. Providing a framework for other trading partners in the developing world to join TTIP negotiations may also incentivize countries to make economic and democratic reforms necessary to meet standards set in TTIP. (Wharton)
America Is First in the World for Investment — and Getting Stronger
Penny Pritzker, US Secretary of Commerce, and Jeff Zients, director of the National Economic Council, write that the United States is the world’s leading attraction for foreign direct investment, citing the results of a survey of 300 leading global executives. They argue that there are several key factors that make the United States attractive: its highly skilled and productive workforce, the fact that fully 30 percent of patents in the world are produced annually by innovative Americans, and the fact that the US hosts fifteen of the world’s top twenty-five research universities. (LinkedIn)
The ATKearney survey ranking foreign direct investment markets and attractiveness is available here.
Has America’s Trade Agenda Run out of Gas?
Robert Pollard, a State Department visiting fellow at CSIS, argues that the Obama administration’s trade agenda is in need of a boost. The main task ahead, he argues, is to build a bipartisan Congressional coalition that will support the President’s agenda, and get behind passage of Trade Promotion Authority. He argues that those proponents of trade in Congress, business, and civil society need to join the White House in doing a better job of explaining the benefits of trade for consumers and workers. (CSIS)
Parsing TTIP’s Geopolitical Implications
In a piece for John Hopkins University’s Center for Transatlantic Relations, Charles Kupchan argues that the conclusion of TTIP would have major geopolitical implications, and that TTIP will provide the West with an opportunity to fortify and strengthen liberal democratic values. It also argues that TTIP could have negative geopolitical consequences, if emerging market countries are sidelined. Therefore, TTIP should be open for others to join so that it might help reinforce transatlantic values and help spread prosperity and high-standards globally. (Center for Transatlantic Relations)
TTIP, Central and Eastern Europe, and Russia
Edward Lucas writes for the Center for Transatlantic Relations that Eastern European countries stand to benefit disproportionately from TTIP. These countries are attractive investment destinations for American companies due to their relatively low labor costs, and their improved infrastructure thanks to EU structural investment funds. From a security perspective, strong investment ties with the United States will provide a strong basis for security engagement with the US against potential future Russian aggression, anchoring the transatlantic alliance economically as well as geopolitically. (Center for Transatlantic Relations)
Upcoming Events
Prospects of the Future Transatlantic Economic Relationship – June 8-13 in Ottawa, Ontario and Washington – More information
Global Trade: A Trade System for the 21st Century – June 9-10 in London – More information
The Safe Harbor: Data Protection or Protectionism? – June 10 in Washington – More information
Self-Regulation in the Financial Markets: Exchange Issues, Market Structure, and Investor Protections – June 12 in Washington, DC – More information
Cities and the Wealth of Nations: What do Global European Cities want from Trade Policy and TTIP? – June 16 in Brussels – More information
US-EU Legal Summit – June 16 in Brussels – More information; EU Chief Negotiator Ignacio Garcia-Bercero will keynote.
The State Of Euro-Atlanticism: A Transatlantic Talk with Ambassador Victoria Nuland – June 16 in Washington, DC – More information
Staying Ahead of the Risk Curve: Creating Opportunity in a Shifting Regulatory Environment – June 18 in New York City – More information
TTIP One Year On: Consumers Mean Business – June 24 in Washington, DC; hosted by the Trans-Atlantic Consumer Dialogue – More information
Round 6 of TTIP Negotiations – July (exact dates TBD) in Brussels