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
Ensuring Transparency in EU-US Trade Talks: EU Publishes Negotiating Positions in Five More Areas
Yesterday, the European Commission published its negotiating position papers for an additional five sectors: chemicals, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, motor vehicles, and textiles and clothing. Given its stated goal of making the process more transparent, the Commission decided to make these papers public in advance of next week’s 5th round of talks. The negotiating papers can be found here.
5th Round Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Negotiations
The fifth round of TTIP negotiations agreement will take place next week in Arlington, Virginia from May 19 – 23, 2014. In between negotiating sessions, on May 21, negotiators will hold a forum to solicit input and feedback from stakeholders. The forum is open only to registered participants. The United States Trade Representative will also hold a press conference after negotiations on May 23. More information, and opportunities to register, are available here.
ISDS & Investment Protection Stakeholder Meeting
On Tuesday, the European Commission hosted a stakeholder meeting on investor protection in TTIP. The meeting comes as part of the Commission’s broader strategy to have an open dialogue with the public has concerns regarding the Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanism. See full video of the meeting here.
News
EU Official: Trade Deal with US Will Not Create Imbalances
Rupert Schlegelmilch, director of trade in services, investment, intellectual property and procurement at the European Commission, said in a meeting with EU trade officials in Brussels that they are considering the option of granting “most favored nation” status to other trading partners, after TTIP enters into force. His remarks come in light of Japanese and Chinese concerns over TTIP potentially having trade diversion effects that could affect their trading prospects with the EU. (MNI News)
EU-US Trade Deal Sails Into New Round, Despite Rough Waters
This article outlines some of the major points of contention that negotiators will face when they sit down at the table for the fifth round of negotiations next Monday. They include the impact of achieving regulatory coherence on the implementation of local laws, investor protection, government procurement, the passage of trade promotion authority, and whether to include financial services regulatory cooperation in TTIP. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur)
Brussels Briefing on Trade: All You Need to Know for May 12 – 26
Lénaïc Vaudin d’Imécourt, Trade Editor at EU Trade Insights, summarizes some important upcoming events on the EU’s trade policy agenda, including: the WTO’s General Council meeting (May 12 and 13), the TTIP Advisory Group meeting (May 12), the stakeholder meeting on investment protection in TTIP (13 May), and the fifth round of TTIP negotiations (Arlington, Virginia, May 19-23). See a video broadcast of the news round-up here.
Ankara, Washington Agree on Close Contact over Transatlantic Deal
The Hürriyet Daily News reports that on Wednesday US officials and Turkish ministers committed to ensuring that Turkey’s economic interests would not be adversely affected by TTIP. Senior Turkish ministers expressed their desire to be included in the current TTIP negotiations. US Trade Representative Mike Froman reassured his Turkish counterparts that his office would keep them updated on negotiations, and will ensure that their “legitimate interests” are taken into account. (Daily News)
EU Ambassador Touts Trade Pact in Albuquerque
Speaking at a Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on Wednesday, João Vale de Almeida, highlighted the geostrategic significance of TTIP, and its ability to boost transatlantic competitiveness. He called TTIP “a negotiation between economic and political equals”, saying that the European Union has equal, if not greater labor standards and wages than the United States, so job losses will not be an issue. (Albuquerque Journal)
Recent Analysis
A Closer Japan-Europe Partnership is Long Overdue
Sharon Stirling-Woolsey and Joshua W. Walker of the German Marshall Fund write about the symbolic significance of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s nine-day, six-country tour of Europe last week. The joint statement that came out of Prime Minister Abe’s meeting with European Leaders pledged both the EU and Japan to conclude a free trade agreement by end of 2015. They also highlighted the geo-strategic implications of Abe’s visit, saying that it signaled his commitment to the values that his country shares with Europeans. (GMFUS)
Populist Gains to Complicate Europe’s Free Trade Ambitions
With polls across Europe predicting an increase in the populist vote to 30 percent in the upcoming elections, Robin Emmott of Reuters reports argues that passage of TTIP, and Europe’s other trade agreements, will be considerably more complicated than before. He argues that political Center will have to form a grand coalition in support of these policies in order to counter-balance the extremists’ protectionist views. (Reuters)
European Business United in their Support for TTIP
A transatlantic group of business associations known as the Business Coalition for TTIP issued a statement highlighting five reasons why industry representatives should support TTIP: economic growth and consumer benefits, setting global standards, job creation, securing an increase in competitiveness and innovation, and a boost in transatlantic investment. See the full statement here.
Towards Effective Regulatory Cooperation under TTIP: A Comparative Overview of the EU and US Legislative and Regulatory Systems
The Center for European Policy Studies published a comparative overview of the US and EU legislative and regulatory processes in their current form, highlighting differences and similarities. The report concludes that although there are significant differences between regulatory process between the EU and the United States, they share common features, including concern for stakeholder participation and transparency. These procedural differences will be important to take into account during the implementation phase assuming TTIP is agreed to. Read the full report here.
Upcoming Events
TTIP in Light of Turkish Trade Policy and Economic Relations with the US with Turkish Economy Minister Zeybekci – May 15, Washington – More Information
TTIP Town Hall: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and What It Means for Texas – May 16, Dallas, Texas – More information
oriGIn meeting in Washington, DC on “TTIP: Expectations of GI producers from the two sides of the Atlantic” – May 20, Washington – More Information
Transatlantic Economy 2014: Annual Survey of Jobs, Trade, and Investment between the US and Europe with Senator Murphy (D-CT), Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe – May 20, Washington, DC – More information
Fifth Round of TTIP Negotiations – Washington DC – May 19-23, Washington, DC
European Union Election Results: Implications for the US – May 28, Washington DC – More information
Global Trade: A Trade System for the 21st Century – June 9-10, London – More information