Brussels, 12/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - The EU27 must now amend the negotiating guidelines proposed by the European Commission. The objective is to launch the negotiations by the end of June at the latest.
On 12 March, the college of commissioners adopted the Commission's draft mandate ahead of the EU-United States free trade negotiations that Brussels and Washington agreed in mid-February to conduct (see EUROPE 10785). The draft mandate will now be sent to the Council, which must give its approval before formally initiating the negotiations. Hard discussions are expected between the member states, in particular on the agricultural chapter but also on the liberalisation of cultural services.
The joint scoping exercise took place for over a year, and the scope of the negotiations includes tariff liberalisation for agricultural and industrial products, the liberalisation of trade in services, investment and access to public procurement, regulatory convergence and the lifting of non-tariff barriers, trade rules, the environment and sustainable development, and intellectual property. (EH/transl.fl)