Brussels, 07/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 3 July, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel called for the negotiations on the transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement (TTIP) to be accelerated, saying she was “totally committed” to the agreement. Speaking in Berlin at a meeting of industrialists close to her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, Merkel criticised the “false arguments” put forward by those who criticise the TTIP - a project which is arousing increasing hostility in Germany. In May, Merkel said she wanted the TTIP modalities to be decided upon before 2015.
Also present at the industrialists' meeting were European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht and the former US trade representative, Susan Schwab - who both supported Merkel's position. Schwab regretted how long the negotiations were taking and underlined the cost for the EU if the TTIP is rejected. “If French films and television are to be protected then a price must be put on them”, she stated.
On 14-18 July Brussels will host the sixth round of TTIP negotiations - negotiations that were launched in July 2013 (see EUROPE 11104). During this sixth round, the negotiators will continue their discussions on the chapters on trade in goods and services, regulation, government procurement, the protection of the environment and labour rights, energy and raw materials, and SMEs. (EH)