Brussels, 18/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - A heavyweight in the previous Commission, in which she was responsible for home affairs, Cecilia Malmström, 46, a member of the Swedish Liberal party (Folkpartiet, Centre-Right) has inherited a high-risk portfolio in the future Juncker Commission, that of trade commissioner. In particular, Malmström will have to breathe new life into the draft free-trade agreement between the EU and the United States, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which is seen as an anti-crisis magic bullet by its proponents, but as an utter disgrace by its detractors.
Malmström holds a doctorate in politics from the University of Gothenberg (1998) and served as an MEP (1999-2006) and then minister for European affairs (2006-2010). She also studied literature at the Sorbonne and has worked in Germany and Spain, has worked in many different fields (interpreter, teacher, psychiatric nurse) and speaks five languages as well as Swedish (English, French, Spanish, German and Italian), and is deeply pro-European. Married and a mother of twins, Malmström is a resident of Brussels, unlike many of her colleagues in the Barroso II Commission. In her previous position, she tried to put across an open, tolerant and realistic vision of immigration against a scarcely conducive backdrop, with a rise in nationalism and extremism in Europe, and with certain capitals speaking out against the principle of the freedom of movement and the management of the Schengen zone, and even rejecting any realistic debate on asylum or employment migration questions. Even so, Malmström succeeded in pushing through reforms or initiatives on immigration, anti-extremism, corruption and online child pornography.
However, the problems she faced in her position as home affairs commissioner may seem like a walk in the park compared to her new role, which will require her to win over a sceptical European public to the idea that a free-trade agreement with the United States is in its best interests. Within civil society and at the European Parliament, many people fear that the TTIP will water down social, environmental and employment standards, open up the European market to American hormone beef and GMOs and give investors the right to sue states if they feel that public policy is damaging to their business concerns. It will therefore be no mean feat for Malmström to take over from Belgium's Karel de Gucht, who has been criticised for his inflexibility and arrogance, and restore confidence. “I am very honoured and proud to have been nominated to be responsible for trade issues in the new European Commission. Trade is a vital part of Europe's economic recovery, and a cornerstone of our prosperity. We have much to gain from getting rid of barriers and opening new markets”, she stated on her blog, on 10 September.
Malmström's priority will be to relaunch transatlantic talks already well underway at a technical level since their launch in July 2013 and with six rounds of negotiations completed (soon to be seven, with one scheduled for the end of September), but at deadlock at political level, due to the American mid-term elections and the renewal of the EU institutions. The TTIP, which aims to get rid of customs tariffs already reduced and, in particular, to remove non-tariff barriers and bring the rules of the two closely-linked economies, representing 50% of the world's GDP and 30% of its trade, closer together, is seen by the Commission as a way of boosting growth and employment in a Europe which is struggling to break free from crisis. In his mission statement, Jean-Claude Juncker calls on Malmström to work to bring about, “on a reciprocal and mutually beneficial basis”, a “reasonable and balanced” TTIP, which “neither threatens Europe's safety, health, social and data protection standards, nor jeopardises our cultural diversity”. Malmström will also be expected to “enhance transparency towards citizens and the European Parliament during all steps of the negotiations”.
She will also be responsible for taking forward the various bilateral talks underway - free-trade agreements with Japan, Malaysia and Thailand and investment agreements with China and Burma, free-trade agreements with Mercosur, Morocco and Tunisia - and assess whether any other negotiations should be started. Malmström will also have to ensure that the EU continues to “champion global and multilateral action” by pushing forward the Doha Round talks at the WTO and the post-Bali programme. Working closely with vice-president Jyrki Katainen (growth and competitiveness), she will also be expected to “develop a strong policy” on foreign direct investment and take stock of the controversial issue of trade defence instruments. Lastly, working with High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, Development Commissioner Nemen Mimica, and her successor for the home affairs and migration portfolio, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Malmström will be working to reinforce the EU's strategic partnership with Africa.
Malmström's hearing before the international trade committee of the European Parliament is scheduled to take place on 29 September. (EH)