Brussels, 21/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - European trade ministers said on Friday 21 November that they support the EU-United States free trade negotiations (TTIP), which are still up and running after seven rounds of technical talks, but need new political life to be breathed into them now that there is a new European Commission and a new Congress in the United States. The EU28 confirmed their support for the new Trade Commisioner, Cecilia Malmström, and stressed the need for greater transparency.
“The TTIP conclusions that we've adopted stress full endorsement by the Council to pursue the negotiations on the base of the mandate and to support the Commission for a fresh restart in the negotiations with the US. We emphasise the need for transparency in the negotiations,” explained Italy's trade minister, Carlo Calenda, the current chair of the Trade Council, at a press conference.
In their conclusions document, the Trade Council “reiterates the fundamental role of a deep, ambitious, balanced and mutually beneficial TTIP Agreement with the United States, which will provide significant new opportunities for citizens and companies in the EU and the US. This will help boost job creation and economic growth by enhancing trade and investment between the two sides of the Atlantic, while ensuring our right to regulate and maintaining a high level of standards consistent with the EU acquis and Member States' legislation. The TTIP will make a valuable contribution to shaping globalisation and the international trading system and to supporting sustainable development. The Council underlines the importance to better communicate the scope and the benefits of the agreement and to enhance transparency and dialogue with civil society.” To this end, the ministers note that it will be necessary to contact the United States to study tangible options for boosting transparency, including access to all negotiating documents. “The Council reconfirms its strong expectation of concluding a deep, ambitious, balanced and mutually beneficial agreement on all three pillars of the negotiations as soon as feasible. To achieve this aim, it is essential to have clear and strong political support for the negotiations by both parties which will boost TTIP talks and facilitate the conclusion of the agreement according to a positive timeline.”
Commissioner Malmström will be in Washington on 9 December. On the fringes of the Council, Commissioner Malmström said she was backed by strong support from the ministers for the negotiation of an ambitious agreement. She met US Trade Representative Mike Froman on Friday. We will see if we can “push a fresh start into those negotiations, both when it comes to content, process, timing, priorities,” she added. Malmström will travel to Washington on 9 December. The eighth round of technical negotiations will start in Brussels in early February. (EH)