Brussels, 08/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 7 January, several political groups at the European Parliament welcomed the European Commission's publication of a raft of legal texts and EU positions on the free trade negotiations between the EU and US (TTIP), as part of the initiative for transparency launched at the end of November 2014. The S&D Group is nevertheless calling for the publication of texts on services so as to be reassured about the protection of public services.
“We pushed for it. The EU Commission's publication of legal texts for eight chapters of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement (TTIP) deal was thanks to the European Parliament's continuous and persistent demands for transparency. This is an important first step towards a public debate based on facts rather than speculation”, said the chair of the Parliament's international trade committee, Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany). “We should see this as a first step in a very long road that still lies ahead. The European Parliament will continue to encourage the Commission to provide the highest possible level of transparency”, he warned, also calling for more transparency to be applied to all other trade negotiations being conducted by the EU.
While welcoming the Commission's transparency, the S&D Group is nevertheless calling for the publication of documents on the services negotiations. “We appreciate the effort made by Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. However, we are not fully satisfied. We also want the services schedule published, as the Commission has already done for the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), which would ensure the full protection of the public services”, said David Martin from the UK.
On behalf of the liberals and democrats (ALDE), Marietje Schaake from the Netherlands welcomed the fact that Malmström is “fulfilling her commitment” on more transparency. “It is important that citizens and stakeholders have more access to the negotiations, so that we can have a fact-based discussion and make sure that the priorities of the EU are transparent and clear. Only then can we make sure that we get a final text which benefits Europe and Europeans. I hope people will actually go and read these texts so that they can see what TTIP is and is not about”, she said.
In the European conservatives and reformists group (ECR), Emma McClarkin from the UK hailed a “new spirit of transparency”. This “publication of the EU proposals for the TTIP underline not just the wide benefits of such a deal, but also the European Commission's willingness to increase transparency surrounding the talks. The Commission is taking the right steps to allay concerns that TTIP is being negotiated 'behind closed doors', as often espoused by opponents of free trade”, she said. (EH)