Brussels, 30/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 29 June, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said the British referendum vote for the UK to leave the EU (Brexit) was not linked to the controversy on the EU-US free trade agreement (TTIP), and she pointed at the responsibility of the British leaders for the anti-EU climate they have supported for years.
“In the UK, if you have a situation for decades where the leading politicians blamed all the errors of the world on the EU, you can't expect to love the EU in a two-week campaign nationally”, Malsmstrom told press on the sidelines of her visit to the US authorities in Washington (28-29 June). “There's also a need to reflect upon how they treat the EU”, she said.
Malmström also conceded that democratic shortfalls in the EU could have played a role in the UK vote to leave the EU. “Is there a lack of democracy in Europe? Maybe. We must see what can be done differently”, she said, admitting that the migration crisis had also contributed to the British defiance to the EU, according to reports from French news agency, AFP.
The commissioner said that the British vote for Brexit had nothing to do with the controversy surrounding the TTIP negotiations. “Because of lack of transparency of TTIP? No, I don't think so. That would be a totally wrong conclusion”, she said.
In an earlier speech to the Atlantic Council think tank, Malmstom gave assurances that TTIP “would survive” Brexit, despite the uncertainty caused by this vote. She insisted that the reason for TTIP's existence was even stronger now.
Malmström reaffirmed the ambition of the EU and US to conclude an agreement in principle on TTIP before the end of the administration of US President Barack Obama. A successful agreement should also include arrangements for the liberalisation of trade in services, common principles for protecting geographical indications, and a path to follow on investment protection, she said, underlining the need for the increased openness of US public procurement.
“We know procurement is a sensitive issue in the US. And we are ready to explore an ambitious outcome that takes these sensitivities into account. But it's essential that the US fully understands that in Europe it's the current imbalance that's the highly sensitive issue. A substantial improvement is needed on market access opportunities at all levels of government (...) What the EU is looking for - on procurement, services, regulatory cooperation, geographical indications and investment - is doable, as long as the political will is there”, she said.
The 14th round of negotiations will take place in Brussels on 11-15 July. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)