Via its Minister for Trade, Carlo Calenda, Italy rode to the rescue of the European Commission on Tuesday 30 August, pledging "maximum support" in the framework of the free-trade talks between the EU and the United States (TTIP), whilst Germany is sending out mixed messages and France is now calling for the negotiations to be stopped.
"The European Commission is negotiating the TTIP on the basis of a mandate unanimously agreed by the member states. It is thus for the Commission to lead the...