The subject was not supposed to be on the European Council's agenda, but transatlantic trade relations are finally making a discreet place for themselves, while the States are trying to agree on a common agenda.
A draft of the European Council's conclusions refers to the need to identify “steps” for a “rapid implementation” of the joint statement between the EU and the United States from July 2018 (see EUROPE 12071/2).
However, several European sources point out that France, and Belgium to a lesser extent, would prefer to wait until a more favourable political context – the day after the European elections – before starting restricted trade negotiations with Washington, on the basis of two mandates proposed by the European Commission last January (see EUROPE 12175/1). France was one of the countries that faced the strongest opposition to previous transatlantic negotiations on the TTIP.
On the other hand, Germany is under pressure from the risk of new US tariff measures on its car exports from 17 May (see EUROPE 12195/1). It therefore is calling for the process to be accelerated, to send a clear signal to the US administration in favour of the talks.
It will therefore be up to the Heads of State and Government to agree on this timetable on Friday 22 March.
In the meantime, European diplomats are still working on the negotiating directives, in order to introduce language that will temper people's concerns, in particular the impossibility of reopening, through the back door, the TTIP negotiations (see EUROPE 12171/10).
The draft conclusions can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/2FrcMn9 (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel with the editorial staff)