Discussions on the negotiating directives with the United States on industrial products and on conformity assessment did not lead to a consensus on the texts on Wednesday 3 April at the meeting of Member States' ambassadors to the EU (COREPER).
Buttressing the mandates’ language
According to sources close to the discussions, “there is overall a great understanding of the issues raised by France” and a willingness to respond to the concerns expressed by Paris (see EUROPE 12225/14).
This is particularly the case for the question concerning the decoupling of these two new mandates and the previous TTIP. France would like the texts of the directives to include language prohibiting any indirect reopening of these negotiations, which are now considered obsolete (see EUROPE 12220/2, 12171/10).
Paris would also like to strengthen the language on climate issues, so that the results of the sustainability impact assessment promised by the Commission are taken into account before the agreement is concluded. In addition, France requests that an explicit reference to the exclusion of agricultural issues from future talks be recorded.
Finally, Paris would like the “sensitivity” of issues relating to fisheries, an area included in the mandate of the tariff negotiations on industrial products, to be kept in mind.
Discussions will therefore resume at the next meeting of Member States' ambassadors next Wednesday, 10 April.
Most delegations still insist that the mandates be formally validated by mid-April.
Public consultation on regulatory cooperation
As part of a broader effort to facilitate bilateral trade through voluntary transatlantic regulatory cooperation, the Commission is seeking the views of stakeholders in a call for proposals that will close on 24 April. They are invited to comment on the elements of transatlantic cooperation with regard to standardisation and regulation and on a possible future agreement on conformity assessment. To consult the call for proposals: https://bit.ly/2uNKugl. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)