The European Commission today discussed ways of making the on-going talks for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and US more transparent, and how to make more and better information about the ongoing negotiations available to citizens. This is part of the Juncker Commission’s overall priority to improve transparency and reflects the ‘fresh start’ on TTIP that EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström recently announced. 'TTIP is an immensely important agreement,' said Commissioner Malmström, 'with huge potential...

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"Both sides also agreed on the importance of further strengthening outreach to SME's to familiarize them with the opportunities of TTIP negotiations and get further input on their specific concerns." The European Commission published a report outlining the accomplishments of the seventh round of TTIP negotiations which took place from September 29 to October 3 in Washington DC. The report summarizes key decisions in every negotiating area, calling for further outreach to SMEs to better communicate their opportunities in TTIP...

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There is a lot going on this week with regards to trade, and TTIP in particular on both sides of the Atlantic. Yesterday, the European Parliament continued its hearings, interviewing Lord Jonathan Hill, Commissioner- elect for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union. Lord Hill failed to convince members of Parliament and has been recalled for a second hearing. Today’s hearings started with Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner – designate for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs.     Hearings are scheduled to proceed...

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In the EU, public services such as healthcare and education are amongst the best in the world. They play a special role which Europeans value, and which EU law recognises. For that reason the EU, and individual EU countries, are required to protect public services in any new laws or policies they adopt - including EU-wide trade agreements with countries outside Europe. So all EU trade deals provide three important guarantees for public services – on regulation, monopolies and so-called 'national...

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“TTIP: A challenge, but also an opportunity, for Europe” The members of the European Economic and Social Committee have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a balanced EESC opinion supporting the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations and calling for the benefits of TTIP to be spread evenly among businesses, workers, consumers and the public. The EESC welcomes this partnership project and believes that a balanced agreement could support growth and job creation in the EU. A condition of this endorsement is...

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EU chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero (right) and US chief negotiator Dan Mullaney (left) held a joint press conference at the U.S. State Department in Washington on May 23, 2014 at the conclusion of the 5th TTIP negotiation round. YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: EU and US Negotiators Meet for 5th Round of Talks on TTIP Albuquerque Journal: EU Ambassador Touts Trade Pact in ABQ Ensuring transparency in EU-US trade talks: EU publishes negotiating positions in five more areas

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Speech by Wolfgang Schäuble at the Council on Foreign relations in Washington D.C., 11 April 2014. Above and beyond all of the irritations in Germany that the three letters “NSA” stand for, this fact remains true: Like no two other actors on the global stage, the United States and Europe – what we call the Western world – share common values, common strengths, and common interests when it comes to shaping the global order of the 21st century. What conditions do...

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A report, authored by the Swedish National Board of Trade, analyzes the differences in regulations and regulatory processes between different sectors between the European Union and the United States, and argues that these regulations should be converged where possible and made more coherent generally on a sectoral basis. Preface of the report A central question in the current trade negotiations between the U.S. and the EU is that of the regulations and requirements that exist for various products to ensure that...

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In the wake of the recently concluded stock-taking meeting between EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and United States Trade Representative Michael Froman, the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Atlantic Council invite you to participate in a stakeholder survey on your views of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the sticking points in the negotiations. The results will serve as a follow-up to the data presented in our March 2013 publication, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP): Ambitious, but...

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