Chapter News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Commission to further boost TTIP transparency

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 to create jobs and growth and to set standards. Yet, even though the TTIP talks are the most transparent and open the Commission has ever conducted, there are still a lot of doubts around what is being negotiated.’

‘That’s why we want to consult even more extensively on TTIP, and go even further in terms of transparency. Increased transparency will enable us to show, more clearly, what the negotiations are about and to de-mystify them. We will use this as a basis to engage further with a broad range of stakeholders and the public,’ said Malmström.

The Commissioner outlined two main proposals for boosting transparency.

First, to extend access to TTIP texts to all Members of the European Parliament, beyond the currently limited group of Members of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee.

Second, to publish texts setting out the EU’s specific negotiating proposals on TTIP.

Following today’s orientation debate, the proposals are scheduled to be adopted at the Commission meeting next week.

The debate on transparency in today’s college meeting also covered other aspects of transparency, to assure openness when it comes to contacts between Commissioners, their Cabinets and Directors-General on the one hand, and interest groups and individuals registered in the Transparency Registry on the other.

Commissioner Malmström will present the proposals on TTIP transparency to the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament on 3 December. The Commission aims to implement its new measures before the end of the year.
Watch the video of the midday press briefing

More information on the TTIP negotiations