BUSINESSEUROPE on TTIP negotiations

According to the Confederation of European Business, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) must remain a comprehensive agreement. Both sides need to engage in the negotiations throughout the year to be able to conclude a political agreement that includes the most difficult issues during President Obama’s term. This was the key message BUSINESSEUROPE gave at a breakfast debate with TTIP Chief Negotiators Ignacio Garcia Bercero (EU) and Daniel Mullaney (USA) in Brussels on Tuesday 23th February.

Several sensitive and important issues are still open in the current ongoing 12th round of TTIP talks in Brussels.

“We need a comprehensive agreement giving both sides new market opportunities in public procurement,” the BUSINESSEUROPE’s director general Markus J. Beyrer stressed. “We also need to eliminate unnecessary costs stemming from different regulations on testing and labelling requirements. These objectives are the very essence of our support for TTIP and the USA are well aware of it. We also need substantial progress in the regulatory chapter across the different sectors. A permanent structure for consistent dialogue between regulators is essential”.

With the USA lifting its export ban on crude oil, the EU and the USA have new prospects of including an energy chapter into TTIP.

“We are confident that both sides will see the merits of including an energy chapter in TTIP,” Beyrer continued. This agreement aims to establish modern and ambitious rules in a number of areas that are not sufficiently covered by multilateral agreements. We need to set the example for others to follow.”

The Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic is a BUSINESSEUROPE’s member since 1993.