[Collection] Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)
On 14 June 2013, the Council of the European Union gave green light to the European Commission to start the negotiation of a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (better know under its acronym TTIP) with the United States, the biggest export market for Europe. This trade agreement will potentially reach 850 million of consumers and is said to bring 0,5% GDP to the EU, boost growth, open new markets to European businesses and new possibilities for EU consumers as well as to create jobs by removing trade barriers. Whether these are realistic figures or not, time will say, studies are controversial about that. Critics on the contrary underline threads to jobs as well as quality standards and voice concern on environmental and consumer practical issues. The Committee of International Trade (INTA committee) of the European Commission stated in their report, that the impact is very difficult to assess while the negotiations are ongoing and since the studies show contradictory results.
As an introduction to this topic, you can read CAE’s Guide through TTIP negotiations. Further, the European Commission has published a wide range of TTIP documents – including summaries, and the EU’s negotiating guidelines and opening positions.