Ongoing talks on trade deals such as TTIP and CETA, future EU-Russia relations and latest developments regarding relocation of migrants to achieve a fair distribution in all EU member states will top the agenda of the 20-21 October meeting of heads of states or governments in Brussels. In a debate with Slovak Secretary of State […]
TTIP’s Cross-Atlantic Endeavour Facing High Seas
EU-US negotiations on the TTIP free trade agreement are continuing. The deal which is expected to create new jobs and boost economies on both sides of the Atlantic touches upon sensitive issues, not least rules for the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). On 27 January the international trade and legal affairs committees held a joint public […]
Schaake Gets Malmström Commitment On Trade Transparency
Dutch Member of the European Parliament, Marietje Schaake, (ALDE/D66) received commitments today from trade commissioner designate, Cecilia Malmström that she would focus on maximum transparency and increasing accessibility of trade negotiations. Schaake: “I am happy that Malmström shares my concerns. Too much takes place behind closed doors. Because of this, people’s justified concerns cannot be addressed […]
MEPs May Withhold TTIP Consent If NSA Snooping Continues
The European Parliament should withhold its consent to an EU-US trade deal unless it fully respects EU citizens’ data privacy, says an inquiry report on US National Security Agency (NSA) and EU member states surveillance of EU citizens, approved by the Civil Liberties Committee on Wednesday. It adds that data protection rules should be excluded […]
“Trust Me, I’ve Changed…” TTIP’s ‘Promises, Promises’
The EU and the US need to find ways to restore their mutual trust so as to enable them to build a joint economic area under the Transatlantic Partnership agreement (TTIP), said Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee chair Elmar Brok (EPP, DE), opening Tuesday’s debate with the US Senate’s European Affairs Sub-Committee chair Chris Murphy and […]