Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Negotiations: State of Play

Briefing 28-08-2014

The negotiations on a comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) started in June 2013, with enormous political support on both sides of the Atlantic. One year on, after six rounds of negotiations, initial enthusiasm in view of an agreement which would create a transatlantic market free of tariffs and other non-tariff barriers with the aim of boosting growth and creating additional jobs, both in the EU and the US, has given way to defence of own markets. Be it increased access to markets for goods, services and public procurement, closer regulatory cooperation, an investment chapter that includes sound investment protection provisions and an Investor-State Dispute Settlement clause, intellectual property rights, a chapter on energy and raw materials, etc., all the issues involved appear to be contentious in some way for the transatlantic negotiators. The European Parliament, which will have to give its consent to the TTIP (as will the US Congress), has been following the negotiations closely.