May 23, 2013
European Parliament Adopts Resolution on TTIP
Yesterday in Strasbourg, the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution, which gives their consent to begin negotiations for TTIP. It passed by a wide margin, with 460 votes in favor, 105 against and 28 abstentions. The resolution does however explicitly call for the exclusion of cultural and audiovisual services, and reminds negotiators that the Parliament must be kept fully informed throughout the process.
May 16, 2013
European Business Summit
TBC Director-General Speaks about the Role of Business in TTIP
Tim Bennett, Director-General of Transatlantic Business Council spoke on a panel on "EU-US - Reinvigorating the Transatlantic Relationship" along with William Kennard, US Ambassador to the EU, Karel De Gucht, EU Commissioner for Trade, Mikael Hagstrom, Executive Vice President, EMEA of SAS, André Sapir, Senior Fellow at Bruegel, Ian Hudson and President for EMEA at DuPont.
May 16, 2013
Launch of Business Alliance for TTIP
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TBC is pleased to announce today’s launch of the Business Alliance for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (BA/TTIP), in which TBC will participate along with BUSINESSEUROPE, EUROCHAMBRES, the European Services Forum (ESF), the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (UEAPME), the Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN), the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, AmChams in Europe and the US Chamber of Commerce (USC).
Members of the Alliance will work together to ensure the realization of a comprehensive transatlantic trade and investment agreement that will boost the economies of both continents and worldwide.
Read the full press release here.
From L to R: Pascal Kerneis, Managing Director, European Services Forum; Hendrik Bourgeois, Chairman, AmChamEU; Jürgen R. Thumann, President, BUSINESSEUROPE; Ben Butters, Director - EU Affairs, EUROCHAMBRES; Sabine Erkens, Legal Advisor, UEAPME; Susan Danger, Vice-Chair, AmChams in Europe; Peter Chase, VP - Europe, US Chamber of Commerce; Tim Bennett, Director-General, Transatlantic Business Council
May 16, 2013
TBC US Board Chair Testifies Before Congress on TTIP
TBC’s US board chair, Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat from the law firm Covington and Burling, was one of the four private sector witnesses to testify at the first hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives on the TTIP negotiations. Ambassador Eizenstat presented written testimony (link) on behalf of the TBC and responded to numerous questions during the May 16 hearing conducted by the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee and chaired by Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA).
Photo courtesy of Google.com
May 15, 2013
Friends of TTIP Breakfast Debate
On the morning of May 15th, Tim Bennett, TBC Director-General gave a keynote speech at the Friends of TTIP Breakfast debate, along with Monique Goyens, Director-General of the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) and EU Co-chair of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD). An update on the negotiations was given by Elena Bryan, Senior Trade Representative of the US Mission to the EU. The debate was hosted at the European Parliament by MEP Daniel Caspary, EPP Coordinator International Trade Committee (INTA) and MEP Prof. Dr. Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl, EPP standing rapporteur on transatlantic trade relations.
Mr. Bennett emphasized that TTIP will be first and foremost about creating jobs. In times of slow economic growth in both the U.S. and EU, he argued that trade policy is a tool that will stimulate investment in ways that neither fiscal nor monetary policy has been able to do in the recent past. In response to Ms. Goyens’ view that TTIP may lead to deregulation and subsequently hurt consumers, Mr. Bennett stated that TBC (and business as a whole) does not seek deregulation, but the reduction of dual certification procedures than can cause regulatory burdens for both large corporations and SMEs. He maintained that if we lose this opportunity for an agreement, both the U.S. and EU may be managing a steady economic decline in the future. For this reason, Mr. Bennett stressed, it is important for consumers and business to work together, since both groups will benefit from the kind of economic growth that TTIP will bring.
May 10, 2013
TTIP Submission to USTR
The Transatlantic Business Council has submitted comments to the USTR on May 10 on behalf of its member companies. TBC members have long supported negotiation of an expansive free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States and warmly welcomed the February 13, 2013 announcements by EU leaders and President Obama of their intentions to initiate the internal procedures necessary for the eventual launching of formal negotiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). In response to the above referenced Federal Register notice, the TBC submitted these comments and recommendations in order to assist the U.S. and EU negotiators in their effort to complete a successful agreement as expeditiously as possible.
May 8, 2013
Article
Biggest Challenges for TTIP are Regulatory, Says Industry
by Brian Beary for EUROPOLITICS
Beary reports on a discussion with Hans Stråberg, Director of Investor AB who serves as European Co-Chair for the TABD program and Niklas Bergström, Director, EU & International Affairs of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise who aids Stråberg in his Co-Chair role.
May 2, 2013
NEWS RELEASE
The nominations of Froman and Pritzker were announced today by President Obama. Transatlantic Business Council was delighted with the news and issued a press statement.
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RT @EP_Trade: Final phase EU-US #TTIP talks resolution: plenary debate Wed 22May, vote Thu 23 May. Draft calls for #exceptionculturelle ..w… -
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