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.

Read more on the Summit here.

May 16, 2013

Launch of Business Alliance for TTIP

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.

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).

Read the full testimony here.

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. 

Read the full submission here.

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. 

Read the full article here.

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. 

Read the full news release here.

April 30, 2013

Multi-Association Letter Submitted to French Perm Rep

TBC, in collaboration with several other associations, submitted a letter to H.E. Philippe Etienne, Permanent Representative to France, urging a broad approach to the negotiating mandate for the TTIP.

Read the full letter here.

April 23, 2013

Federal Register Notice 

USTR has announced the Federal Register Notice for requesting comments on TTIP.

Request for Comments Concerning Proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment (TTIP)  

April 23, 2013

HLRCF - Response from European Commission to Stakeholders

The European Commission thanked Transatlantic Business Council and other stakeholders who participated in the High-Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum earlier in April.

Read the full letter here

NEWS RELEASE:

TTIP Remarks
by Stuart Eizenstat (TBC US Co-Chair) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Read the full remarks here.

March 20, 2013

NEWS RELEASE:

USTR sent a letter to US Congress today noting the Administration’s intent to start TTIP negotiations.  Read the full letter here and read the USTR press release here.

STUDY RELEASED:
Independent study outlines benefits of EU-US trade agreement

"An in-depth study by the Centre for Economic Policy Research, London, on the potential effects of the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been released today. It takes a detailed look at current transatlantic trade and investment flows and existing barriers to these, and then uses economic modelling to estimate the potential impact of different policy scenarios."  Read full Memo here.

STUDY RELEASED:
Dimensions and Effects of a Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement Between the EU and US

Study commissioned by German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, January 2013.  Read the full study here.

ARTICLE:

For Transatlantic Trade, This Time Is Different: Why the Latest U.S.-EU Trade Talks Are Likely to Succeed

by Tyson Barker, Foreign Affairs

Read the full story here.

ARTICLE:

"Close to 100%” Chance EU and US Will Conclude Trade Pact
by Brian Beary, EUROPOLITICS

An interview with Transatlantic Business Council Director-General, Tim Bennett, highlights why he is confident the TTIP will be a success.  Read the full article here.

NEWS UPDATE:

US Congressional Letters Urge Support for the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Pact

Portman, Nelson Lead Bipartisan Letter to President Supporting Comprehensive Trade Negotiations with European Union.  Read full letter here.

Baucus, Hatch Outline Priorities for Potential U.S.-EU Trade Agreement.  Read full letter here.

Final Report of the High Level Working Group on Jobs & Growth Released

See the full report here.

TABD Meeting - Davos

The TABD program, a distinct program within TBC, held it's first meeting of 2013 in Davos, Switzerland in the margins of the WEF on January 25.  For more information on the TABD program, click here.

TEC Stakeholders Meeting (BRX)

In light of the talks on a potential comprehensive transatlantic trade pact and in order to provide an update on the progress on a number of issues under the umbrella of the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), the Transatlantic Business Council (TBC) invited a broad stakeholders group including a number of business organizations and companies to participate in a public TEC Consultation with government guests from the European Commission (EC) and the U.S. Mission to the EU. BUSINESSEUROPE kindly agreed to host the event. (meeting notes coming soon)

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