TTIP: EU and USA talk first about investor protection – DiePresse.com

Brussels. Twelve times, the EU and US negotiating teams have already taken to tinkering on the transatlantic FTA TTIP – the twelfth round was officially launched on Friday of yesterday to end. However, unlike previous meetings this time is to be further worked: Over the next two weeks expert groups this side and continue their work across the Atlantic, announced Ignacio Garcia Bercero, the chief negotiator of the European Union, yesterday afternoon. So is around the beginning of next week, a compromise proposal for access for European companies to public procurement in the United States are presented – previously undertake so-called “Buy American” clauses the American public to award contracts to US companies

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the time for a successful conclusion of the agreement is running short, because the success of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in the primaries in the US suggest that many US citizens of appetite for free trade has passed. Also in Europe protest protectionists from left and right louder against TTIP. Bercero and his US colleague Dan Mullaney have agreed, by July to hold at least two rounds of negotiations. The goal: Even before the summer break, the various sectoral proposals and counterproposals to be combined into a single consolidated text, its final form – it is hoped – can be negotiated by the end of

Hot Potato investor protection

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The Chapter investor protection this time a very hot iron was on the negotiating table – it comes to the question of whether or in what form US investors are cautioned take action to reduce European states (and vice versa). After the previous practice to resolve such disputes through the detour private arbitration, was strongly criticized in Germany and Austria, proposed the Brussels authorities before creating a transparent investment Court. This European proposal was reviewed by the US negotiators for the first time, an opinion Mullaney did not allow them to elicit. Only this: “. We understand many of the European concerns”

Commissioner booed

 

The criticism of TTIP in this country is known to be particularly large – one reason why EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström earlier this week again was promoting the pact in Vienna. With moderate success: At an event the Labour Commissioner was in the end even booed when she set up the claim that the majority of the European population favor the agreement. But its content could Malmström their critics unconvincing. In addition to Sonderklagsrechten for corporations the risk of deterioration of European standards in food, environmental or social categories and the lack of transparency in the negotiations remain among the major arguments of the opponents TTIP

in the light of this sentiment the envisaged agreement is now expected to be fired and the upcoming presidential election battle: the head of state has namely constitutionally lawyer Heinz Mayer a final decision in such contracts. The NGO Greenpeace therefore already called on all prospective candidates, “perceive democracy political responsibility” her and publicly declare whether they (aga / la)

<"would exercise its veto." - Content with Agency * **** ->

( “Die Presse”, print edition, 02.27.2016)