Assocal president bemoans likely TTIP “failure”
12/09/2016
Negotiations for the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) were scheduled for completion before the end of 2014, but a fourteenth round of negotiations took place in July 2016 and Brussels-based economist Hosuk Lee-Makiyama has said it may take until 2020 to complete the process.
At the end of August 2016, Germany’s economy minister, Sigmar Gabriel, was quoted as saying: “In my opinion the negotiations with the United States have de facto failed, even though nobody will admit it.” He said the reason for “failure” was that Europeans do not want to “subject ourselves to US demands”.
Speaking ahead of the start of the Micam exhibition in Milan on September 2, Annarita Pilotti said her organisation has always viewed the idea of a bilateral trade agreement with the US “in a very favourable light”.
However, she went on to say: “We know that the negotiation on TTIP has stalled and is close to failure. This is very serious. We have missed out on yet another opportunity to make a complicated market that is already very important for us more accessible.” She added that this was particularly true for small and medium-sized footwear manufacturers.
Ms Politti then made a reference to reluctance on the part of the European Commission to keep in place the ability of European industries to apply for trade defence measures, such as anti-dumping. She said: “Unfortunately, Europe seems disinclined to defend itself when it really needs protection for its manufacturing industry and gives in when it comes to negotiating better conditions for access to markets. This is a downward spiral which, if it continues, will in the long run compromise the future of our economy.”
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