Since when is TTIP not a BIG deal?
(consumer-corner, 3 May 2016) From “most important leak ever” to “much ado about nothing”, the analyses from different commentators of yesterday’s TTIP revelations couldn’t be wider-ranging. In a blog post, Trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström tried to soft-pedal the importance of the leaks by saying that the consolidated texts, leaked by Greenpeace, only reflected “each side’s negotiating position”.
While this is certainly true, it does beg the question of why the Commission last week published a state of play which suggested the negotiations were on the way to completion, basing themselves on the same consolidated version it is now downplaying.
US companies would be given a free rein to lobby the EU. The goal: make sure EU regulations match US business interests.
Take-away #1: The leak is huge.
Although the EU position has been known for some time – thanks to EU transparency measures that we’ve always acknowledged – EU and US citizens have been left in the dark about what the US has been pushing. Parties certainly had access to the wishlists of US businesses, news reports and rare official statements.
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consumer-corner, 3 May 2016: Since when is TTIP not a BIG deal?