Head of EU TTIP negotiations “I do not take my mandate from the European people.”
Cecilia Malmstrom, the lead EU Trade
Commissioner of the TTIP negotiations between Europe and the US has a
personal statement on the EU Commission website that defines her role
as primarily “Pursuing an ambitious trade agenda to the benefit of
European citizens, SMEs and the broader economy” and “Negotiating
bilateral trade agreement with key countries, including reaching a
balanced and reasonable Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) with the U.S. that respects Europe’s safety, health, social and
data protection standards, and our cultural diversity.”
Commissioner of the TTIP negotiations between Europe and the US has a
personal statement on the EU Commission website that defines her role
as primarily “Pursuing an ambitious trade agenda to the benefit of
European citizens, SMEs and the broader economy” and “Negotiating
bilateral trade agreement with key countries, including reaching a
balanced and reasonable Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) with the U.S. that respects Europe’s safety, health, social and
data protection standards, and our cultural diversity.”
To say that Malmstrom occupies an important, strategic
role in global trade today is an understatement as this deal, if signed,
will be the biggest in human history and will account for $38billion
(40 percent) of the $76billion of annual global GDP.
role in global trade today is an understatement as this deal, if signed,
will be the biggest in human history and will account for $38billion
(40 percent) of the $76billion of annual global GDP.
Basically, she is in charge of trade and investment
policy for each of the 28 EU member states, and it is her officials that
are currently attempting to finalise the TTIP deal with the USA – all
behind closed doors.
policy for each of the 28 EU member states, and it is her officials that
are currently attempting to finalise the TTIP deal with the USA – all
behind closed doors.
Malmstrom has faced huge public opposition over
TTIP. Millions have signed petitions, 500,000 from Britain alone. Huge
protests groups have rallied in every city in Europe, some have turned
ugly with protestors facing riot police
in Brussels and elsewhere. In response the EU Commission conducted the
largest ever survey since its 1951 birth and published the results in
January 2015 where 97% of 150,000 respondents from 28 nations voiced
their opposition to the deal. At the same time, the Commission also received individual
replies from more than 450 organisations who represented a wider
spectrum of EU civil society, including trade unions, NGOs, business
organisations, consumer groups, charities, legal firms and academics,
all of whom expressed either deep concern or outright opposition.
TTIP. Millions have signed petitions, 500,000 from Britain alone. Huge
protests groups have rallied in every city in Europe, some have turned
ugly with protestors facing riot police
in Brussels and elsewhere. In response the EU Commission conducted the
largest ever survey since its 1951 birth and published the results in
January 2015 where 97% of 150,000 respondents from 28 nations voiced
their opposition to the deal. At the same time, the Commission also received individual
replies from more than 450 organisations who represented a wider
spectrum of EU civil society, including trade unions, NGOs, business
organisations, consumer groups, charities, legal firms and academics,
all of whom expressed either deep concern or outright opposition.
