22 October 2015

The Independent / MEP Malmström Letter: In defence of TTIP, and my role as EU Trade Commissioner

"A key part of my mandate is to protect public services and maintain consumer protection, and the European Commission would have no interest in a deal that undermined those things", says MEP.

As EU Commissioner, I take my mandate from the elected European Parliament. The formal “negotiating mandate”, meanwhile - the document with instructions on which we base our TTIP talks - is by law given to us by all EU member states’ governments.

I welcome the current broad and open debate because trade is important for the UK and for Europe. I want a deal that will lower trade barriers and facilitate transatlantic trade, so we can export more. Almost 4 million jobs in the UK are supported by exports outside the EU. TTIP could help us increase that figure.

I have never dismissed the democratic rights of the European public. That would be unthinkable for me.

The final decision on any trade deal we reach will always rest with the directly elected European Parliament and with those national governments, which are accountable to their own parliaments and electorates.

A key part of the mandate member states have given me is to protect public services and maintain consumer protection.

The European Commission would have no interest in a deal that undermined those things.

And it would be anathema to citizens and to governments across the political spectrum, meaning it would never pass.

When I became trade commissioner, I wanted a fresh start on TTIP. So I met – and continue to meet and to listen – to all interested groups, including TTIP's staunchest critics. I meet with everyone from environmental groups, consumer bodies and trade unions, as well as small business owners trying to export to the US. Only this week, I met with human rights organisations in Tunisia to discuss trade, and next week I’m discussing our policies with a wide range of civil society representatives from all over Europe. In the same spirit, I met Mr Hilary in February in Brussels and at various events. [...]

We have a long experience in protecting public services in our past agreements. As I explained to the British parliament, we will use the same safeguards for TTIP.

We have learned from the debate. For instance, following the criticism of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system used for most earlier trade deals, I proposed to drop it and create a new and transparent Investment Court System. [...]

And while revealing our entire negotiating hand to our American partners in advance of negotiations would be folly - and hardly in the interests of European people - I have worked to make these the most open trade negotiations ever. This week, we are proposing to make all our trade negotiations as transparent, with position papers and draft texts available online.

What TTIP will do is remove a whole range of barriers to European companies exporting to the US. That is why so many small businesses - those who cannot afford the armies of lawyers bigger companies can employ to smooth the path - have made clear they are right behind the deal. [...]

Full letter in The Independent

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