All-Party Parliamentary Group on EU-US Trade & Investment
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations
This week EU and US trade negotiators will meet for their third round of formal negotiations in Washington, D.C. under the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Negotiations have been on-going since they were launched in July this year. The EU press release is here: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=1000
EU Trade Commissioner Karel DeGucht and US Trade Representative Michael Froman will meet to take stock of progress in February 2014. After that, a common understanding of the ambition for the negotiations, and an outline of the scope of the talks, should become clearer.
UK area-by-area impact of TTIP
The APPG has led arguments in Commons debate, at meetings and in writing for a study of the local and regional potential of TTIP. Now Rt Hon Ken Clarke MP, minister without portfolio, has written to the APPG and informed us that HMG is studying approaches to an analysis which will assess the impact of the TTIP for local regions and jobs. The link to the letter which has also been supported by the RT Hon Hugo Swuire MP, Minister of State in FCO is here: http://tradeinvest.babinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ken-clarke-letter.pdf and here: http://tradeinvest.babinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/hugo-squire.pdf.
Ministers update APPG
The Government has undertaken to write to the APPG alongside the Commons EU scrutiny committee with regular updates on the negotiations. Lord Green, the Minister of Trade, has sent the first written update on the negotiations which can be found here:
http://tradeinvest.babinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Lord-Green-to-Rt-Hon-John-Healey-MP.pdf.
Issues of public concern
The introduction of an Investor-state-dispute-settlement mechanism in a TTIP is increasingly being questioned. The House of Commons Library has published a study which is available here: http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06777/investorstate-dispute-settlement-isds-and-the-transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-ttip
An independent study has also been commissioned and published by BIS which can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analytical-framework-for-assessment-costs-and-benefits-of-investment-protection-treaties.
APPG Parliamentary open meetings
The APPG will host a Panel Discussion on TTIP with:
CBI Director-General, John Cridland
TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady
Which? Chief Executive, Peter Vicary-Smith
Wednesday, January 8th 2014 from 5.00-6.00 pm in Committee Room 15 in Westminster Palace. All welcome; please register with Siwan Puw in Guto Bebb’s office siwan.puw@parliament.uk.
The APPG will host the UK Permanent Representative, HE Mr Ivan Rogers and the US Ambassador to the UK, HE Mr Matthew Barzun in February 2014 for a discussion of progress on the TTIP after the political stock taking exercise.
APPG visit to Brussels
The APPG is planning a visit to Brussels in the end of March 2014 to meet with European Parliamentarians, stakeholders and officials.
APPG Parliamentary briefing meetings
The APPG organises a series of smaller private briefing meetings, potentially open to Group members who wish to attend – if you’d like to be informed or invited, please email john.healey.mp@parliament.uk or guto.bebb.mp@parliament.uk.
For instance in October, APPG officers met privately with Deputy USTR, Ambassador Miriam Sapiro to discuss progress in the negotiations and US assessments of the challenges going forward, and with the EU Chief Negotiator for the TTIP, Director Ignacio Garcia Bercero to discuss the EU perspective on progress and potential challenges in the negotiations.
Other events and activities
Julian Smith MP, was a panelist at the IBDE Conference, The First Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership Forum, on December 12th 2013.
John Healey MP, was a panelist at the BAB Roadshow event in Newcastle December 4th 2013.
Alok Sharma MP, was a panelist at the BAB Roadshow event in Reading December 3rd 2013.
Guto Bebb MP, was a panelist at the BAB Roadshow event in Manchester November 28th 2013.
John Healey MP, spoke at the BAB Autumn Conference in London on November 19th 2013.
APPG Secretary, Guto Bebb MP, participated in the BAPG Foreign Office sponsored specialist delegation to the US in November 2013 to help build momentum and mobilise support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
British American Business activities
BritishAmericanBusiness is running a nation-wide series of road shows on TTIP to reach out to SMEs and beyond the traditional policy community in London. Expert panels of speakers introduce discussions on the benefits and effects of a proposed deal. Panelists include business leaders, UKTI Advisors and APPG officers. Road-shows in 2014 will be held in: Cardiff in February; Glasgow in April; Belfast in March; and Birmingham in May. For further information see: http://www.tradeinvest.babinc.org
APPG bulletins
The APPG produces a regular bulletin as an update on the APPG’s activities and as a source for useful briefings, reports and events related to TTIP.
1st Bulletin
2nd Bulletin
Useful websites
EU Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ttip/
USTR Website: http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/fact-sheets/2013/june/wh-ttip
UKTI Website: http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/item/516460.html
APPG on EU-US Trade & Investment – Previous activities
- December 3rd 2013 – Open APPG meeting with the Canadian High Commissioner, HE Mr Gordon Campbell. The newly completed EU-Canada agreement, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and potential lessons for the TTIP was discussed.
- October 30th 2013 – Officers met with EU Chief Negotiator, Director Ignacio Garcia Bercero
- October 29th 2013 – Officers met Deputy US Trade Representative, Ambassador Miriam Sapiro
- September 3, 2013 – Internal discussion of Group’s work program. Secretariat established.
- July 18th Commons debate led by the Group on EU-US transatlantic trade and investment, secured via Backbench Business Committee
- July 8, 2013 Meeting with Rt Hon Ken Clarke, MP, supported by trade minister Lord Green and senior BIS/Cabinet Office civil servants
- May 21, 2013 group launch and Annual General Meeting. For terms of reference and founding membership see:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/register.pdf
For further information, please contact:
John Healey MP, Chair of APPG on EU-US Trade & Investment
Contact James Hall james.hall@parliament.uk
Guto Bebb MP, Secretary of APPG on EU-US Trade & Investment
Contact Siwan Puw siwan.puw@parliament.uk
Elisabeth Roderburg, Secretariat of APPG on EU-US Trade & Investment
TTIP Adviser BritishAmericanBusiness Eroderburg@babinc.org
If you wish to join the APPG and receive the regular bulletins, please contact Siwan Puw in Guto Bebb’s office.