TPP CONCLUSION: POSITIVE FOR EU NEGOTIATIONS WITH JAPAN AND THE US

(Brussels, 05 October 2015) BUSINESSEUROPE welcomes the announcement in Atlanta of the conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.  The agreement includes 12 Pacific Rim nations from Canada and Chile to Japan and Australia representing  40 percent of the world’s economy.

Commenting on the public announcement Mr. Markus J. Beyrer, Director General of BUSINESSEUROPE, stated:

“The conclusion of TPP- Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement it’s a significant step towards trade liberalization and should bring a new impetus to the EU trade negotiations with Japan and the US. With the conclusion of TPP we are now confident the EU might be closer to conclude ambitious agreements with Japan and the US”.

TPP includes countries with which the EU has recently concluded free trade agreements like Canada and Vietnam and others with which the EU is reviewing existing agreements like Chile and Mexico. Talking about the impact of TPP, Beyrer said:

“The conclusion of TPP puts additional pressure on the EU to speed-up its trade agenda to ensure European companies will be able to take advantage of market opportunities in developed and developing countries in one of the fastest growing regions in the world”.

The EU Commission will  publish this month its revised Trade Strategy and BUSINESSEUROPE expects that a strong emphasis is put on the conclusion of the TTIP and EU-Japan negotiations.