Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2015
14. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the latest meetings he has had regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; the measures he will take to ensure information on negotiations and developments in the partnership are more publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41746/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the Council of Trade Ministers meeting tomorrow in Brussels, I will have the opportunity to discuss progress on these negotiations with Commissioner Malmström and with EU Council colleagues. The 11th round in these negotiations took place from 19th – 23rd October, 2015. During this round substantial progress on market access for EU and US companies in all three areas including tariffs, services and public procurement. A second tariff offer was exchanged and both sides have now arrived at a level of proposal covering 97% of tariff lines. There was also discussion in relation to public procurement and it is envisaged that there will be an exchange of market access proposals on public procurement by February 2016. The negotiations also provided an opportunity to clarify some of the main principles of regulatory cooperation.
A report of this Round has been published on the Commission website together with all information in relation to the EU positions in these negotiations. In addition my Department publish a monthly update on the TTIP negotiations on its website.
All EU text proposals in the EU-US Trade Agreement are now published on the European Commission’s dedicated website, generally within a week or two after each negotiating round. The website also includes a wide range of position papers, factsheets and documents explaining positions. There has been some discussion with the US on the matter of access to confidential documents in reading rooms by Parliamentarians and I hope that these discussions will be concluded soon.
A concerted effort has also been made to increase transparency and encourage debate on an EU-US Trade Agreement here in Ireland. In addition to the large volume of parliamentary questions and representations answered, I have met with Irish Members of the European Parliament in Brussels on 28 May, briefed the Cabinet Committee on European Affairs on 10th June and briefed a triple meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committees for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Agriculture, Food and the Marine; European Affairs on 23 June. I will also be making statements in the Dáil regarding the EU-US Trade Agreement on the 17th December.
I have also hosted two seminars in Dublin Castle, in June 2014 and in March 2015, to which Oireachtas members, all Irish MEPs, and business, trade unions and farm representative groups were invited. I have also participated in two round table discussions at the European Parliament Dublin office in December 2014 and May 2015.
My departmental officials are available to meet with stakeholders including business, workers, farming and NGO interest groups. Official level briefing sessions have been held for Oireachtas members and their advisors and Members of the European Parliament and their advisors.
