17 Iúil 2014, 15:20
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs has called for a more meaningful role for national parliaments and civil society in the on-going negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP).
17 July 2014
The recommendation forms part of a Political Contribution by the Committee on the talks, which has been sent to the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Committee recently met with a range of stakeholders on the issue.
Given the potential for increased growth and employment opportunities, the Committee broadly welcomes the initiative. However, it warns that TTIP may pose significant challenges for recession-weakened European economies, such as job displacement and loss of employment in certain sectors.
Key recommendations and observations include that:
- An independent analysis of the benefits and challenges that TTIP be carried out to inform the debate on this initiative;
- Greater dialogue between the European Commission and national parliaments be fostered to ensure local issues and interests are not neglected;
- Greater transparency in the negotiations be developed, including that negotiators and their possible conflicts of interests be identified;
- In terms of regulatory convergence, there should be no dilution of safety or quality particularly in the agri-food sector, but also in other areas, and
- Any final agreement be kept under close scrutiny after implementation, in order to address any unanticipated impacts of the agreement.
Committee Chairman Dominic Hannigan TD says: “The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement, in creating the largest trading bloc in the world, has the potential to be a ground-breaking initiative with significant implications for Ireland. The Committee held a series of fruitful meetings earlier this year on TTIP, which illuminated the imperative for greater public debate on the negotiations.
“Our prosperity is increasingly determined by international linkages, and the Committee is cognisant that an open economy such as Ireland’s is well placed to benefit from such agreement. However, an agreement also carries some risks and the potential for job losses in certain sectors was also highlighted in our discussions. The Political Contribution has been sent to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Committee looks forward to positive engagement on its recommendations.”
View the Committee's political contribution.
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Committee Membership
Deputies: Eric Byrne, Seán Crowe, Timmy Dooley, Bernard J. Durkan, John Halligan, Dominic Hannigan (Chair), Seán Kyne, and Joe O’Reilly
Senators: Colm Burke, Aideen, Hayden, Terry Leyden, Catherine Noone and Kathryn Reilly