The biggest trade negotiations ever negotiated!
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - Public, politicians and opinion leaders not aware of impact upcoming Free Trade agreement between United States and the European Union.
Free Trade agreement Trans-Atlantic Trade Partnership, currently under negotiation and also known as TTIP, will impact economies worldwide tremendously. The negotiation process however has not been a topic in politics or media in all European economies that will be effected by this agreement.
Members of WTC The Hague International Business Club, The American Chamber of Commerce and The Deutsch-Niederländische Handelskammer discussed TTIP during an information session in the World Trade Center The Hague on Tuesday October 21, 2014.
After sketching the historical perspective of this trade agreement negotiations, dating back to the GATT agreement and the establishment of the WTO, Mr. Frans Engering, Chairman of the WTC The Hague introduced Mr. Roland Boekhout, CEO of ING DiBa, the German branch of ING Bank. Mr. Boekhout underlined the importance of TTIP on a broader scale than trade only. Reaching a Trans-Atlantic agreement will also serve the general bilateral relation between the US and the EU after affairs like with the NSA. Harmonization of unnecessary differences in product certification, rules and regulations was also pointed out by Mr. Boekhout as an important part of TTIP.
As an entrepreneur with roots in the US Mr. Harry van Dorenmalen, Chairman Europe and Managing Director Benelux of IBM, elaborated on the possibilities of free data exchange under TTIP. Free consultation of sets of big data can serve solutions in modern society on issues like health care, sustainability and mobility. Mr. van Dorenmalen made the connecting between TTIP and the rising unemployment in the EU as picking up trade as a result of TTIP will naturally bring new jobs.
Both speakers and people contribution from the 140 people present agreed that transparence of the negotiation process is necessary to addresses the importance of TTIP for the Trans-Atlantic societies. The European commission must adapt an active approach in informing, and ultimately involving the public with accomplishing TTIP.
Hopefully this event, organized in corporation between WTC The Hague International Business Club, The American Chamber of Commerce and The Deutsch-Niederländische Handelskammer, will bring more attention for TTIP in the EU and the Netherlands.
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