In Britain, the failure of TTIP “may strengthen the Brexiteers’ argument that the United Kingdom will be more nimble on its own, as it will not have to co-ordinate 27 European Union countries’ individual desires into one combined European Union effort”, says the Daily Telegraph.
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“If President Hollande has said that, that’s his take on the situation”.
Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s economic minister, said on Sunday in an interview with German ZDF television that negotiations over TTIP had “de facto failed” because “Europeans, of course, should not subject ourselves to American demands”. He said he would withhold support from any agreement reached before the end of Barack Obama’s presidency in January.
“These discussions can not result in an agreement by the end of the year”.
Mr Fekl’s comments come after Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s Vice-Chancellor, said over the weekend that TTIP has failed, but “nobody is really admitting it”.
“They have been hard, of course, we knew from the beginning, but they have not failed”, she said.
“TTIP must not fall victim to the incipient election campaign”, warned Matthias Wissmann, head of the German automakers’ association, VDA, arguing that a cross-Atlantic free trade zone would create opportunities for growth and jobs.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said that while Europe and the United States still disagree over certain parts of a free trade deal, the talks aren’t over yet. Her spokesman insisted on Monday that talks should continue, while Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier – also a member of the SPD – said on Tuesday that both sides were still far away from agreeing on standards and procedures. “And it is clear that for the moment we do not have enough – we can’t conclude before the end of the year”, the Swede said.
“The negotiations are bogged down”, he told them, “positions have not been respected, it’s clearly unbalanced”.
France will make its case for the talks to be halted at a meeting of foreign trade ministers in Bratislava in September, Fekl added.
He did not indicate when or under what conditions the talks could restart. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has criticised a number of the US’s trade agreements.
Behind the scenes, top diplomats have told AFP talks may be suspended until after the U.S. presidential election in November and could even be put on hold until after elections in France and Germany next year.
Activists who have opposed TTIP since negotiations began in 2013 say the deal would only benefit multinationals and harm consumers.
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Britain’s June vote to leave the European Union has further clouded the picture, though Ms Schinas insisted that Brussels was still negotiating on behalf of all 28 members of the bloc, including London.
