“The negotiations with the US have de facto failed”, Sigmar Gabriel said during an interview with German television ZDF. Sigmar Gabriel, the German vice chancellor and economy minister clams that the negotiations have failed, even though no one else wants to admit it.
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Free trade negotiations between the European Union and the United States have fallen apart in recent weeks with Europe reticent to open its agricultural industry to low-priced American “frankenfruits” in addition to concerns over the depletion of labor standards and worries that an unelected cabal will be able to dictate policy over the sovereign objections of participating countries.
When interviewed later on German television, Gabriel, who is Chancellor Angela Merkel’s second-in-command, said he had a single regret: not going further.
Christian Wigand, a spokesman for the European Commission, the EUs executive arm that is leading the TTIP negotiations, said Sunday that the institution had no comment or reaction at this time.
“The talks with the U.S. have de facto failed because we Europeans of course must not succumb to American demands”, he told public broadcaster ZDF.
The EU and U.S. began work on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in 2013, aiming to create the world’s largest free trade area by the time President Barack Obama leaves office in January next year.
Commenting separately on Gabriel’s remarks, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said he believed arriving at a deal would benefit both the European Union and the United States.
U.S. president Barrack Obama previously stated that if the deal is not completed now it will be years before a trade deal can be negotiated, given a schedule of elections in the United States and across Europe. And in the U.S., Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said, “By any objective analysis this is, shall I say, a down period for trade agreements around the world”. The TTIP draft has been kept under wraps – which is not unusual for big trade agreements.
Protesters demonstrate against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership in Germany, in April.
But negotiations have reportedly stalled because of the unexpected decision by Britain to leave the European Union and because of growing public opposition to trade agreements on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Opponents also say the deal could lead to more privatization of public services, including education and health care.
