Trade Association Breakfast: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Increased Trade and Investment and Regulatory Convergence Between the United States and the European Union

Ongoing negotiations between the European Union (EU) and United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could bring significant commercial benefits to thousands of companies doing business across the Atlantic.  As a negotiation between the world’s two largest economies, there is no template for an eventual agreement.

The negotiations are addressing three broad categories of issues:  market access, rules and principles, and regulatory matters.  Negotiators will seek to:  (a) remove market access restrictions such as tariffs, limitations on service providers, investment barriers, and government procurement restrictions; (b) craft global rules in the areas of intellectual property rights, trade facilitation, and localization measures; and (c) reduce the costs of regulatory compliance in various sectors.

The greatest value of the TTIP may lie in its potential to reduce the costs associated with differing regulatory requirements.  The EU and United States are seeking to reduce regulatory differences in several economically significant sectors, including potentially the automotive, chemical, consumer product, food and agricultural product, information and communications technology, medical device, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Based on their first-hand experience negotiating and using trade agreements in both government and the private sector, our panelists will paint a picture of the negotiating process and discuss strategies for trade associations to advance their members’ business interests in the TTIP negotiations, in both Washington and Brussels.

The program will be held at:
Crowell & Moring
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001

8:00-8:30 AM Breakfast & Registration
8:30-9:30 AM Program