T-TIP: A Detailed View of Negotiating Objectives and Benefits and a New Opportunity to Provide USTR with Feedback

This week, U.S. and EU negotiators are in Brussels for a fourth round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) negotiations. The Office of the United States Trade Representative has released a detailed subject-by-subject view of U.S. T-TIP negotiating objectives.

With regard to textiles and apparel the U.S. will "...seek to obtain fully reciprocal access to the EU market for U.S. textile and apparel products, supported by effective and efficient customs cooperation and other rules to facilitate U.S.-EU trade in textiles and apparel." The report notes that U.S. textile and apparel manufacturers sold nearly $2.4 billion worth of products to the EU last year.

Regarding government procurement, the U.S. will "...seek to expand market access opportunities for U.S. goods, services, and suppliers of goods and services to the government procurement markets of the EU and its Member States," and "...seek to ensure fair, transparent, and predictable conduct of government procurement and that U.S. suppliers of goods and services receive treatment as favorable as that accorded to domestic and other foreign goods, services, and suppliers in the EU and its Member States." The detailed subject-by-subject view is silent regarding the Berry Amendment, the U.S. government procurement regulation that governs Department of Defense acquisitions of textiles and clothing.

USTR encourages anyone who is interested to review the objectives and the other information provided and to provide feedback on the T-TIP negotiations (or on any other trade or investment initiative) to USTR by sending an email to comment@ustr.eop.gov.