EU Commission Approves Draft Mandate, Kicking Off Member State Talks

摘要

The European Commission on March 12 approved a confidential draft mandate for negotiating a U.S.-European Union trade and investment agreement, kicking off the process of negotiating its details with the EU member states and to some extent involving the European Parliament in the process even though it does not have a formal role in shaping the mandate. In announcing the approval in a March 12 press conference, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht expressed the hope that member states' ministers will quickly approve a mandate so that the negotiations can begin "ahead of the summer break" in August.