Commissioner Malmström to visit Estonia to talk TTIP with prime minister
EU Trade Commissiner Cecilia Malmström will visit Prime Minister Taaavi Rõivas in Estonia on Friday in order to discuss topics include the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Treaty, a free trade treaty between the EU and US.
According the commissioner's schedule, while in Estonia, Malmström will likewise meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Marina Kaljurand as well as the heads of the EU Affairs Committees of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland as well.
Rõivas and Malmström are set to discuss the current state of affairs in TTIP negotiations as well as the situation in Ukraine.
"Talks concerning the EU-US free trade agreement as well as the EU-Canada trade agreement's ratification process have reached a critical stage," Malmström was quoted as saying by the Commission's representation in Estonia. " Therefore the meetings in Tallinn are a good chance to discuss the present state and future of the EU trade policy."
French Minister of Foreign Traid Matthias Fekl announced at the end of August that his government demands that negotiations on the TTIP cease.
German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriol had previously stated that the free trade negotiations between the EU and US have failed, but "...nobody is really admitting it."
Malmström countered him by saying that the talks had not failed and that their aim was to come as far along with them as possible by the end of the year.
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS