Even more stakeholders have weighed in to voice their support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations, which Ambassador Kirk described as beneficial for “jobs, economic growth and international competitiveness on both sides of the Atlantic.” Here’s what they’re saying:
“I am pleased President Obama has made this commitment to launch negotiations to make the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership a reality. This agreement will support good-paying American jobs and will expand our trade and investment relations, strengthen our economy, and create new opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic. The United States and the E.U. represent the largest economic relationship in the world. Our joint gross domestic product accounts for 45 percent of global GDP, and includes more than 800 million consumers. A comprehensive trade agreement will be good for American businesses and American workers.”
- Dr. Rebecca Blank, Deputy Secretary of Commerce
"Strengthening ties between the United States and the European Union through a transatlantic trade agreement makes good sense. That is why I support President Obama's proposal which he announced during his State of the Union Address last night. A comprehensive trade and investment partnership with the 27 nations that make up European Union will expand the export of U.S. goods and services abroad and create new jobs here at home. Bringing down existing trade barriers, particularly agricultural and chemical, will allow U.S. manufacturers to sell more of their products to the 500 million people who currently live in the European Union. And since the United States and the European Union already have the largest trade and economic relationship in the world, building on that longstanding partnership is wise. With Ireland currently holding the European Union Presidency, I am confident these negotiations will be successful."
- Rep. Richard E. Neal, Senior Member of the House Committee on Ways and Means
“New Democrats applaud the Administration’s commitment to complete the Trans Pacific Partnership and begin work on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union. Our relationship with the EU already supports more than 7 million jobs and this agreement has the potential to add more than 13 million new American jobs. As strong advocates for a proactive trade agenda, we urge the Administration to act swiftly on these trade agreements across both the Pacific and Atlantic to bring more quality jobs to the workforce and maintain U.S. leadership in the global economy.”
- Rep. Rick Larsen, Rep. Gregory Meeks, and Rep. Cedric Richmond, Leaders of the New Democrat Coalition
"We applaud this move, which has the potential to further expand and reinforce the world’s largest two-way commercial relationship, and solidify our historic strong ties with Europe. We urge negotiators to strive for a high-standards, 21st-century trade and investment agreement."
- Peter M. Robinson, President of United States Council for International Business
“U.S. Trade Ambassador Ron Kirk and the other officials at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) have not only worked long and diligently to reach this point, but USTR also listened-to and accepted recommendations that agriculture and unwarranted non-tariff barriers, especially non-science based sanitary and phytosanitary provisions, be an important part of the negotiations and that any final trade agreement successfully address these issues.”
- The National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
“FedEx strongly supports the U.S. – EU joint announcement to pursue a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. By widening the doors of free trade across the Atlantic Ocean, we can provide greater opportunities for economic growth and jobs here at home. It’s simple – when large and small U.S. companies, many of whom are our important customers, have greater access to markets, they gain critically important opportunities to sell their goods and services to a wider marketplace. Further, a trade deal with the EU would cut burdensome regulations and red tape that often slows and sometimes inhibits trade with this close ally. FedEx will continue to support a robust free trade agenda and we look forward to the completion of an ambitious and comprehensive trade agreement that will open up greater opportunities for trade and investment between the U.S. and the EU.”
- Michael L. Ducker, Chief Operating Officer & President, International, FedEx Express
“President Obama’s call for concluding the Trans-Pacific Partnership and for launching negotiations on a new Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership are welcome steps for raising growth and creating jobs. Together they would cover more than 50 percent of world trade. [How the administration chooses to address issues like agricultural subsidies and regulatory standards in the new transatlantic agreement and labor protections and state-owned enterprises in the Trans-Pacific Partnership will be of the utmost importance.] These agreements will set the standard for global trade rules in the 21st century. If done right, they could bring vast benefits to the United States and the entire global economy. [These regional agreements represent an important step but one that should not come at the expense of efforts to negotiate a new multilateral trade agreement. Despite the increasing number of regional trade agreements, nearly 85 percent of world trade still occurs at tariff rates negotiated at the multilateral level. In an era of global value chains and closer integration, a new multilateral agreement under the auspices of the World Trade Organization is the best tool available to try to sustain a fair global playing field.]”
- Sabina Dewan, Director of Globalization and International Employment, Center for American Progress
“NMPF believes that considerable potential exists for greater U.S. dairy exports to the EU, if the Transatlantic agreement effectively tackles not only market access issues but also the many nontariff barriers that have made it challenging for the United States to make more headway into the European dairy market.”
- Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation
“The U.S. dairy industry is now a major exporter globally. Despite this fact and the large size of the European dairy market, U.S. dairy exports to the EU have lagged and totaled only $88 million last year. This is not because we can’t compete there, but because of the many tariff and regulatory hurdles facing our exporters seeking to enter the EU. The EU currently enjoys a dairy trade surplus with the United States of $1.2 billion. This is at a time when the United States is exporting $5.2 billion in dairy products around the world. We believe the Transatlantic agreement can do a lot to drive more reciprocal dairy trade between the United States and EU.”
- Tom Suber, President of U.S. Dairy Export Council
“Greater harmonization of global regulations will boost American exports, bring life-saving products to the market more quickly and efficiently and drive economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. MITA applauds President Barack Obama for his leadership on an issue of utmost importance to the U.S. and E.U. economies as well as the millions of patients who will benefits from increased access to the most innovative advanced medical imaging technologies.”
- Gail Rodriguez, Executive Director of Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA)
“Improving the global regulatory environment for manufacturers is essential to ensuring they remain at the forefront of technological innovation as they continue to develop more advanced, life-saving products that improve quality, safety and patient access while also promoting cost efficiency. COCIR is very pleased to see that the Obama administration has made this a top priority.”
- Nicole Denjoy, Secretary General for European Coordination Committee of the Radiological, Electromedical and Healthcare IT Industry (COCIR)
