TTIP - Progress in public procurement is key

The 5th round of TTIP negotiations is taking place this week in Washington DC. BUSINESSEUROPE expects that during this round visible progress is made on one of the most important chapters in these trade talks - public procurement. “TTIP should include ambitious provisions in public procurement going much further than what the EU and the US have already committed to in WTO’s Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). This means for instance that TTIP should cover entities at central/federal level but also at sub-federal/state level”, stated BUSINESSEUROPE Director General Markus J. Beyrer. For BUSINESSEUROPE it is important that TTIP addresses provisions that create a preference for domestic suppliers in public contracts. Non-discrimination and national treatment are critical to ensure a level playing field among companies regardless of their nationality.