Social aspects in TTIP

BusinessEurope participated in a hearing at the European Parliament jointly organised by the Employment and International Trade Committees. During the hearing several issues related to the social dimension of TTIP were discussed, ranging from how many jobs the agreement would generate in Europe to what kind of provisions should be included to ensure that high social standards are promoted through TTIP. BusinessEurope stressed that TTIP could provide opportunities for more business, subsequently leading to more investment and jobs. Even if not all sectors will benefit equally from the agreement, the business community in Europe is convinced that TTIP will be extremely positive for growth and jobs. On the social provisions to be included in the agreement, BusinessEurope emphasised that the EU has been making substantial progress in its FTAs as far as the scope and content of such provisions are concerned. The CETA agreement is a good example. Since the EU and the USA have clearly stated they would not lower the level of their respective standards, TTIP needs to take into account the different approaches the EU and USA have of social aspects in free-trade agreements, including implementation.