‘Brexit doubts won’t slow US-EU trade talks’

AFP, BRUSSELS: The United States and the European Union said they were forging ahead with trade talks on Friday despite the shock setback of Brexit and rising opposition to the deal in France and Germany.
Negotiators met this week in Brussels for the 14th round of negotiations on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that would create the world's largest free trade area.
US chief negotiator Dan Mullaney said that Britain's decision to split from the EU raised questions around the deal as Britain represents 25 percent of US exports to the EU.
"The economic and strategic rationales remain strong, but at the same time a withdrawal of the UK from the EU market would affect the value of the EU market," Mullaney said in Brussels.
"The UK is also our largest market globally for services," he added, referring in large part to the huge presence by US firms in the UK's City of London financial hub.
The EU's chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero agreed.
"The decision by the British people in no way delays our determination," said Bercero. "We are now in an advanced stage of negotiations, but of course a lot of work needs to be done." Both negotiators maintained that the objective was to complete the talks by the close of the Obama administration at the end of the year.

Brexit doubts wont slow US-EU trade talks

AFP, BRUSSELS: The United States and the European Union said they were forging ahead with trade talks on Friday despite the shock setback of Brexit and rising opposition to the deal in France and Germany. Negotiators met this week in Brussels for the 14th round of negotiations on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that would create the worlds largest free trade area. US chief negotiator Dan Mullaney said that Britains decision to split from the EU raised questions around the deal as Britain represents 25 percent of US exports to the EU. The economic and strategic rationales remain strong, but at the same time a withdrawal of the UK from the EU market would affect the value of the EU market, Mullaney said in Brussels. The UK is also our largest market globally for services, he added, referring in large part to the huge presence by US firms in the UKs City of London financial hub. The EUs chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero agreed. The decision by the British people in no way delays our determination, said Bercero. We are now in an advanced stage of negotiations, but of course a lot of work needs to be done. Both negotiators maintained that the objective was to complete the talks by the close of the Obama administration at the end of the year.