“China should join TiSA negotiations” asserts rapporteur Viviane Reding
Viviane Reding MEP (EPP, Luxembourg) – the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) – talks with EU Trade Insights‘ Editor Lénaïc Vaudin d’Imécourt about the challenges and perspectives of the TiSA, which is currently being negotiated by 24 members of the WTO.
In the interview, Reding calls for the exclusion of public services – notably the public health sector – from the scope of the Trade in Services Agreement. The rapporteur believes that it is up to EU Member States to decide themselves whether they want to liberalise their public services. Furthermore, Reding discusses China’s possible accession to the TiSA talks. She believes China should join the negotiations “under certain conditions”, i.e. if the country agrees to play by the rules and demonstrates willingness to have a strong agreement.
TiSA rapporteur Reding claims that the most difficult elements of the TiSA are still on the negotiation table and the conclusion of talks should not be expected before 2016. “I prefer a small and strong TiSA” rather than a big agreement where nothing is solved, she concludes.
“China should join TiSA negotiations” asserts rapporteur Viviane Reding
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