Off the wire
• China's "piano prince" Lang Lang designs watch in Swiss  • S. Africa warns U.S. against suspending duty-free treatment on farm exports  • Urgent: Kerry recommends Obama reject controversial Keystone XL pipeline: reports  • Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1630, Nov. 6  • China police bust "shadow army" for planning public attacks  • Cambodian PM pledges to promote comprehensive partnership with China  • 3rd LD-Writethru-China Focus: China to restart IPOs  • Feature: Chinese, Vietnamese youths encouraged to inherit traditional friendship  • U.S. stocks open higher on strong jobs report  • Brisk U.S. job data likely to push Fed raise rates in Dec.  
You are here: 　 Home

EU seeks "ambitious" labor, environment standards in TTIP: EC

Xinhua, November 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) on Friday said it seeks "the most ambitious" labor and environment standards in its ongoing landmark trade talks with the United States.

Europe made the move during its latest talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which was held in Miami, United States last month, by proposing relevant provisions, said EU's executive arm the European Commission (EC).

"We are proposing a very ambitious approach to sustainable development in the EU-U.S. trade talks," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told reporters in Brussels, presenting the bloc's proposals in Miami talks as a move aims to increase transparency of TTIP.

During their talks, the continent wanted to ensure that both sides could uphold their already high labor standards, jointly address challenges such as child labor, protect workers' health and safety and other rights.

The bloc also vowed to work with the United States to tackle environmental problems by such as fighting against illegal logging and fishing, promoting trade and investment in green goods and technologies.

"The EU cannot fix alone," Malmstrom wrote in a blog, adding that the TTIP, in particular, can contribute to global solutions to environmental challenges.

The EU said next it would work to ensure that its proposals will be respected, implemented and enforced in TTIP.

Last month, the EU and United States wrapped up the 11th round of negotiations on the TTIP and exchanged for full duty elimination which covered 97 percent of tariff lines.

The two sides aimed to accelerate their talks and finalize a trade pact before U.S. President Obama leaves office in early 2017. Endit