EU urges TiSA negotiators to reach deal by end of year

The top trade official of the European Union (EU) has called on members participating in the talks on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) to step up their efforts to reach a deal by the end of this year.

"Today's meeting shows that we may not be far from reaching an agreement on TiSA by the end of this year," EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said after Wednesday's TiSA ministerial meeting in Paris.

"The recent revised offers and the work done so far represent real improvement, but we certainly still need more ambition," she added. The next exchange of revised offers has been scheduled for October.

"The EU is ready to go the additional mile but everyone needs to join if we want to achieve an agreement able to shape the global economy of the 21st century," Malmstrom concluded.

According to the news service EU Trade Insight, the EU is disappointed with the United States dragging its feet over maritime services and the temporary movement of people for the purposes of service delivery -- the so-called Mode 4.

Contrary to the EU, the United States stopped short of providing market access concessions in these two areas, the website said. The latter issue is traditionally sensitive for the United States due to congressional perceptions it could touch on immigration policies.

The Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) is a trade agreement currently being negotiated by 23 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the EU.

The next TiSA negotiating round is scheduled to begin July 10. Endit