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German economy minister says EU-U.S. trade deal negotiations have failed

Xinhua, August 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday that the negotiations between the European Union (EU) and the United States over a free trade deal had de facto failed.

"The negotiations with the USA have de facto failed, because we as Europeans, of course, should not subject ourselves to American demands," Gabriel said in an interview with German ZDF television.

He noted that the two sides could not agree on a single chapter of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) being discussed.

"Things are not moving on the issue," he added.

Since July 2013, when the EU and the United States started negotiations on the free trade deal, 14 rounds of talks have been held. Both sides have sought to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year.

An earlier survey found that public support for the agreement dropped sharply in both Germany and the United States in recent years. Concerns of the opponents include declines in consumer and labour protection, environment standards as well as the secrecy of the negotiations. Endit