Germans Fear TTIP

[unhappycamper]

http://www.dw.de/ahead-of-g7-merkel-calls-on-germans-to-get-behind-us-trade-treaty/a-18486950

Angela Merkel is canvassing Germans to support the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership ahead of June's G7 summit. In a wide-ranging interview, the chancellor said she hoped it would be cemented by 2017.

Ahead of G7, Merkel calls on Germans to get behind US trade treaty
30.05.2015

In an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung published Saturday, Merkel said she wanted an accord between the EU and US on TTIP before President Barack Obama leaves office in January 2017. The trade and investment agreement aims to create greater access to European markets for American goods, strengthen ties between the two regions and increase economic growth, among other goals.

"It's important for me that the trans-Atlantic free trade keeps pace with the Pacific region," Merkel said, referring to separate trade talks between the US and Asian nations. Twelve countries - including the US, Japan, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand - are negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Opposition to TTIP has run strong in Germany, even though the country's powerful export-oriented industrial sector stands to benefit greatly. Many in Europe fear that US multinational companies will use a possible investor protection clause to challenge EU food, labor and environmental laws on the grounds that they restrict free commerce.

"There's a concern whether our social and ecological standards will stay in place," Merkel said. However, she added: "The United States is one of our most important trade partners."

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. What do they stand to gain or lose?

From over here, it looks like they might get a bit wider entrance into a few tiny markets, while facing more competition and the probability of being sued endlessly for having stricter laws on all sorts of things than the countries housing those markets.

How do they 'stand to benefit greatly'? I really don't see them exporting all that much more than they do now. They make quality products that are typically on the pricey end, not cheap ass stuff that can be dumped in large amounts in new countries.