I welcome Commission President Barroso’s determination to open talks as early as the summer on a free trade agreement with the United States.
A transatlantic free trade agreement offers Europe and the United States tremendous prospects for growth and it can further enhance the stability of the euro area.
In political and societal terms, too, free trade will bring Europe and the United States closer together and strengthen transatlantic partnership in a globalized world.
The German Government supports the Commission’s efforts to take this important project forward and will press for a speedy and transparent negotiating process that takes into account the concerns of both citizens and business associations.