Mr. Karl Finnegan:

I will make a quick comment on food standards.

It has been clear, and is on the record from Commissioner Malmström and her US counterpart, the trade representative, Mr. Mike Froman, that nothing will change with regard to European Union standards on food safety or genetically modified organisms, GMOs, at the conclusion of a potential agreement between the European Union and the United States. Certainly, there will be no drop in standards. This has been clear and has been accepted by both parties.

As for the investor-to-state dispute settlement, ISDS, mechanism for investor protection, the updated piece on that, as alluded to by the Minister of State, is that the European Commission has proposed its views on a reformed ISDS piece, which it has called an investor court system. The Commission has sought to tackle some of the existing outlined issues and concerns expressed by member states, Members of the European Parliament and generally. The Commission is waiting to hear back from the United States regarding its formal response to the proposal and that will be negotiated, possibly, or discussed at the next round of the negotiations, which will be later in February.