Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

281. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress in respect of any other transatlantic trade agreements with the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3527/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The EU has successfully concluded a number of important trade agreements and is in the process of negotiating or upgrading agreements with many more trading partners. Free Trade Agreements are designed to create opportunities by opening new markets for goods and services thereby increasing export and investment opportunities.

On the 30th October 2016, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was signed at the EU-Canada Summit in Brussels by representatives from Canada, the EU and the Member States.  After signature, the European Parliament must now give its consent to CETA for it to enter into force provisionally.

There have been 15 rounds to date in the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement negotiation.  Following the recent US Presidential election and the change of administration there is now a natural pause in the negotiation rounds until the new US administration is appointed in 2017.

In 1997, Mexico was the first Latin American country to conclude an Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement with the EU (‘the EU-Mexico Global Agreement’).  The agreement included trade provisions that were developed into a Free Trade Agreement that entered into force in October 2000.  On 25th May 2016, the EU and Mexico launched negotiations to modernise the EU-Mexico Global Agreement including the trade and investment pillar. 

The EU has a comprehensive Trade Agreement with Colombia and Peru which has been provisionally applied since the 1st March 2013 with Peru and 1st August 2013 with Colombia.  The EU together with Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, signed the Protocol of Accession of Ecuador to the Trade Agreement on the 11th November 2016.

The EU is also currently negotiating a trade agreement with Mercosur, encompassing Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, as part of the overall negotiation for a bi-regional Association Agreement which will also cover a political and a cooperation pillar.