Madison, WI – The Madison International Trade Association (MITA) will host a discussion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) on Wednesday, February 12, 2014. If approved by the United States and the European Union, the trade treaty would be the largest trade agreement in the world.
Ambassador (ret) J.D. Bindenagel, currently Senior Advisor to Strategy XXI Partners, will call upon his years of diplomatic experience and share his analysis of trade and investment policy and priorities on both sides of the Atlantic, the potential for mutual recognition of standards, and more. Shawna Morris, Vice President of Trade Policy for the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), will speak on the E.U.’s position in TTIP regarding geographical indications which have been used in the past to restrict the use of what the U.S. considers to be common cheese names.
Topics that will be addressed include:
• – Current points of contention and agreement within the negotiations
• – Mutual recognition of standards and how these can reduce the non-tariff barriers currently hindering trade
• – Opportunities for increased trade in financial services and investments as a result of the T-TIP
• – Benefits to Wisconsin companies and challenges to Wisconsin’s dairy industry
· – TT-TIP’s impact on global trade
The $1 billion dairy trade imbalance with the E.U. is a significant issue for the dairy industry. According to the USDEC, annual U.S. dairy exports to the EU. typically total $100 million but are dwarfed by E.U. dairy shipments to the United States which consistently exceed $1 billion per year. NMPF and USDEC charge that higher E.U. dairy tariffs and various forms of E.U. nontariff barriers have led to this sizable trade deficit and are looking to TTIP to address both those concerns.
The event takes place at the Madison Marriott West (1313 John Q Hammons Drive). Registration starts at 11:30 a.m.; the program begins at 12:30 p.m. and includes lunch. Registration deadline is Monday, February 10th and can be made at www.mitatrade.org.The cost to attend is $25 for members and $40 for non-members.
