In mid- 2013 the European Commission opened negotiations on concluding a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union and the USA, which would create the world's biggest free-trade area. A total of nine rounds of talks were held by April, 2015. A possible signing of the agreement raises many high expectations and concerns in fields such as health standards, financial services, maritime transport, access of small companies to public procurement contracts in the USA, the mechanism of arbitration between investors and countries, etc. The EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström says that "TTIP can’t come at any price". The talks will continue in 2016, she says. As in Europe and opinions in Bulgaria are polarized regarding the benefits and the damages of TTIP.

“The data we have, which were analyzed at the very start of the negotiations, point to a host of positive tendencies for Bulgaria”, Director of the Foreign Economic Policy Directorate at the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy Diana Naydenova told Radio Bulgaria. "Our trade balance with the USA has been positive for many years, i.e. our exports to that country exceed the imports. The share of machinery and electrical equipment accounts for over 35% of our bilateral trade. According to one analyses in this field, Bulgaria is among the European countries that will benefit most from the abolition of custom duties, because the average duty paid by this country is 11%, whereas the average duties paid by other EU member states fluctuate between 2% and 3%. In other words, Bulgaria’s export is competitive. On the other hand, US imports amount to 0.8% of the total volume of goods imported to Bulgaria.”

“We are worried that the debate in Bulgaria about the TTIP was very much overdue”, Bulgarian Socialist Party-Leftist Bulgaria MP Kristian Vigenin contends. “It is not being conducted by the institutions whose responsibility it will be at a later stage. The National Assembly, including the parliamentary committees, has been categorically refusing to hold debates on this issue for months. Based on what we know now, this is up to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Economy. We should answer the following questions: What are Bulgaria's expectations, what problems could Bulgaria face, what types of issues raised by this country will be mentioned during the talks, etc. Bulgaria’s Parliament and the Ministry of Economy could adopt a common stand regarding the challenges that would face Bulgaria in the event of a possible signing of such an agreement between the USA and the EU and point out the issues the EU team of negotiators should take into consideration during the talks, just like the European Parliament, which is to adopt a stand on the process of negotiations and raise specific demands with regard to the possible agreement. That would mean that the ruling coalition will receive the support of the opposition parties, if this country has to uphold the national interest.”

“Such a debate is essential and I am happy that discussions were resumed in recent months”, Diana Naydenova said further. A great many analyses have been made. They concern specific issues. Many countries have already formulated their specific stands, which were taken into consideration in the early stage when the EC was authorized to hold talks. We can not say that Bulgaria does not have a stand of its own or that it has underestimated one thing or another. We have carried out trade analysis in the area of service and we have expert potential in different fields and we have to structure possible agreements in given fields. What is clear is that the 9^th round of negotiations was held in Brussels. There are many pending issues and some of them are debatable”, Diana Naydenova concludes.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

Edited in English by Milena Daynova