Speaker Ryan Uses London Speech To Revive Dead TTIP Deal

Despite months of clear bilateral focus from the White House and the apparently death of the controversial Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan used a political speech in London to claim the deal was progressing.

Speaking at an event hosted by establishment think tank Policy Exchange on Wednesday evening attended by several members of the UK Parliament, Ryan talked up future trade deals with Britain — but also brought up the secretly negotiated TTIP trade arrangement with the European Union that many considered dead with the arrival of President Trump, and had been the subject of major protests across Europe. He said:

Now that Article 50 has been invoked, the UK and EU will determine the best path forward over the course of negotiations. We want the parties to come together and strike a lasting agreement. A strong UK-EU relationship is in all of our best interests.

In that same vein, the United States will continue to work closely with our EU friends, and chart a path forward on T-TIP negotiations. At the same time, we are committed to work with President Trump and your government to achieve a bilateral trade agreement between the United States and Great Britain.

This is one of the bipartisan messages I bring with me: that the United States stands ready to forge a new trade agreement with Great Britain as soon as possible, so that we may further tap into the great potential between our people.

One of those who sounded the death-knell of TTIP was Professor Ted Malloch, the man widely regarded as Trump’s pick for ambassador to the European Union, who spoke on the Breitbart Daily Show in January to give his perspective.

Giving a blunt  of the health prospects of the trade negotiations that would have seen the secretive and undemocratic agreement, Professor Malloch said: “TTIP is a non-starter, it isn’t going to happen in the Trump world.”

The European Union itself, which has pressed for TTIP to be passed despite years of fruitless negotiations, may find themselves surprised by the apparent reversal of policy claimed by Speaker Ryan. The bloc had conceded defeat on the matter with the election of President Trump as early as last year, reported Breitbart London, with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström remarking it would make no sense to expect further talks on the issue.

 

Follow Oliver Lane on Facebook, Twitter: Follow @Oliver_Lane or e-mail: olane[at]breitbart.com