Bruton: EU will not sign any US trade agreement that impacts policy on jobs at home
The Jobs Minister Richard Bruton has said the EU will not enter into any trade agreement with the US that would put public policy at risk.
European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom is in Dublin today to discuss the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
The agreement is being negotiated between the EU and the US with the aim of making it easier for companies on both sides of the Atlantic to access each other's markets.
But concerns have been expressed about how the agreement could affect small businesses here.
Chairman of the EU Affairs Committee Dominic Hannigan, said people's concerns would be put to the Commissioner during the meeting.
"I have no doubt there will be robust questions put to her in relation to the negotiations," he said. "People have concerns relating to employment rights and the impact on small businesses."
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton says nothing had been signed yet and that Europe would not agree to anything that jeopardises public policy.
"The EU have been very alert to examples where such agreements in other places have not worked well," he said. "Europe will not agree to any system that doesn't offer adequate protection to public policy.
"To be fair, the US isn’t looking to undermine public policy either - in its country or in Europe."
