Posted May 29, 2014

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) made a formal stakeholder presentation at the 5th negotiating round of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in Arlington, Va, on May 21.

 

The presentation highlighted key U.S. textile industry positions, including the need for a yarn-forward rule of origin, and the preservation of U.S. government procurement regulations such as the Berry Amendment.

 

Earlier in the week, NCTO staff met with EU counterpart, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX). EURATEX is the voice of the European textile and apparel sector, employing 1.6 million people. The discussions reviewed the two groups’ overall goals in regard to TTIP along with whether there is the potential to reach a joint U.S./EU textile industry position on specific TTIP issues. 

 

“The effort to establish a comprehensive free trade agreement between the United States and the European Union marks the first time U.S. manufacturers and exporters may be able to enjoy FTA access to an overseas market that rivals our own,” said Augustine Tantillo, NCTO President and CEO. “We look forward to a productive and collaborative relationship with EURATEX and other European industry groups in hopes of reaching mutually beneficial positions under the TTIP.”  

 

TTIP is an effort to establish a free trade bloc between the United States and the 28 member nations of the European Union. The TTIP negotiations present a unique set of opportunities and challenges for the U.S. textile industry. While the U.S. and EU textile and apparel markets may be similar in market size and cost structure, the U.S. trade deficit with the EU in those products totaled almost $3 billion in 2013. 

 

Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations