"After last week's leaking of documents, discussions on TTIP have once again hit the headlines. Citizens have the right to information so they can be able to express their opinion. Along with media, Members of the European Parliament who ultimately decide about the TTIP, have a special responsibility in this proces, but every kind of populism may hurt our negotiating position", said Picula. European negotiators have to firmly defend standards of the European Union, and MEPs have to constructively provide support while they are negotiating.
MEP Picula emphasized that the European negotiating position has to worry about "well-being of citizens and ensure the protection of our standards, particularly regarding the regulatory co-operation, social and labor rights and food security."
"Access to sources of financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, removal of the existing administrative barriers for export, rules of precaution to the GMO, abolition of visas for our citizens including the EU quality schemes, are priorities for Croatia in the context of negotiations", said Picula and concluded that TTIP will get his support only if it protects European standards and Croatian priorities.
Political pressure on the USA in order to guarantee a visa-free regime for all EU Member States without discrimination and maintaining food safety standards, were among the seven amendments that MEP Picula filed on the report on TTIP, which entered the final Resolution of the European Parliament. Picula also talked about it on a meeting with US Trade Representative Michael Froman and numerous meetings he had in the US Congress and the State Department.
In his speeches as well as the communication with the Commission, MEP Picula regularly stresses that the freedom of movement, along with food safety and safety of environment comes first. In the context of the TTIP negotiations, Picula requested that the contract includes an open lists of products protected by GI certificate. As a country with 10 protected products on the EU level and 5 currently waiting to be protected, it is a kind of insurance that our products that have the right to protection, will be included in the TTIP.
You can listen the whole speech at the link.
