Trade minister going to the US to discuss free trade agreement

A further four rounds of free trade talks will take place during the remainder of 2014

Apr 9, 2014

The trade and development minister, Mogens Jensen, will be heading off to Washington with a group of key EU players to discuss the potential free trade agreement between the EU and the US.

Jensen will be in the US from April 9-13 to negotiate the specifications of a prospective agreement that is expected to generate thousands of new jobs and ensure lower consumer prices.

“We need to trade our way out of the crisis,” Jensen said in a press release. “A free trade agreement with the US will be an important lever for the European economies at a time where there is a great need for creating growth and jobs.”

Must be wary
Jensen contended that an agreement would contribute to Danish companies – such as within pharmaceuticals, transport and industry – being able to employ more people in the reasonably near future, and that it would mean that a typical Danish family could have 4,000 kroner more in income annually.

But Jensen underlined that an agreement mustn’t translate into a weakening of the health sectors, food products and high environmental standards found in Europe.

The free trade negotiations between the US and the EU initially started last summer, and four rounds of negotiations have taken place since then. It is expected that a further four rounds will take place during the remainder of 2014.

As part of the negotiations, Jensen is scheduled to meet with, among others, Michael Froman, the US Trade Representative’s lead negotiator, and David Nunes, the head of the trade committee at the House of Representatives.