Launch event of Farm Europe’s working group on trade issues. 

15h00-16h00

Discussion with Mr. Jean Luc DEMARTY, Director General of DG TRADE (EU Commission) on the on going negotiations – opportunities and challenges for EU agriculture and food sector.

16h15 – 18h00

Focus on TTIP with Mr. Jim GRUEFF, managing partner at Decision Leaders, former lead negotiator of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Mr. Joao PACHECO.

TTIP’s expected level of ambition has surpassed anything achieved so far, setting the pace for further trade deals and hopefully prodding other countries to move forward with stalled WTO negotiations. TTIP’s impact on the agriculture and food sector could be large, larger than any other free trade deal negotiated so far, and larger than what was expected out of the WTO Doha round (with the exception of domestic subsidies).