Earlier this month, Shaun Donnelly, USCIB’s vice president for investment and financial services, visited France and the Netherlands on a U.S. government speaking tour, explaining the views and priorities of the American business community on the ongoing U.S.-EU negotiations of a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
A former U.S. ambassador and USTR trade negotiator, Donnelly has a long and deep background in transatlantic trade matters. “On this trip, I was able to convey USCIB and BCTT positions on the importance of achieving a TTIP agreement that is ambitious, comprehensive and high-standard,” he said. “We oppose sectoral or chapter carve-outs.”
Donnelly delivered several speeches, and took part in various seminars and interviews with local business groups, American chambers of commerce, media representatives, universities and think tanks. As the co-chair of two working groups (Investment and Competition Policy) in the broad Washington-based Business Coalition for Transatlantic Trade (BCTT), he is one of several USCIB staff members playing leadership roles in the BCTT effort. USCIB Senior Vice President Rob Mulligan represents USCIB on the BCTT Steering Committee.
Donnelly particularly emphasized the importance of strong investment provisions (including investor-state dispute settlement) as well as protecting intellectual property rights, ensuring cross-border data flows, and reducing regulatory and product-standard barriers in both directions.
As he did during a similar TTIP-focused visit to Denmark last October, Donnelly sought to strengthen coordination on TTIP with key European business groups. And lucky for him, he avoided all the terrible weather afflicting so much of the United States!
Staff contact: Shaun Donnelly
