Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress he has made on the recent round of discussions on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

The seventh round of negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) took place between 29 September and 3 October in Chevy Chase, Maryland. As expected, negotiations were largely focused on regulatory issues. Discussions also covered energy, intellectual property, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and services.

There was good technical progress, particularly on regulatory coherence, for example in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors. This progress is crucial and prepares the ground for an ambitious and comprehensive agreement.