Luncheon-debate with Ignacio García Bercero, Director at the DG for Trade of the European Commission

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Last Wednesday, 16 September, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized a luncheon-debate with Ignacio García Bercero, Director at the DG for Trade of the European Commission, about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and its implications to Spain.

The event, sponsored by Repsol, was attended by representatives of European Institutions , lobbyists, members of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and corporate executives, among other participants.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons, welcomed the attendees and presented the speaker to the audience, going over his trajectory and highlighting his relevant professional experience.IMG_8636

García Bercero presented the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership pointing out that it is “the most ambitious” agreement within the European Union. It is, in fact, a “winning proposal for the EU and the US” that will establish the rules and principles that will regulate the commercial and investment relations between both sides of the Atlantic.

After two years of conversation, and supported by the majority of the European Parliament, the agreement is still in the “hard negotiation” phase, but will hopefully be concluded before the next presidential elections of the United States.

The TTIP broaches traditional subjects such as custom duties, service trade restrictions or public procurement, but goes further, dealing with delicate and sensitive subjects for both sides, such as investment and energy. Consequently, the final partnership has to be “balanced, competitive and ambitious above all”.

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In the second part of his intervention, the speaker focused on the benefits that the agreement would bring to the Kingdom of Spain, explaining that big companies but also SMEs would profit from it.

Following the presentation, attendees had the opportunity to ask Ignacio García Bercero questions. They raised their doubts about Intellectual Property, dataflow and CETA to which the Director of the DG for Trade provided detailed replies.

The event ended with the delivery of a gift to García Bercero by the Chamber and by Repsol, as an expression of gratitude for his collaboration with the institution. The wine served during the event was sponsored by Pernod Ricard.

 

 

 

 

 

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Breakfast-debate with Cristina Lobillo, Head of Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy

On 15 September 2015, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized a breakfast-debate with Cristina Lobillo Borrero, Head of Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, who spoke about “COP 21 and the Energy Union”.

The event started with the intervention of Pablo López Álvarez, Vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, who thanked the speaker for her participation and exposed her large background and experience in the fields of climate and energy.

Cristina Lobillo started her intervention by highlighting the importance of the speech pronounced a week ago by Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Commission, where he explained the important value of the conference that will take place at the end of the year: COP 21.

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The speaker supported the President´s message, and explained that COP 21 is only the beginning of a long way that pretends to put to an end, gradually but constantly, the emissions, not only in the EU but worldwide.

The conference, that would replace the Protocol of Kyoto, proofs the desire and international commitment to achieve an agreement in the energetic field. Leaded by the European Union, the mentioned agreement would fight for the reduction of the emissions from now to 2030. Mrs Lobillo explained that it was an ambitious plan with renewable, dynamic and long term objectives.

At the end of the event, there was an open debate where participants had the chance to discuss about COP 21 and the European migrant crisis, as a consequence of the climate change.

The Chamber praises the success of the luncheon-debate and would like to thank the attendees for their collaboration.