TTIP Negotiators to Engage Interested Stakeholders on July 15

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a US-advocated pact, seeks to create the world's largest free trade zone. However, there are concerns that TTIP will take trade controls away from local governments and give them to international corporations.

The July 15’s event in Brussels is aimed at facilitating engagement with the relevant negotiators, including non-governmental organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders from either the European Union or the United States.

Stakeholders will be briefed in detail by the EU and US chief negotiators on the status of the talks and will have the opportunity to exchange views and concerns with them.

Earlier on July 5, some 500 European companies working in various fields – from environmental protection and public health to consumer rights – urged EU lawmakers in an open letter to stop the TTIP negotiations.

The appeal was signed by more than 2.3 million people that feared the trade pact would endanger democracy and the rule of law due to the clause that allows corporations to sue governments.