The International Trade Committee approved a resolution that calls on the Council to authorize the start of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks with the US in June. MEPs highlighted that the negotiating mandate should include public procurement and financial services, but exclude culture.

The International Trade Committee at the European Parliament adopted a resolution that asks to the EU Council of Ministers to authorize the start of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks with the US in June. MEPs underlined that a transatlantic deal would have to offer new opportunities to EU firms, for example by ensuring full access to public procurement markets and removing restrictions on EU service suppliers (e.g. on foreign ownership of US airlines). In February 2013, The United States and the European Union agreed to launch negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

MEPs also call on the US to lift its EU beef import ban, as a trust-building measure. They also underlined that US-EU differences over GMOs, cloning and consumer health must not undermine the EU precautionary principle.

An amendment calling for cultural and audiovisual services, including on-line ones, to be excluded from the negotiating mandate was also added to the resolution. Furthermore, the text calls for strong protection in clearly defined areas of intellectual property rights, including geographical indications and a high level of protection of personal data.