The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US is a primary focus for the European Commission in 2015. Representing an industry with 80% SMEs, Cerame-Unie follows with great attention the publication of EU negotiating texts and their summaries especially on SMEs and technical barriers to trade. Since early 2015 several publications and an event have highlighted the potential benefits of TTIP for SME-driven sectors like ceramics.

publications

• The BusinessEurope report and brochure TTIP: What’s in for SMEs which gives concrete examples of how TTIP can benefit SMEs.
• The Chief Economist paper SMEs are more important than you think was presented at the Market Access Advisory Committee on 24 February. DG Trade also presented the available EU services for SME internationalisation.

Event

• A BusinessEurope breakfast debate on 22 January 2015 on the topic TTIP: is it good for SMEs? was organised in the European Parliament hosted by MEP Bernd Lange. At the event the Vice-President of Elios Ceramica, a ceramic tile company and SME employing 90 people, called for a removal of the high tariffs of up to 10% for ceramic tiles as well peak tariffs up to 28% for tableware and the various behind the border obstacles that EU companies, particularly SMEs, face when exporting to the US.