FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany’s finance minister has called for fresh talks over a free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, a newspaper reported on Sunday, aiming to revive discussions halted by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump ended negotiations over the so-called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and instead waged a number of trade disputes with the EU.
“We should resume negotiations on a transatlantic free trade agreement. Especially now in the (Ukraine) crisis, it is becoming clear how important free trade is with partners around the world who share our values,” Christian Lindner, the finance minister of Europe’s largest economy, told Handelsblatt.
It is unclear to what extent there is support for such talks in Europe. In recent years, some officials have spoken in favour of a resumption, while others have been more cautious.
Germany’s finance ministry and the U.S. embassy in Berlin didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by David Clarke and Mark Potter)
