In an interview with Sud-Ouest, Matthias Fekl threatened to “call a complete halt” to the TTIP negotiations if things do not change. EURACTIV France reports.

Fekl told the French newspaper that he believes the “total lack of transparency” in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations poses a “democratic problem”.

The Minister of State for Foreign Trade called on the United States to show “reciprocity” in the negotiations. “American members of parliament have access to a much higher number of documents than we do in Europe,” he said.

Nothing in return

“Europe has offered many compromises, in all areas, and has received no serious offers from the Americans in return. Neither for access to their public markets, nor for access to their agricultural and food markets, which remain closed,” he added.

These are highly sensitive issues for France, which is keen to protect its geographical indications in the trade negotiations.

Arbitration by private tribunals (ISDS) is another unresolved bone of contention. In this regard, “France has made far-reaching proposals which have been taken up by the European Commission,” the secretary of state said.

>>Read: Matthias Fekl: ‘The EU should have its own arbitration court’

Opened in July 2013, the free trade negotiations between the United States and the European Union have stumbled on several issues, including transparency and dispute settlement.

Reservations

France and Germany have both expressed reservations about the way in which the negotiations have been conducted on several occasions.

>>Read: France and Germany to form united front against ISDS

Faced with increasing concern over the direction of the negotiations, Matthias Fekl announced that France would be prepared to abandon the whole process if it does not receive the concessions it wants. “If nothing changes, that will show that there is no willingness to ensure a mutually beneficial negotiation process,” he explained.

“France is examining all its options, including abandoning the negotiations all together,” Matthias Fekl said. This option may strike a chord with some other member states, as the European Commission has taken responsibility for the negotiations upon itself, leaving the 28 countries on the side-lines.