Germans sound TTIP death knell

Germany’s economy minister Sigmar Gabriel yesterday said that talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) — the free trade deal being negotiated by the US and the EU — has essentially “failed”.

“The negotiations with the USA have de facto failed because we Europeans did not want to subject ourselves to American demands,” he said.

“Things are not moving on that front,” said Mr Gabriel, who is also Germany’s vice chancellor.