An internal Commission document evaluating the TTIP negotiations shows that the huge trade and investment deal is not even half done. Although it is said that the Commission does what it can and sent all of its sector-specific position papers to the US, American position for not even half of the chapters were received. And in some cases, although position papers were exchanged, no negotiations have taken place. European leaders and businesses push for the conclusion of TTIP as soon as possible. The original deadline was this year, which is sure not to be met. The new deadline seems to be the end of Obama presidency. New president and new Congress could make the progress made until then obsolete. Although many criticise the Commission for lack of progress, the leaked document shows frustration with the Americans and their unwillingness to speed the talks. The next round of talks will take place in mid-October in the US and Commissioner Malmstroem will surely seek to provide new impetus for the negotiations, especially now that the EU finally has a plausible solution for the controversial ISDS mechanism. But it seems progress is expected mainly from the US, which is currently focused on concluding its Trans-Pacific Partnership deal.

For more, click here. Also, view videos from debates held at Cato Institute (October 2015). The 11th round of talks on TTIP starts on 19 October 2015.