Ares(2015)2652754
36.
Ref. Ares(2017)1114743 - 02/03/2017
Subject:
B1 participation in meeting of the German Rectors Conference on TTIP
From: [Art. 4.1(b)]
(TRADE)
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 4:04 PM
To: SCHLEGELMILCH Rupert (TRADE);
[Art. 4.1(b)]
[Art. 4.1(b)]
(TRADE); TRADE TTIP EVENTS
Subject: B1 participation in meeting of the German Rectors' Conference on TTIP
[Art. 4.1(b)] and the undersigned participated in yesterday's meeting of the German Rectors'
Conference (HRK) on TTIP. The HRK is the voluntary association of state and state-recognized universities
in Germany. MEP Daniel Caspary, [Art. 4.1(b)] , Rapporteur of the German Federal Assembly
[Art.
(Bundesrat) for cultural and education services in the TPC and
gave short introductory speeches
4.1(b)]
followed by a discussion. MEP Caspary strongly supported TTIP as a means to shape globalisation and
applauded recent COM efforts to increase transparency. He explained that excluding education from the
scope of TTIP would deprive us from the possibility to talk to the US about our offensive interests on
education such as the promotion of the German dual vocational training system ("Duale
Berufsausbildung") or Spanish language courses.
w
[Art. 4.1(b)] as very critical on education and TTIP. He
considered free trade as opposed to and contradicting the German social market economy. Furthermore,
he feared that TTIP could damage the quality of education. Of his particular concern was the use of a
negative list approach. [Art. underlined that Germany was the best example to prove that social
4.1(b)]
market economy and free trade would go hand in hand. He explained that and why the choice of a
negative or positive approach was a mere technicality (supported by Caspary) and clarified the scope of
market access and national treatment obligations. However, the general opinion in the HRK remained
very sceptical to TTIP. Those rectors participating in the discussion feared that on the basis of TTIP
Netflix would be able to force Germany to abolish the public broadcasting and that German universities
could be forced to recognise credits earned at private American universities independent of the quality
of their education. Caspary encouraged HRK to come up with clear and specific evidence why TTIP would
create problems which other agreements in the last 20 years have not created.
__________________
[Art. 4.1(b)]