Now US Wants Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement With European Union To Include Turkey: Who's Next?

from the interesting-geography dept

Tue, Mar 19th 2013 12:08am — Glyn Moody

Last week we wrote about the important news that Mexico is asking to join what began as a bilateral trade agreement between the US and Europe, with the suggestion that Canada might follow suit. Now, via @FFII, we learn that even before Mexico's announcement, the US has been encouraging other countries to join:

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday US Secretary of State John Kerry wanted Turkey to be included in Transatlantic Free-Trade Area (TAFTA).

Davutoglu said they would follow closely the process of Turkey's inclusion in TAFTA.

As with Mexico's application, it would seem that the European Union doesn't get any choice in the matter. But what's really interesting here is that it confirms the impression that the US is keen to build out TAFTA to include many more countries, including some far from the Atlantic that originally defined it. The big question is now: who's next on the list?

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Filed Under: eu, free trade agreement, tafta, transatlantic, turkey, us

28 Comments

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athe, 19 Mar 2013 @ 12:41am

Who's next?
Siberia?
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 1:01am

Re: Who's next?
Nah, it'll be Greenland and Morocco.
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Turkey, 19 Mar 2013 @ 1:10am

Turkey has a customs union with the EU
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union%E2%80%93Turkey_Customs_Union

If you have to rant, at least don't be ignorant.

If Turkey does not get involved with the negotiations now, it will face a fait accompli once they are completed, as it is already integrated with European Customs Area. So it is natural for it to be a party in any trade agreements EU is involved with.
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Zakida Paul (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 1:51am

Is there no end to the US bully boy tactics?

They should just fuck off and leave the rest of the world to manage their own affairs.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 2:06am

Re:
There is an end, but the means may not justify it.
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avideogameplayer, 19 Mar 2013 @ 2:23am

Why the hell are all the treaties begin worked on to begin with? Isn't there enough treaties around without more screwing things up more?
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 3:04am

Re: Turkey has a customs union with the EU
Switzerland? Norway? Iceland? The microstates? Sure it is EEA and EFTA, but it is even more of an association than Turkeys...

Heck go mad and include The Council Of Europe with Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Aszerbadjan etc. basically the old USSR and old yugoslavian countries...

Somewhere you have to draw the line and including Turkey should make it a no-brainer to include EEA and EFTA. Getting crowded? Absolutely!
There has to be a line drawn somewhere and that line is usually EU + Switzerland. Including Turkey seems more of a "Turkey is our allies"-thing than based on customs. ACTA was almost 50 % about customs and Turkey was not a party there, so the argument seems weak!
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:02am

Does it have any dangerous copyright clauses in it, that were transferred from ACTA or TPP?
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Zem, 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:02am

A great example
So next time someone finds such a hole should they

A) Do the same thing, goto jail and be broke for the rest of their life

B) Sell the information to someone who realy is a criminal

C) Do nothing

Pretty sure A is not an option.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:05am

a) what has Turkey got that is so important that the USA wants it? has to be something. no way the USA does anything unless it is to it's own advantage
b) how long before the EU actually grows some balls and tells the USA 'hang on a minute, who gave you sole rights to invite countries on board? we have a say in this as well!!'
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Ninja (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:16am

I'm amused. Why would any country agree to participate in any agreement without being allowed to say a word in it?
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That Anonymous Coward (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:50am

Re:
to keep the bad men from invading, looking for terrorists?
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Michael, 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:51am

Re:
If you live next to the Mafia head and he walks (well, sends someone) over to your front door and asks if you want to sign onto his agreement but you cannot have any part in drafting the agreement, what is your response?
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gorehound (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 4:54am

Re:
I agree ! I hate my Government.Bunch of A-Hole Corrupt Politicians thinking they can just Bully the World into our BS Copyright, ETC.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 5:19am

Turkey is a European country. It is not yet a memmber of the EU, but is a European country. So that should not be surprising.
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NOT APPLICABLE, 19 Mar 2013 @ 5:32am

Re:
America should just curl up and fucking die.
(I do not mean it's citizens.)
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Richard (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 7:20am

Turkey?

Now US Wants Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement With European Union To Include Turkey:

Does this mean they don't know the difference between a trade agreement and a thanksgiving celebration?
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Pixelation, 19 Mar 2013 @ 7:45am

Hey, why not SHAFTA Turkey too?
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RyanNerd (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 8:27am

Re:
When has the US ever done this? They stumble from one war into another war like a drunken giant.

The war on...

Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, Cyberthreats, Terror, Drugs, (fill in the blank).

Sad thing is. I'm American.

I wish the US would concentrate on its own problems (trillions of dollars in debt and out of control government spending) instead of wasting time playing cops and robbers with the world.
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RyanNerd (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 8:40am

Re: A great example
I think you posted about the wrong article.
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tomxp411 (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 8:43am

Bad idea...
am I the only one who sees NAFTA as a disaster and thinks that free trade agreements benefit poorer nations a lot more than the richer ones?

I don't think that free trade is our problem right now.
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Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 19 Mar 2013 @ 11:16am

Re: Re: Who's next?
Luxembourg is next to go;
and who knows? Maybe Monaco.
We'll try to stay serene and calm...
When Alabama gets the bomb!
Who's next, who's next, who's next...
Who's Next?
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bikey, 20 Mar 2013 @ 7:27am

Lots of dumb comments here. Turkey borders on the EU (many members of which are 'far from the Atlantic') and has since 1995 been in a Customs Union with the EU. While I am not in favor of this agreement (it seems to fulfill part of the EU's death wish, but that's their business) to imply that the inclusion of Turkey is beyond the pale is crazy.
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go Turkey, 21 Mar 2013 @ 4:12am

Re: Re: Turkey has a customs union with the EU
The line should go to where trade links go. Do not forget that Turkey is in the EU accession process apart from its Customs Union link. It already deserves to be treated fairly.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2013 @ 6:08am

Re: Re: Who's next?
Greenlands already a province of Denmark, they are automatically in.
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Niall (profile), 16 Apr 2013 @ 1:46am

Re: Re: Who's next?
Well, they both border the Atlantic, at least! That's one-up on Turkey...
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Niall (profile), 16 Apr 2013 @ 1:55am

Re: Re: Re: Who's next?
Possibly, they have a pretty unique status in the EU since 1985 so it might be complicated.
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kunle olaniyan, 26 Jul 2013 @ 3:58pm

free trade agreement
What is the benefit to Eu and us if implemenet
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