The impact of the impending EU-US trade agreement on business in the West of England will be discussed next week by a high-powered expert panel in Bristol.
The breakfast event, hosted by accountancy firm Grant Thornton, will look at the ground-breaking Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which aims to remove trade barriers between Europe and the United States and to make it easier for businesses to invest in each other’s economy. 
Taking part will be first secretary trade at the US Embassy Jim Neel; Ron Yip, senior policy adviser at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills; Richard Currie, director of public affairs at UPS, and Tom Sallis, senior policy adviser at the CBI’s Brussels office.
The event is organised by the CBI in partnership with British American Business and will be staged on Wednesday, November 12, at Grant Thornton’s offices at Hartwell House, 55-61 Victoria Street, Bristol, from 8.30-10.30am.
Grant Thornton South West practice leader Tim Lincoln, pictured, said: “This event is designed to raise awareness and take the mystery out of TTIP, and to examine the local, specific and tangible trade benefits that a successful US-EU agreement can deliver for businesses in the South West.” 
While TTIP could have a massive impact on the British and European economies, there has been little public discussion about it. Supporters say it will lead to major new opportunities for European and US companies although critics claim negotiations so far have been conducted in secret and that the real impact will be higher unemployment across Europe, increased privatisation – particularly in the NHS – and a watering down of tough EU legislation in areas such as food safety.
To register please email Emanuel Adam of British American Business at eadam@babinc.org
