Panel discussion of free trade agreement TTIP at Lorch

Never before has a free trade agreement caused as much dispute and controversy as the proposed "Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership" (TTIP) between the European Union and United States. The participants attending an event held on the premises of Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH and organised by Wirtschaftsjunioren (Young Business Professionals) Rems-Murr e.V. were given an opportunity to discuss the benefits, risks and effects of TTIP with a panel of highly distinguished experts.

Roughly 200 guests from the fields of business and politics accepted the invitation to attend the discussion meeting on TTIP set up by Wirtschaftsjunioren Rems-Murr e.V. and joined the panellists in a space that is normally reserved for logistics activities at Lorch and which was converted temporarily into an event location. The discussion panel included such highly esteemed panellists as:

  • CDU politician and Member of the German Bundestag Dr. Joachim Pfeiffer
  • FDP politician and Member of the European Parliament Michael Theurer
  • Member of the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg and representing Bündnis 90/Grüne Willi Halder
  • Chairwoman of the consumer advice centre in Baden-Württemberg Cornelia Tausch
  • Lawyer and member of the Commission for Arbitration and Mediation at the International Chamber of Commerce Jürgen Wöhler.

The discussion was hosted by Frank Nipkau, editor-in-chief at the Waiblingen newspaper publishing house.

As the evening progressed, it quickly became plain to see what a complex and multifaceted topic TTIP is and that there is a plethora of questions that have yet to be answered before a final agreement can be reached. While Dr. Joachim Pfeiffer (CDU) and Michael Theurer (FDP, MdEP) argued in favour of the free trade agreement as it "is crucial from an economic standpoint, especially for an export nation like Germany", consumer advocate Cornelia Tausch focused on the issues that may endanger "the enforcement of technical standards and regulations in the European Union." While generally approving of the trade agreement "provided the existing standards relating to the protection of the consumer and the environment remain in force", Willi Halder (Bündnis 90/Grüne) called attention to the lack of transparency found in the negotiation proceedings so far. Addressing this issue, lawyer Jürgen Wöhler expressed his belief that "restricting entitlements to sue or rights to claim for damages is absolutely essential" when it comes to the rights of businesses to lodge claims for damages against signatory nations.

Wolfgang Grüb, Managing Director of Lorch Schweißtechnik and host of the event, expressed his gratitude to the Young Business Professionals for organising the informative event and presented his own summary: "To us, TTIP is a topic of tremendous importance and of equally tremendous complexity, making it hard for each and every one of us to grasp every single detail. I do believe, however, that tonight's exchange of information made it possible for all of us to take home a good amount of new insights, realisations and assessments.“

The panel discussion kicked off a new format of events named Experten reden Klartext (Expert's in Layman's Terms), which was recently launched by Wirtschaftsjunioren Rems-Murr e.V. The Young Business Professionals rank among the largest associations of young executives and entrepreneurs in the world. Their activities are voluntary and concerned with economic and political topics for which they seek to offer a broad forum that allows anyone with out-of-the-box minds to present fresh opinions, ideas and solutions.

Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of arc welding equipment for use in metal crafting and industrial applications and of semi-automated solutions as well as automation solutions involving robots. For more than 50 years, Lorch's premium quality systems have been manufactured in Germany at one of the world's most cutting-edge manufacturing plants for welding equipment and exported to more than 60 countries. The welding equipment engineered by Lorch merges first-rate suitability for real-world applications with superior ease of use and outstanding efficiency, setting new technological standards in the marketplace.

In favour or opposed? Panel discussion on TTIP with illustrious experts at Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH.

TTIP is causing a stir: The discussion at Lorch on the free trade agreement was attended by approximately 200 guests.

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Press contact:

Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH
Clara Weyhenmeyer
T +49 7191 503-0
F +49 7191 503-199
Im Anwänder 24-26
71549 Auenwald

Germany

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