Germans Want Germans to Negotiate Trade Deals
Finally, TTIP is being negotiated at a time of rising anti-EU sentiment across Europe, including in Germany. A growing number of people are questioning some of the founding principles of the European Union (see the 2013 Pew Research Center report on the topic), including the right of the European Commission to negotiate all trade agreements for EU member states.
Asked whether the European Union should negotiate international trade agreements on behalf of Germany or should the German government negotiate trade accords for Germany, by more than two-to-one (65% to 28%) Germans say Berlin not Brussels should be the negotiator. Support for this reassertion of the nation state’s role in international commercial agreements is particularly strong (73%) among members of the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union and the Free Democratic Parties. Backing for returning this authority to Berlin is strong, but somewhat less so (60%), among members of the Social Democratic Party.
Germans Want Germans  | to Negotiate Trade Deals  | should negotiate  | % agree  | internationaltrade agreements.for negotiate  | Germany  | EU  | 28%  | German gov't  | 65%  | 7%  | Don't  | know  | Source: Pew Research Center- Bertelsmann  | Foundation survey. Q10.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 