The trade treaties seek to make trading between the parties easier in order to increase growth and create new jobs. This will be achieved by lowering customs duties and eliminating other obstacles related to customs (e.g. compulsory payment of fees related to customs duties, long customs procedures) and other obstacles.
With regard to the negotiations, Slovenia strives to ensure that the process is as transparent as possible and that the agreements are ratified by national parliaments in order to retain the possibility of decisions with regard to individual agreements being taken in individual member states.
When Slovenia joined the EU, its potential market expanded greatly. However, over-dependence on the European market is not optimal for Slovenian companies, as it makes them over-dependent on the situation in the market. Slovenia has always maintained a liberal position on this matter and has striven to make trade as free and open as possible, as this enables trade for everyone, not only the biggest companies, which have the resources to overcome the obstacles with which individual companies protect their markets. This policy is necessary, given the small size of the Slovenian economy.
The agreements will not affect consumer rights in the EU, as they primarily affect companies, particularly those cooperating with the parties to the contract, and indirectly those that trade with these countries (the USA and Canada) indirectly, e.g. in the form of subcontractors.
The content negotiated under TTIP and TiSA is still being modified, as the consolidated texts on most matters are in their first draft, and therefore, the negotiating positions are being continuously modified and redrafted. Slovenia’s representatives who are included in the negotiations via different working bodies seek to ensure the protection of human rights, maintain the level of protection of the health of humans, animals, plants and environment enjoyed in Slovenia and maintain standards in labour and consumer protection.
Negotiations on CETA between the EU and Canada officially concluded in September 2014, and the working text has been published on the website of the European Commission. After implementation, the agreement should result in a 22.9 per cent increase in bilateral trade in goods and services between the EU and Canada, which would translate into an increase in the EU's GDP of 11.6 billion euros annually.