b'Furthermore, the Commission hasreprinted most of Mr de Guchts answer, already established a trade dialoguewhile clarifying that A sustainability impact with Turkey, and Turkey will be informedassessment looking at specific effects of the of Transatlantic Trade and InvestmentTTIP on Turkey is currently being carried out. Partnership (TTIP) developments. ThisPublication of an interim technical report by trade dialogue is complementary to theindependent researchers is expected in mid- formal meetings that take place within the2015.institutional bodies set up under the EU- Turkey Customs Union Agreement.In March 2015, a Senior Officials Working Group (SOWG) issued a report containing After the trade dispute between the EU andseveral recommendations for improving USA ended and President Donald Trump re- the EU-Turkey Customs Union. The group opened the door for negotiations, TTIP traderecommended that the Customs Union talks were again underway.65 They are carriedbe extended to cover services, public out by Commission and US officials.procurement, and agricultural products not However, Turkey will be able to inform thealready covered by the arrangement. It also Commission on its offensive and defensiverecommended that the Customs Union be interests, as part of the established tradeupgraded to reinforce its efficiency, including dialogue. Such information will be consideredbut not limited to the creation of a dispute- to the extent possible. An independentsettlement mechanism. Both sides aimed to study released in March 2013 concludedpursue new trade negotiations in line with that liberalising trade between the EU andthese recommendations upon the adoption the USA would have a positive impact onof the report by the Turkish Authorities. worldwide trade and income.66 If the EU and the USA were to succeed in loweringIn addition, it should be noted that Turkey respective tariffs and reducing regulatoryhas its own FTAs with Bosnia-Herzegovina, divergence, some of the reductions achievedMacedonia, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia in the cost of doing trade will also benefitand EFTA.other partners. Furthermore, a sustainable impact assessment will soon be carried out by independent researchers, with a particular reference to the impact on Turkey.67 The author tabled similar questions to the EU Trade Commissioner, Ms Cecilia Malmstrm, on 17 December 2014. On the representation of Customs Union countries during EU trade negotiations, on 12 February 2015 the new Trade Commissioner referred the author to the answer to the previous question set out above.In response to a question on Turkeys specific representation in the TTIP negotiations, the author tabled a separate series of questions to Ms Malmstrmagain, similar to the Turkey-TTIP questions he previously submitted to Mr de Gucht. Ms Malmstrms answer, delivered on 18 February 2015, 90'