German economy minister says EU-US trade talks have failed

BERLIN -- Free-trade talks between the European Union and the United States have failed, Germany's economy minister said Sunday, citing a lack of progress on any of the major sections of the long-running negotiations.

Washington and Brussels have pushed for a deal by the end of the year, despite misgivings among some EU member states over the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP.

Sigmar Gabriel, who also is Germany's vice chancellor, compared the TTIP negotiations unfavorably with a free-trade deal forged between the 28-nation EU and Canada, which he said was fairer for both sides.

"In my opinion, the negotiations with the United States have de facto failed, even though nobody is really admitting it," Gabriel said during a question-and-answer session with citizens in Berlin.

He said in 14 rounds of talks, the two sides haven't agreed on a single common item out of 27 chapters being discussed.

Gabriel accused Washington of being "angry" about the deal the EU struck with Canada, known as CETA, because it contains elements the U.S. doesn't want to see in the TTIP.

"We mustn't submit to the American proposals," said Gabriel, who also is the head of Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party.

Gabriel's ministry isn't directly involved in the negotiations with Washington because trade agreements are negotiated at the EU level. But such a damning verdict from a leading official in Europe's biggest economy is likely to make further talks between the EU executive and the Obama administration harder.

Gabriel's comments contrast with those of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said last month TTIP was "absolutely in Europe's interest."

Popular opposition to a free-trade agreement with the United States is strong in Germany. Campaigners have called for nationwide protests against the talks Sept. 17 -- about a year before Germany's next general election.