The negotiations for an investment treaty between China and the European Union are being hampered because China wants so many sectors to be exempt from the treaty, sources told the South China Morning Post. One source said the EU was unsatisfied with China’s offer of market access because of the number of opt-outs it was seeking as well as the other restrictions it wanted to place on European investors. Another source said the EU was disappointed at the slow pace that the financial services sector was being opened. Brussels is also worried about the possibility of more setbacks to the reform process. Beijing and Brussels started talks on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment in January 2014. The two sides will hold the 16th round of talks next month. The European Chamber of Commerce in China wants a simplified regulatory environment, freedom to enter into new business areas or product segments and fewer barriers to acquisitions in China.
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