Houben Hiddo

Hiddo Houben is Head of Unit of the USA and Canada in DG Trade and deputy Chief Negotiator for the TTIP. He heads the Unit responsible for relations with the US and Canada in DG Trade. Mr Houben joined the European Commission in 1989 and his work has focused on efforts to address the challenges of European integration, globalisation, and international trade negotiations. He participated in the global trade negotiations of the Uruguay Round, which notably created the World Trade Organisation in 1995. After this experience, he was part of the EU teams negotiating China and then Russia’s terms of entry to the WTO. In 2004 Mr Houben joined European Commissioner Peter Mandelson’s cabinet and later he was part of Baroness Ashton’s Office. During this period he was also involved in the EU’s legislative work to restore financial markets and to address Europe’s energy challenge. In 2009, Mr Houben was posted in the EU embassy in Washington DC, where he was Head of the economic office.