The joint reaction was triggered by the recent statement of the European Commission regarding “Regulatory cooperation” chapter of the trade agreement [2">. The European Commission proposes a system that would only lead to additional obstacles to the development of public interest standards, as they will be accepted only if they do not affect “trade and investment”. This mechanism provides unprecedented opportunities for business lobbies to interfere – they will be able to stop any new regulations which could affect trade and investment. The proposal clearly prioritizes business over public interest. This procedure will give enormous power to small groups of employees, not elected by anyone, to stop or invalidate regulations and standards.
Ivaylo Popov from “Za Zemiata” commented: “Regulatory cooperation is part of the gradual but persistent attack on the precautionary principle applied in Europe. It is part of the gradual opening of the doors to GMO, shale gas, growth hormones in meat, nanomaterials and other materials damaging the endocrine system.”
Organizations criticized the EC for insisting on greater ‘compatibility’ between the laws on both sides of the Atlantic and ‘regulatory environment that promotes competition.’ According to them, the compatibility will lead to ‘degrading harmonisation’, as shown by the report of the European Parliament published in July 2014. [3">
Vanya Grigorova from “Solidarna Bulgaria” added:
“Days after the European Commission had announced that all documents on the TTIP negotiations were available on its website, a new document was leaked. This is further evidence that the Commission have published only PR brochures and continues to hide important issues included in the discussions.
In the beginning, the European Union’s priority was solidarity. The mechanism of regulatory cooperation, where the main legislation criterion will be trade sanctity, proves that the EC now considers business a core value.”
Notes:
[1"> “TTIP: Regulatory cooperation is a tool for blocking or weakening of public standards that favour citizens, workers, consumers and the environment”
[2"> http://corporateeurope.org/international-trade/2014/12/ttip-covert-attacks-democracy-and-regulation
[3"> http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2014/514007/AGRI_IPOL_STU
Regulatory cooperation in trade agreement between EU and US will lower standards
