In an article published on November 9, 2015 the non-profit organization International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) reports that the European Commission (EC) made public its proposal for a chapter on trade and sustainable development as part of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the U.S. and the EU. The proposal expresses “ambitions and mutual respect for each party’s framework,” ChemSec writes, but “the possibilities for interpretation are wide open.” ChemSec welcomes EC’s move towards more transparency in TTIP. However, EC’s proposal fails to address the different levels of environmental, labor and consumer protection in the U.S. and the EU. “It will be impossible to uphold the same level of protection in the EU if reduction of trade barriers will be prioritized over a progressive chemicals regulation such as REACH,” ChemSec states.
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ChemSec (November 9, 2015). “ChemSec’s comments to the first public part of TTIP.”
EC (November 6, 2015). “EU to pursue the most ambitious sustainable development, labor and environment provisions in TTIP.”
Corporate Europe Observatory (October 12, 2015). “Free trade deals set to ravage Europe’s public services.”
