This briefing, analysing the leaked chapter on ‘regulatory cooperation’ (02 May 2016) in the EU-US trade negotiations (TTIP) confirms fears that TTIP will lead to attacks on democracy and regulation in the public interest.
It disproves claims by the European Commission that standards will not be lowered by the trade agreement. All approaches proposed by both the EU and the US – mutual recognition, harmonization or simplification of regulations – combined with mechanisms that result in a frightening institutionalization of business lobbying – will lead to weakening,scrapping or delaying of social and environmental standards.
Ever since the first leak of an EU position paper on regulatory cooperation in December 2013, it has been clear that the brunt of the “regulatory convergence” agenda within TTIP would be carried out in the longer term via a mechanism called “regulatory cooperation”, that is also part of the CETA agreement between the EU and Canada.
According to the briefing, the EU proposals show an inclination towards giving the US and corporate lobby groups a significant role at the earliest stage of legislation while undermining parliaments’ and member states’ role in regulatory process.
While parts of the leaked text carry nothing new, as the EU contribution is one-year old, it is the first time, the actual US positions have been seen by the public.
