We know that anger swell in Europe against TTIP. Let’s see a few issues that are being questioned by the larger public and the answers provided by the two entities negotiating this transatlantic partnership.
Food safety and animal and plant health is one of the Europeans’ major concerns regarding TTIP. Negotiators want to “cut the time it takes the US to approve food imports from the EU”, “help EU and US regulators work more closely together in future on issues like animal welfare” and “uphold the EU’s strict food safety standards.” This is the subject of at least 3 sensitive and sometimes controversial issues, namely: food safety, GMOs and animal welfare.
"Stop TTIP" protests in Barcelona, Spain, 18 April 2015
A lot of people think that TTIP will lower food safety rules in the EU, considering (and probably rightfully so) that these are higher than those in the US. They think that TTIP will start a race that has the bottom for finish line. To this, the EU’s response is that “it’s not true that EU rules are always stricter. Both the US and the EU have made it equally clear that TTIP would not change existing food safety rules. The EU will keep its restrictions on hormones or growth promoters in livestock farming just as the US will keep its rules on microbial contaminants.”
They also think the TTIP will force the EU to allow the growing of genetically modified plants. But the EU’s response towards GMOs is: “Growing genetically modified organisms is subject to an authorisation process in line with EU law. TTIP will not change this law. EU countries must also agree to any growing of GM plants. This will not change through TTIP.”
We all love our cows, chickens, pigs, goats and other farming animals. That’s why some people are afraid that TTIP will force the EU member States to adopt lower animal welfare standards. But in this instance, “TTIP will not affect EU animal welfare laws,” EU officials say. “The EU wants to set up a formal dialogue on animal welfare with US government regulators. We aim to do this in all our bilateral trade agreements so as to promote the highest standards of animal welfare possible.”
According to Frances G. Burwell, vice president of the Atlantic Council—a think tank in the field of international affairs, founded in 1961, with its headquarters in Washington, D.C.—most of the fears raised by protesters are based on misunderstandings. “There is a perception that TTIP is only for big corporations,” she says. “But the Unilevers and Shells of this world have the lawyers to deal with bureaucracy. It is rather the smaller and medium-sized ones who really need the removal of the rules, and need a simplified regulatory structure.”
It was clear in April 2015 that negotiations would stretch into 2016, in spite of the American elections. But the real test will come when the ratification process begins in European and American legislatures. European anger against TTIP could dilute it or derail it completely. Using the words of Leo Cendrowicz, from The Daily Beast, “If that happens, TTIP’s many opponents would celebrate. Whether their interests would be served by the trade pact’s demise is another matter.”
We shall see.
Sources:
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/do... Food Safety Fact Sheet
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-t... Trade Deal to Stretch Into 2016
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl... Europeans fight US trade deal
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, What’s in it for us? (Part 2/2)
23 janv. 2016 15:52
In the first part of this entry, we saw that TTIP was a trade agreement being drafted and negotiated between the European Union and the United States of America. We saw how negotiations were implemented and how they were being processed. We also focused on what the main targets of TTIP were.