Concerns rising over talks to liberalize EU-U.S. trade

PanARMENIAN.Net - There are rising concerns in Europe over negotiations to liberalize trade with the United States, BBC News reports.

The project, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, aims to remove a wide range of barriers to bilateral commerce.

Opponents are planning demonstrations and protests across Europe on Saturday, Oct 11, with large numbers of events in Germany, France, Spain and Italy, In Britain, events are planned in at least 15 cities and towns.

One campaigner involved in planning the day of action said she expected at least 400 local actions in about 24 European countries.

The EU and the .U.S launched the negotiations last year and the aim is to stimulate more trade and investment, and, in the process, to produce more economic growth and employment. It has proved to be extremely controversial, the BBC says.

One aim of the negotiations is to reduce the costs to business of complying with regulations. A firm in, say Europe, that wants to export to the US often has to comply with two sets of rules.

Critics say the result of this would be lower standards of protection for workers, consumers and the environment. Food safety is a particular concern among European opponents of the negotiations.

In the EU, campaigners say that consumers could be faced with more genetically modified food, hormone treated beef and chicken meat that has been rinsed with chlorine.

Another major concern is the provisions under discussion to enable foreign investors - for example American firms investing in the EU - to sue a host government in some circumstances if they are hit by a change in policy.

That turned out to be so controversial that the European Commission decided to hold a public consultation. There were 150,000 responses which the Commission is still analyzing.

The conduct of the negotiations is also contentious. Campaigners say they are secretive and undemocratic. They also dispute TTIP advocates' claims about the economic benefits.

The European Commission rejects these criticisms. It insists that standards will be maintained and that the negotiations are accountable and transparent.