Many critics in Europe say the US is imposing its own regulatory conditions on the EU, where member states have stricter controls over a variety of matters, particularly on food safety. The EU currently excludes beef and pork treated with growth hormones, chicken washed in chlorine, fruit and vegetables treated with endocrine-disrupting pesticides and genetically engineered and modified foods, all of which are common in the US.
Campaign group Greenpeace Monday leaked hundreds of pages of documents from the negotiations which show deep divisions between the EU and the US, with many critics saying the talks are at an impasse and are about to collapse.
US-EU trade deal places corporate interests above environment & consumer safety #TTIPleaks https://t.co/0EKePW1Vop pic.twitter.com/LLtR0bYWq7
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) May 3, 2016
'Storm In a Teacup'
However, the split has been denied by EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, who said the leaked documents: "Reflect each side's negotiating position, nothing else. And it shouldn't come as a surprise that there are areas where the EU and the US have different views. As I pointed out on this blog last week — there are areas in the TTIP negotiations where we have come a long way, but in others we are simply not in agreement.
"It is only normal that both parties in a negotiation want to achieve as many of their own objectives as possible. That does not mean that the other side gives in to those demands. That does not mean that the parties will meet halfway. In areas where we are too far apart in a negotiation, we simply will not agree. In that sense, many of today's alarmist headlines are a storm in a teacup."
#TTIPLeaks comments are wrong about excluding the precautionary principle: We're standing by it, in fact, it's mentioned in the text. #TTIP
— EU TTIP Team (@EU_TTIP_team) May 2, 2016
"No EU trade agreement will ever lower our level of protection of consumers, or food safety, or of the environment. Trade agreements will not change our laws on GMOs, or how to produce safe beef, or how to protect the environment," Malmström wrote on her blog.
Read @MalmstromEU on #TTIPLeaks https://t.co/Rgaz1hvpxx.
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) May 2, 2016
Watch technical briefing by @EU_TTIP_team chief negotiator https://t.co/5oxdkEHWJ5
However, Greenpeace retorted:
"Commissioner Malmström is being disingenuous. Malmström may well promise not to undermine environmental and consumer protection, but the evidence tells a different story. In several areas the US proposes to lower EU standards, but there are no EU proposals in the leaked consolidated documents to counter this."
What do you think real transparency looks like? https://t.co/3bpw2hZ7d9 #TTIPleaks pic.twitter.com/TELptvVC8v
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) May 2, 2016
"The leaked documents also show the influence of industry lobbies on trade negotiators. The leak mentions several times that negotiators regularly consult with industry and are prepared to represent their positions," Greenpeace said Tuesday (May 3).
French minister of state for trade Matthias Fekl told French radio: "Europe is offering a lot and we are getting very little in return. This is unacceptable. It is a deal that, in the state it is in today, would be a bad deal."