Brussels, 06/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 6 November, the European Commission published its proposal on provisions for sustainable development, labour and the environment, as part of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement (TTIP). The proposal was put to the US side at the 11th round of TTIP talks in Miami on 19-23 October (see EUROPE 11417).
The Commission gives assurances that the EU proposal puts forward an integrated approach to trade and sustainable development, including labour and the environment, and says the proposal reaffirms the right of governments to regulate on labour and environmental protection.
The Commission says the proposal refers to commitments made as part of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and multilateral environmental agreements - the objective being to ensure that both sides respect a common set of fundamental labour standards and environment rules. The proposal also provides for a commitment not to relax domestic labour and environmental protection laws as a means to attract trade or investment.
As regards the environment, the EU-proposed provisions aim to strengthen transatlantic cooperation on fighting illegal logging, illegal fishing, or illegal trade in endangered wildlife. They also aim to favour the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, implementing measures to ensure the sustainable use and management of natural resources - in particular in areas such as forests, fisheries, wildlife and biological resources.
The proposed provisions also aim to ensure that the two sides work on policies to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of trade in chemicals or waste; and to boost trade and investment in green goods and technology (including related to renewable energy).
As regards labour, the EU-proposed provisions aim to support the strategic objectives of the ILO Decent Work Agenda (including employment promotion, workers' rights, social protection, social dialogue, non-discrimination and gender equality) and to affirm the ILO core labour standards (including freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, commitment to end forced labour and child labour, and non-discrimination in employment and occupation), as well as effective implementation of ILO conventions in law and in practice.
In addition, these provisions seek to establish reference to structures to facilitate transatlantic social dialogue, the exchange of information, and the consultation of workers (through works councils, for example). They also seek to promote objectives globally to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and to suppress forced or compulsory labour in all its forms, as well as to protect other ILO standards in addition to those at it its core (especially as regards health and safety at work).
Cross-cutting provisions seek to avoid any relaxation of labour standards or environmental protection, to promote fair and ethical trade, to implement best practice in transparency and public participation, and to ensure corporate social responsibility and responsible business conduct.
In the view of European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, the proposal on sustainable development is “the most ambitious ever presented to a trade partner”, and in line with a new EU trade agenda that is intended to be “more responsible”.
Malmström said that the Miami talks enabled the principles of this chapter to be laid down, and that a section on implementing it will have to be discussed at the next negotiations. She admitted that the EU and US have “quite different approaches” in this domain.
“The preliminary discussions showed that we wanted a stronger chapter on social and environmental standards”, Malmström stated, adding that increased transatlantic cooperation in this domain would enable greater effectiveness in fighting globally for more responsible behaviour. “At the same time we would ensure that our existing high, yet sometimes different, standards in the EU and the US are upheld”, she said.
The US proposal is still awaited. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)