(06 November 2015) – The European Commission published today its proposal for a chapter on trade and sustainable development, including labour and the environment, in the ongoing EU-US trade talks.
The proposal on sustainable development in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) presents an integrated approach on trade and sustainable development, also covering labour and the environment and reaffirms the right of governments to regulate on labour and environmental protection.
The proposal also refers to commitments made as part of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Multilateral Environmental Agreements, to ensure that both sides respect a common set of fundamental labour standards and environmental rules.
In addition, the text includes an obligation not to relax domestic labour or environmental protection laws as a means to attract trade or investment.
At the same time, the European Commission is also presenting the first detailed report on the latest TTIP negotiating round that took place in October. It summarizes the discussions held in all three areas of the agreement – market access, regulatory issues and rules.