WIDE+ supports a current campaign that calls for chemicals to be excluded from regulatory cooperation within the TTIP (EU-US trade) negotiations. The campaign also calls for no provisions enabling multinationals to sideline the EU courts and sue European states in the agreement, the so-called Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) or Investment Court System.
While existing EU regulations on chemicals and pesticides need improvement, the regulations in the US are even weaker. There are indications that negotiations to harmonise European and American standards will lead to a lowering of European standards that set out to protect consumers from health risks associated with the use of chemicals and pesticides. This is one area in which the TTIP could directly impact negatively on women’s bodies.
The campaign is launched through the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Center for International Environmental Law (Ciel).
Campaign website: https://tradinghealthforprofit.wordpress.com/
Cefic ‘mythbuster: http://www.cefic.org/Documents/Infographics/TTIP_chemicals-in-TTIP-Cefic-Mythbuster.pdf