CETA, food and consumer protection Jurjen de Waal June 1st 2016, Brussels

Who is foodwatch? foodwatch is an independent, non-profit organisation that exposes food-industry practices that are not in the interests of consumers. foodwatch fights for the right of consumers to know exactly what they are buying and to enjoy good food that is healthy and uncontaminated.

CETA and food Precautionary Principle –Threatened by CETA Standards? –Harmonisation vs. Mutual recognition –What is a standard? –Race to the bottom Food and Trade

CETA and the Precautionary Principle Precautionary Principle under threat Burden on corporate interest vs. consumer rights Particularly relevant in food

CETA and the Precautionary Principle Not explicitly mentioned in CETA –Only reservation in chapter 23 (Labour) and chapter 24 (environment). Otherwise WTO rules are ‘confirmed’ WTO rules on precaution and food –Weaker form of precaution. –Beef Hormone case Future issues –Endocrine disruptors –Pesticides

WTO and Precaution WTO SPS agreement article 5.7 In cases where relevant scientific evidence is insufficient, a Member may provisionally adopt sanitary or phytosanitary measures on the basis of available pertinent information, including that from the relevant international organizations as well as from sanitary or phytosanitary measures applied by other Members. In such circumstances, Members shall seek to obtain the additional information necessary for a more objective assessment of risk and review the sanitary or phytosanitary measure accordingly within a reasonable period of time.

Beef hormone controversy The EU banned the importation of meat that contained artificial beef growth hormones approved for use and administered in the United States and Canada In 1997, the WTO ruled against the EU.

CETA and the Precautionary Principle Not explicitly mentioned in CETA –Only reservation in chapter 23 (Labour) and chapter 24 (environment) WTO rules on precaution and food –Weaker form of precaution. Future issues –Endocrine disruptors –Pesticides

Confusion about standards Mutual recognition vs. harmonisation of standards –Limited international spill-over effects The ‘no lowering of standards’ fallacy What are considered standards? –Food safety –Animal welfare –Environmental requirements –Labour standards Role of tariffs Race to the bottom instead of moving upwards

CETA and a sustainability? Uneven sanction mechanisms –Limited clauses to prevent promotion of unsustainable trade policies –Bilateral exchange and cooperation in separate framework from other reg. Cooperation –Labour and environment excluded from inter-state dispute settlement

CETA and Democracy Regulatory cooperation –Binding vs. non-binding decisions Undermining of parliaments –EU Commission represents EU in bodies (also for regulation within national competence) –Role of European / National Parliament after signing of CETA unclear Future improvements

Secret trade deal no basis for safe food policy Prioritize public health and the environment Not a bargaining chip to be traded away for market access for a different sector in Canada or U.S. Audio-visual industry excluded from TTIP. Why not food?

Thank you for your attention!