lowest common denominator

The report examines the CropLife-ECPA proposal for regulatory convergence under TTIP, asserting that the pesticide industry is attempting to use trade negotiations to compel the European Union to abandon its precautionary, hazard-based approach to pesticide regulation in favor of the less stringent risk-assessment model used in the United States. The author argues that this would lead to higher pesticide residues on food, the continued use of endocrine disruptors, and the failure to protect bee populations. Furthermore, the report claims the proposal would restrict public access to safety data and usurp the regulatory authority of US states and EU Member States to implement stronger local protections.

• The pesticide industry, represented by CropLife America and the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA), is pushing for the EU to replace its 'hazard-based' pesticide policies with a 'science-based risk assessment' approach, which the report characterizes as an attempt to align EU standards with the lower levels of protection found in the US.
• There is a significant disparity in pesticide bans between the two regions; the report identifies 82 pesticides that are banned in the EU but permitted for use in the US, including various carcinogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
• Industry proposals suggest that the EU increase the amount of pesticide residue allowed on food by harmonizing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) with US tolerances or the international standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which the report claims often sets weaker safety standards due to corporate lobbying.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). lowest common denominator. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/LCD_TTIP_Jan2015.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. lowest common denominator. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/LCD_TTIP_Jan2015.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=lowest common denominator |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/LCD_TTIP_Jan2015.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndlowest, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{lowest common denominator}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/LCD_TTIP_Jan2015.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }