¿“T” de tóxico?

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the European Union and the United States threaten to undermine public health and environmental protections regarding chemical substances. The document contends that TTIP's focus on regulatory alignment could lead to a 'downward harmonization' of standards, favoring the weaker US federal system over the stricter EU policies.

• The TTIP is characterized as a regulatory agreement rather than a traditional trade deal, aiming to reduce regulatory differences. The document warns that this could lead to 'downward harmonization,' where standards are lowered to the least protective levels, potentially hindering the phase-out of dangerous chemicals such as DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlorofluorocarbons.
• The agreement may stall environmental legislation in the EU by introducing speculative trade impact assessments and consultations with US regulators. The document notes that in the US, some single-substance risk assessments have taken over 20 years, and it fears a similar state of paralysis could be imported to the EU.
• TTIP could erode the ability of EU member states to implement stricter national measures on chemicals of concern, as the European Commission seeks to apply TTIP's regulatory alignment rules at the national level.
• The document warns that TTIP could include investment clauses similar to those in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA/TLCAM), allowing foreign investors to sue governments in secret arbitration panels for lost profits resulting from public health or environmental laws. This could specifically impact moratoria on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the EU, citing a case where a US company challenged a fracking moratorium in a Canadian province.
• TTIP may hinder innovation and transparency by implementing rules on labeling and secrecy that restrict access to vital information about hazardous substances, potentially slowing the replacement of dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). ¿“T” de tóxico? https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/TTIP_FactSheet_EU_Espanol_Feb2014.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. ¿“T” de tóxico? n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/TTIP_FactSheet_EU_Espanol_Feb2014.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=¿“T” de tóxico? |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/TTIP_FactSheet_EU_Espanol_Feb2014.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndtxico, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{¿“T” de tóxico?}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/TTIP_FactSheet_EU_Espanol_Feb2014.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }