Friends of the Earth statement on US – Europe trade negotiations

Friends of the Earth issued a statement criticizing the first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, arguing that the process lacks transparency and prioritizes corporate interests over environmental and public health regulations.

• Friends of the Earth and other civil society organizations are calling for increased transparency in the TTIP negotiations, specifically requesting the release of draft negotiating texts. This demand is driven by concerns that the process is being conducted in secrecy and that 'cleared corporate advisors' have privileged access to draft proposals, potentially leading to the weakening of regulations regarding toxic chemicals and food safety.
• Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth U.S., asserts that the TTIP framework serves the interests of corporate CEOs and international financiers seeking to dismantle public interest and environmental regulations. He argues that because tariffs are already low, the agreement is driven by 'deregulatory dogma' and the influence of campaign bundlers and K Street lobbyists rather than a genuine pursuit of free trade.
• The statement links the secretive nature of contemporary trade negotiations to a 'spy scandal' involving U.S. surveillance of European diplomats, including French and European Union embassies. Friends of the Earth advocates for a trade policymaking approach that maintains government authority to manage natural resources, protect public health, and address the climate crisis.

APA

Pica, E. (2013). Friends of the Earth statement on US – Europe trade negotiations. Friends of the Earth. https://foe.org/news/2013-07-friends-of-the-earth-statement-on-us-europe-trade/

Chicago

Pica, Erich. Friends of the Earth statement on US – Europe trade negotiations. Friends of the Earth, 2013. https://foe.org/news/2013-07-friends-of-the-earth-statement-on-us-europe-trade/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Pica |first1=Erich |title=Friends of the Earth statement on US – Europe trade negotiations |publisher=Friends of the Earth |date=12 July 2013 |url=https://foe.org/news/2013-07-friends-of-the-earth-statement-on-us-europe-trade/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{pica2013friends, author = {Pica, Erich}, title = {{Friends of the Earth statement on US – Europe trade negotiations}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth}, year = {2013}, month = jul, url = {https://foe.org/news/2013-07-friends-of-the-earth-statement-on-us-europe-trade/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }