Choosing between Europe and TTIP

The author critiques the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), questioning whether a projected 0.5% GDP increase for the EU is plausible given high unemployment and the risk of increasing social inequality. The text identifies five core challenges: the impact of austerity on domestic demand, the difficulty of harmonizing regulatory standards (such as GMOs and shale gas) due to differing risk-aversion models, the lack of EU unity in key sectors like energy and finance, the influence of American lobbies, and the complexities of managing two international reserve currencies. The author contends that the TTIP shifts focus away from the EU Single Market, potentially allowing a U.S. "divide and conquer" strategy. Furthermore, the document suggests that a Euro-American regulatory block could be perceived by China as a containment strategy and warns that increasing economic dependence on the U.S. undermines European strategic parity and the goals of a common defence policy.

• The author questions the economic viability of the TTIP, noting that the promised growth of 0.5% of GDP in the EU may be implausible given high unemployment and could exacerbate economic divergence between Member States and increase social inequality.
• Regulatory convergence between the U.S. and EU is hindered by fundamentally different institutional approaches to risk: Europe follows the precautionary principle to prevent risk, while the U.S. utilizes a 'litigation after damage' model.
• The TTIP is viewed as a threat to the EU's internal unity and political identity, as regulatory convergence with the U.S. may distract from the completion of the Single Market and leave the EU vulnerable to a U.S. "divide and conquer" strategy.
• The creation of a Euro-American regulatory block to set international standards, combined with the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership (TTP), may be interpreted by China as a containment strategy.
• The author argues that the TTIP increases European economic dependence on the U.S., which contradicts the goal of political parity within NATO and could foster anti-Americanism in Europe.

APA

Defraigne, P. (2015). Choosing between Europe and TTIP. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/choosing-between-europe-and-ttip/

Chicago

Defraigne, Pierre. Choosing between Europe and TTIP. Green European Journal, 2015. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/choosing-between-europe-and-ttip/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Defraigne |first1=Pierre |title=Choosing between Europe and TTIP |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 September 2015 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/choosing-between-europe-and-ttip/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{defraigne2015choosing, author = {Defraigne, Pierre}, title = {{Choosing between Europe and TTIP}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2015}, month = sep, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/choosing-between-europe-and-ttip/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }