BRUSSELS: A broad coalition of European environmental, consumer rights and anti-globalisation groups launched a bid yesterday to stop the European Union from negotiating a free trade deal with the United States.
The alliance of around 150 groups, ranging from Greenpeace Luxembourg to Germany’s left-wing Die Linke party, say the proposed EU-US trade deal is being driven by big business at the expense of European citizens.
The challenge comes as EU and US negotiators hold a sixth round of talks in Brussels this week. They hope to clinch the world’s biggest trade deal next year, which proponents say could generate $100bn a year in economic growth for both sides. John Hilary, executive director of anti-poverty group War on Want, said that deregulation, central to the free trade deal, would undermine EU rules governing food safety, environmental standards and the use of toxins.Reuters
