TACD’s US member Public Citizen has called for consumers, workers and the climate to be put at the heart of future trade agreements. The call was made when Public Citizen met virtually with members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 6 July.

This virtual meeting replaced the usual EESC members’ trip to Washington. The other speakers were from the EU delegation in Washington, the US trade union AFL-CIO and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Public Citizen explained that given the situation now in the US, the only acceptable trade agreements for people in the US would need to bring a positive agenda for consumers and workers but also the climate.

Public Citizen stressed that even during the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks, public resistance in the US was not against the idea of a transatlantic deal itself but against the envisaged framework.

Public Citizen also stressed that a trade agreement between the EU and the US today would likely  imply a degree of deregulation for the EU. A deal could be an option under another US administration, if both the EU and the US engage in a more positive agenda. TACD published its positive transatlantic consumer agenda back in 2017. Public Citizen called on both the EU and the US to build on TACD’s recommendations.