Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Positive Integration - EU and WTO Approaches Towards the "Trade and" Debate pp 17–34Cite as

Bilateral Positive Integration: Different Strategies for Regulatory Cooperation in the TTIP

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: European Yearbook of International Economic Law ((Spec. Issue))

Abstract

This article discusses regulatory cooperation in the area of food safety in trade agreements with a special attention to the EU-US negotiations about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. We show how food safety is regulated in trade agreements and what regulatory cooperation approaches between countries and internationally regarding food safety exist. There were several high-profile disputes at the WTO dealing with food safety issues. These cases show how solutions for heterogeneous food safety regulation can be found and constitute viable alternatives to regulatory cooperation and harmonization of standards. A “race to the bottom” of food safety standards is not necessarily the case when countries cooperate on food safety matters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    EU (2017).

  2. 2.

    EU (2013), p. 1.

  3. 3.

    European Communities (2002), §12.

  4. 4.

    UNCTAD (2012), p. 1.

  5. 5.

    FAO/WHO (2003), p. 3.

  6. 6.

    FAO/WHO (2003), p. 3.

  7. 7.

    WHO (2016).

  8. 8.

    FAO (2016).

  9. 9.

    WTO (2003), p. 326.

  10. 10.

    European Commission (2015).

  11. 11.

    WTO (2007) and Wouters and Geraets (2012).

  12. 12.

    For example Veterinary Equivalence Agreement (1998) or Wine agreement (2006).

  13. 13.

    For example in the EU-US Beef hormone case.

  14. 14.

    For example OECD (1994), Thilmany and Barrett (1997), Hooker (1999), Josling et al. (2004), Hobbs and Kerr (2006), Brouwer et al. (2012) and Humphrey (2012).

  15. 15.

    I.e., the reduction of regulatory differences between countries (Hooker 1999).

  16. 16.

    Hooker (1999), Sparling and Caswell (2006), Badulescu and Baylis (2006) and Meilke et al. (2008).

  17. 17.

    Rudloff (2014).

  18. 18.

    Hooker (1999).

  19. 19.

    OECD (2015).

  20. 20.

    OECD (2015).

  21. 21.

    OECD (2015), p. 18.

  22. 22.

    Viju et al. (2012), Matthews (2015) and Watson (2016).

  23. 23.

    Orden and Roberts (2007) and Winchester et al. (2012).

  24. 24.

    Even though the existence of a scientifically based public health risks allows for stricter food safety levels, a higher required standard has never been accepted in resolved WTO disputes.

  25. 25.

    USTR (2016).

  26. 26.

    Josling and Tangermann (2015).

  27. 27.

    EU (2016b).

  28. 28.

    Kerr (2018).

  29. 29.

    WTO DS 26.

  30. 30.

    Appellate Body Report, EC - Measures Concerning Meat and Meat Products, WT/DS/26/AB/R, adopted 16 January 1998.

  31. 31.

    WTO DS 291 and DS 292.

  32. 32.

    WTO DS 389.

  33. 33.

    Orden and Roberts (2007).

  34. 34.

    See WT/DS26/29.

  35. 35.

    See WT/DS381/AB/R from 16 May 2012.

  36. 36.

    See WT/DS384/AB/R and WT/DS386/AB/R from 29 June 2012.

References

  • Badulescu D, Baylis K (2006) Pesticide regulation under NAFTA harmonization in process?. Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Research Network (CATPRN Commissioned Paper 2006-0, Guelph, Ontario

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer, Fox, Jongeneel (2012) The economics of regulation in agriculture - compliance with public and private standards. CABI International

    Google Scholar 

  • EUR-Lex (2015) The precautionary principle. EUR-Lex - l32042 – EN. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=URISERV:l32042. Accessed 22 May 2019

  • European Commission (2015) Food hygiene – basic legislation. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/biosafety/food_hygiene/legislation_en. Accessed 22 May 2019

  • European Communities (2002) EC Regulation EC/178/2002. Official Journal of the European Communities L31/1. Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union (2013) Trade cross-cutting disciplines and institutional provisions. Initial EU position paper. European Commission, Brussels (Belgium)

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union (2016a) TTIP-EU proposal for Chapter: Regulatory Cooperation. Textual proposal. Available at: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/march/tradoc_154377.pdf (22.05.2019)

  • European Union (2016b) Regulatory cooperation in TTIP. An introduction to the EU’s revised proposal. 21 March 2016. Available at: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/march/tradoc_154378.pdf (22.05.2019)

  • European Union (2017) U.S. - EU Joint Report on TTIP Progress to Date. Available at: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2017/january/tradoc_155242.pdf. Accessed 22 May 2019

  • FAO (2016) Definition of food quality. Internet page. Available at: http://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/capacity-development/food-regulations/en/ (22.05.2019)

  • FAO/WHO (2003) Assuring food safety and quality. Guidelines for strengthening national food control systems. FAO Food and Nutrition paper 76. Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Green T, Hanson L, Lee L, Fanghanel H, Zahniser S (2006) North American approaches to regulatory coordination. In: Huff KM, Meilke KD, Knutson RD, Ochoa RF, Rude J (eds) Agrifood regulatory and policy integration under stress. Guelph

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs JE, Kerr WA (2006) Consumer information, labelling and international trade in agri-food products. Food Policy 31:78–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooker NH (1999) Food safety regulation and trade in food products. Food Policy 24:653–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey J (2012) Convergence of US and EU production practices under the new FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. World Econ 35(8):994–1005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Josling T, Tangermann S (2015) Agriculture, food and the TTIP: possibilities and pitfalls. In: Hamilton DS, Pelkmans J (eds) Rule-makers or rule-takers? Exploring the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Rowman and Littlefield International London and Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Josling T, Roberts D, Orden D (2004) Food regulation and trade: toward a safe and open global system. Institute for International Economics, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr WM (2018) Dealing with disputes over agricultural trade. In: Josling T, Meilke KD (eds) Handbook on agricultural and food policies, volume III: international trade rules for food and agricultural products. World Scientific Publisher

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews A (2015) What outcome to expect on geographical indications in the TTIP free trade agreement negotiations with the United States? Paper presented at the 145th EAAE Seminar “Intellectual Property Rights for Geographical Indications: What is at Stake in the TTIP?”. Parma

    Google Scholar 

  • Meilke K, Rude J, Zahniser S (2008) Is ‘NAFTA Plus’ an option in the North American Agrifood Sector? World Econ 28(8):925–946

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD (1994) Regulatory co-operation for an interdependent world. Paris (France)

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD (2015) Regional trade agreements and agriculture, OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 79. Paris (France)

    Google Scholar 

  • Orden D, Roberts D (2007) Food regulation and trade under the WTO: ten years in perspective. Agric Econ 37(31):103–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudloff B (2014) Food standards in trade agreements. SWP Comments 2014/C49. Berlin (Germany)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sparling DH, Caswell AJ (2006) Risking market integration without regulatory integration: the case of NAFTA and BSE. Rev Agric Econ 28(2):212–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thilmany DD, Barrett CB (1997) Regulatory barriers in an integrating world food market. Rev Agric Econ 19:91–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNCTAD (2012) Classification of non-tariff measures. UNCTAD/DITC/TAB/2012/2. UNCTAD. Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Trade Representative (2016) Non-tariff barriers and regulatory issues. Internet page. Available at: https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-t-tip/t-tip-2 (22.05.2019)

  • Viju C, Yeung MT, Kerr WA (2012) Geographical indications, barriers to market access and preferential trade agreements. Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Research Network (CATPRN Commissioned Paper 2012-01, Guelph, Ontario

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson W (2016) Reign of terroir. How to resist Europe’s effort to control common food names as a geographical indications. Policy Analysis Number 787. Cato Institute, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2016) Definition of food safety. Internet page. Available at: http://www.who.int/topics/food_safety/en/ (22.05.2019)

  • Winchester N, Rau ML, Goetz C, Larue B, Otsuki T, Shutes K, Wieck C, Burnquist HL, Pinto de Souza MJ, de Faria RN (2012) The impact of regulatory heterogeneity on agri-food trade. World Econ 35(8):973–993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wouters J, Geraets D (2012) Private food standards and the World Trade Organization: some legal considerations, Working Paper (82), Leuven (Belgium)

    Google Scholar 

  • WTO (2003) Dictionary of trade policy terms, 4th edn. Cambridge University Press, 437 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • WTO (2007) Private standards and the SPS agreement. Note by the secretariat. G/SPS/GEN/746. Geneva (Switzerland)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

    Christine Wieck

  2. The German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin, Germany

    Bettina Rudloff

Authors
  1. Christine Wieck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bettina Rudloff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Wieck .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Rike Krämer-Hoppe

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Wieck, C., Rudloff, B. (2020). Bilateral Positive Integration: Different Strategies for Regulatory Cooperation in the TTIP. In: Krämer-Hoppe, R. (eds) Positive Integration - EU and WTO Approaches Towards the "Trade and" Debate. European Yearbook of International Economic Law(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25662-3_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25662-3_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-25661-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-25662-3

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation