COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL,
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
AND THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
THE NEW TRANSATLANTIC MARKETPLACE
C. ENVIRONMENT
7. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
All commitments under the NTMA should be implemented consistent
with health, safety and environmental objectives and should aim
at ensuring a high level of protection. This is a fundamental legal
and political requirement which results directly from the provisions
of the EC Treaty. Regulatory convergence in areas relating to health,
safety and the environment should therefore be based on a high level
of protection and should in no way lower of hamper the further development
of the acquis in this area.
The environmental dimension needs to be taken into account throughout
the negotiating process. Bearing in mind the recommendations of
the OECD made in 1993, it could also be appropriate to review the
environmental impact of the NTMA, allowing parties to identify potential
environmental effects and to devise effective policy responses.
It should also be noted that the lack of US participation in several
multilateral agreements (for example the biodiversity convention,
and the Basle Convention and the Kyoto Protocol under the Climate
Change Convention) can distort competitiveness and causes substantial
asymmetry between EU and US international obligations in the field
of environment. Full US participation in these conventions is therefore
highly desirable.
