Food Safety in TTIP Negotiations (Sicurezza Alimentare nelle Negoziazioni del TTIP)

Food is on the table at the negotiations for the EU-US trade deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The TTIP is a trade agreement currently being negotiated between the European Union and the United States. Its primary aim is to stimulate trade not only through removing tariffs between the EU and USA - as these are already at minimal levels ¿ but also to reach a high level of regulatory harmonization between US and EU through the removal of non-tariff barriers, that is, all food safety authorizations, standards and regulations, including restrictions on GMOs and toxic chemicals. In fact, the EU and the US present two different kind of food systems, because of the historical differences in the perception of risk between US and EU consumers and citizens. The EU integrated approach to food safety aims to assure a high level of food safety, animal health, welfare and nutrition and plant health, through coherent from-farm-to-table and precautionary measures. On the contrary, the US food safety system is characterised by a high degree of agencies' fragmentation, a strong role of science and industry. Thus, there is the necessity to harmonize food requirements globally and there is a growing need for international guidelines and rules. They are provided, within the framework of the World Trade Organization, by the Sanitary and Phytosanitary and the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreements. They are two specific binding treaties which provide for keeping high food standards all over the world, hence enabling the countries to trade, ensuring and applying technical requirements and scientifically justified standards likely to protect human, animal and plant health.