International News

WASHINGTON, (APP/AFP) – The United States
denounced Monday interpretations of leaked documents on its
free-trade negotiations with the European Union, insisting the proposed trade pact would not weaken health and
environmental standards.
“The interpretations being given to these texts appear to be
misleading at best and flat out wrong at worst,” said a spokesman for the US Trade Representative (USTR), which is leading the negotiations with the European Commission.
Greenpeace, which is opposed to the proposed Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership, published online Monday 248 pages of what it said were classified documents from the negotiations that show the pact would weaken standards and protections for the benefit of corporate interests.
“TTIP will preserve, not undermine, our strong consumer, health,
environmental standards, and position the US and the EU to work together to
push standards higher around the world,” the USTR spokesman said in an emailed statement.
President Barack Obama’s administration has thrown all its weight
behind achieving the trade deal before Obama second and final four-year term expires next January.