New power for "Old Europe".
The European Union's growing political clout is leading to new paradigms of environmental and health regulation. The E.U. is putting teeth behind new guidelines governing the toxicity of chemicals in consumer products, cosmetics, and automobiles that are forcing American companies to reconsider longstanding production practices. While U.S. government oversight over environmental and health concerns is being weakened, the E.U.'s strengthened governance over these and other arenas is rapidly, through the leverage of international trade, setting the stage for a new global standard. Europe's new standards present a historic choice to U.S. manufacturers: either conform to the E.U.'s preemptive screening for toxicity, or risk sacrificing the 450-million strong European market. The author explores the American response, and how the United States is slipping to the lower rungs of a double standard for protecting the health of citizens.
Schapiro
Mark
M
Center for Investigative Reporting, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. mschapiro@cironline.org
D001336:Automobiles / Q000592:standards; D003132:Commerce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000592:standards; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D033161:Government Regulation; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D038622:Internationality; D008420:Manufactured Materials / Q000592:standards; D011057:Politics; D011209:Power, Psychological; D014481:United States; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000517:prevention & control
D003358:Cosmetics; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D001335:Vehicle Emissions