A new trade agreement being negotiated between the U.S. and the EU threatens to weaken European health and safety standards. If U.S. corporate interests get their way, hundreds of untested chemicals, GMOs and toxins could begin to enter our products and our food.

One provision of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would set up a process of investor-state dispute settlements in which multinational corporations would be able to sue EU governments whenever corporate profits are threatened by new safety regulations.

We need to let parliamentary members involved in TTIP negotiations know that people’s health matters more than corporate profits.

Celebrity nutritionist Jamie Oliver has called the TTIP deal ‘dangerous.’ U.S. food products have “hundreds of poisons and pesticides that have been proven to be carcinogenic,” he explained in a recent interview. The EU currently bans many of these dangerous chemicals, but that could soon change if pro-TTIP officials place corporate profits over public health.

Some parliamentary members promoting the TTIP are siding with U.S. corporations, attacking special EU efforts that ensure the safety of consumer products. But a report published last year by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) concluded that the EU’s precautionary guidelines play a crucial role in saving lives and preventing damage to ecosystems.

Currently, the EU is a world leader in consumer safety thanks to the precautionary principle, which ensures new products meet strict guidelines for health and safety. If the TTIP is approved, it will mean that previously-banned products can enter the European market. For example, bleached chicken, hormone-fed beef, GMOs, and other similar Stuff is sold widely in the U.S., and under the new treaty could begin to enter the EU as well.

The TTIP could weaken many different EU regulations. It threatens everything from the environment to the public to the rights of workers. The deal would force a race to the bottom on many of these issues, as corporations compete to maximize profits. The European Commission has even predicted that many jobs will be moved overseas under the TTIP, with more European companies using cheap labour in U.S. states that don’t guarantee workers parental leave or the right to unionize.

At the Story of Stuff Project, we stand strong for creating a healthier and more sustainable society. We need to keep working together around the world to achieve those goals, but the TTIP deal could take us backwards. The EU is currently a global leader for worker rights and environmental protections. By defending these standards, our Community can set the stage for safer and more ethical corporate practices worldwide.