No EU-US trade deal at the expense of climate, democracy and sovereignty
It is with great concern and growing outrage that we are following the current plans for the implementation of the trade deal between the European Union and the government of Donald Trump. A first step in this implementation is the planned approval by the EU institutions of the customs agreements with the US – without binding them to sanctioned environmental and social standards. Further steps should follow. But the EU's concessions threaten to become a historic mistake – for the climate, for the energy transition, for democratic processes and for Europe's strategic independence.
The EU should not agree to a deal that comes under the guise of a trade war and is to be regarded as blackmail. Instead, the focus must now be on building a resilient Europe that democratically shapes its energy supply, digital infrastructures, food system and social security. European trade policy must be subordinated to these objectives and at the same time take responsibility for global climate protection and respect for human rights.
Of particular concern are those elements of the trade deal in which the EU commits to buying huge amounts of fossil energy from the US. Over three years, it will import $750 billion worth of fossil energy, including fracking gas, oil and nuclear technologies.
Such a deal would bind Europe to fossil energy for years to come and slow down the much-needed energy transition. Billion-dollar investments in LNG imports and infrastructure create long-term commitments and lock-in effects that delay the deployment of renewables, make Europe dependent and further drive up energy prices.
It is clear that Europe's future lies not in new fossil imports, but in the rapid expansion of renewable energies, energy efficiency and a resilient, climate-neutral economy.
New dependencies on an unreliable partner
The planned agreements also threaten to put Europe back into energy dependency, this time from the US. Already today, large parts of the LNG imports of European countries come from the United States. A further increase in these imports would make Europe irresponsibly vulnerable. The lessons of fossil dependence on Russia should be a warning enough for us.
Equally problematic are the billion-dollar investments in the US, to which the EU has committed itself. The Trump administration alone wants to determine their goals and priorities. This also threatens climate-damaging bad investments, for example in oil pipelines, mini-nuclear power plants or other liquefied natural gas terminals.
Defending European standards and sovereignty
The trade deal with the US also jeopardizes European standards and democratic room for manoeuvre. For example, the EU should shape its digital agenda in such a way that the large US tech companies are not restricted. Advanced regulations such as the Supply Chain Act are to be eroded for US corporations, safety standards in the automotive sector are to be relaxed and food standards are to be lowered. The EU methane regulation is also currently under fire by the US government, as it can endanger its LNG exports to Europe.
These commitments put enormous pressure on European environmental, consumer or digital standards. In order to maintain it, the EU must defend its political sovereignty.
Defending Democracy
A key problem is the lack of democratic legitimacy of the ongoing negotiations. Unlike other trade agreements, the European Commission has not received a prior mandate from the Council of the EU for negotiations with the US. Neither targets and limits nor social and ecological guidelines have been defined beforehand. However, negotiations with such far-reaching consequences for the climate, economy and society require a prior, democratically legitimate mandate. The European Parliament was also not involved in the negotiation of the trade deal between Commission President Von der Leyen and Donald Trump.
Europe must not be blackmailed
Europe's economic and political strength is based on cooperation, the rule of law and democratic procedures. A deal made through blackmail would undermine these principles.
That is why we demand:
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- A democratically legitimate mandate for negotiations with the United States.
- No fossil rollback in the interests of the Trump administration. No obligations to massively import fracking gas or other non-renewable energy sources.
- Protection of European climate, environmental, digital and consumer standards.
- Promote the building of a resilient Europe that democratically shapes its energy supply, digital infrastructures, food system and social security.
- To massively accelerate the expansion of renewable energies, to consistently promote energy efficiency, to secure democratic standards and transparent decision-making processes.
