Portside

'They talk about something called regulatory convergence and that is synonym for saying we want to take away stronger public protections and go with the worst or least and prevent the countries or trading partners, the US or EU or any individual countries or US states from enacting stronger laws in the future.'

Ed Mierzwinski, the US Chair

of Trans Atlantic Consumers

Dialogue (TACD), a forum of

the largest European and

American consumer groups,

and consumer program director

of the US Public Interest

Research Group (USPIRG),

a Washington-based watchdog

organization, on negotiations

for a new US-Eu trade pact