Trade for All? Transparency in the EU’s Common Commercial Policy
This chapter examines the present-day level of transparency in European trade and investment negotiations. It argues that the level of transparency adopted by the European Commission, while open to improvement, is already quite satisfactory. The current practice strikes a sensible balance between the principles of transparency and democratic scrutiny and the need to ensure orderly, fruitful international negotiations. Still, a greater measure of transparency and public participation in the negotiation process could help to restore the image of the EU as a credible institution that negotiates on behalf of all Europeans