How NSA Spying, Google and Chlorinated Chickens Are …

These remarks are adapted from a talk at the Center for European Studies at Harvard on October 23.

I see an increased nervousness in my country about America. Even though both our countries have an eagle on their coat of arms, people currently are focused on a different bird: the chicken. And not just any old chicken, but the "Chlorhuhn" chicken. Perhaps I should translate it for you: The "Chlorhuhn" is a chicken that has been disinfected in a bath of chlorine -- as American food companies do it.

This chicken -- free from bacteria, thanks to the chlorine -- has made it into the top ten of German America clichs. It now makes appearances in our late night comedy shows, which are having a great time mocking TTIP, the transatlantic trade agreement. The "Chlorhuhn" chicken symbolizes the fears triggered by this free trade agreement. Fears that foreign products will push out local goods, and that health standards will drop.

Now there is a problem with these fears. Of course, it is always true what the writer Joseph Heller said, that:

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you."

Even chronic pessimists can be right to be afraid. But it's pretty obvious that something is wrong here: the same people who are afraid of the chicken are happy to send their kids to the pool, where they can spend the whole day swimming in chlorine.

A bit more reason, a bit more calmness, would benefit the talks on a free trade agreement between the world's two largest trading powers, the U.S. and Europe. If we had a bit more self-confidence, we could decide to use TTIP to set new standards for a good free trade agreement, which cuts red tape for business and respects special national features. We could have a free trade agreement which sets standards for technology and innovation, labor and the environment -- standards which other major trading nations in Asia could take up.

The fear we are talking about here -- the fear that is being conjured up -- is the fear of what is different. It understands commerce as a zero-sum game. As a battle over a cake of a certain size. But what we are actually talking about is creating opportunities and options: free trade not as a race to the bottom on health, environment or social security, but free trade with rules for high-value products and with competition for the best ideas. These standards could shape the progress towards fair globalization.

I think that would be a historic project which reflects the major possibilities of a new transatlantic agenda.

THE SNOWDEN IDENTITY

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How NSA Spying, Google and Chlorinated Chickens Are ...