CFA is a member of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a forum of consumer organizations in the US and the European Union. The TACD develops and agrees on joint consumer policy recommendations to the US and EU governments to promote the consumer interest in their policy making. CFA believes that close cooperation between the US and the EU is helpful to address common challenges and ensure that the transatlantic marketplace is safe and fair for consumers. Consumer protection should not be viewed as a barrier to trade; it strengthens trade by instilling consumer confidence and trust in the marketplace. When consumer protection is inadequate, markets fail, as the recent economic crisis has so vividly demonstrated. Therefore, trade pacts must have at their center the advancement of consumer well-being.