EU lawmakers back arbitration in U.S. trade deal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European lawmakers on Thursday backed including investor arbitration in a trade deal with the United States, one of the biggest obstacles to a transatlantic accord, but a decision that activists called a capitulation to business.

A trade agreement between the United States and the European Union would be the world's largest, but Washington says any deal must include ways for investors to settle disputes, while some Europeans fear large U.S. companies would use arbitration to bully governments and challenge EU food and environmental laws.