The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union (EU) (formerly the European Community) have both actively promoted harmonized environmental standards. de Miramon and Stevens (1992) discuss OECD harmonization efforts in "Policy Balance." A U.S. Office of Technology Assessment (1992) report section from Trade and the Environment: Conflicts and Opportunities recounts EU activities related to harmonization. A criticism of harmonization is that it could yield a lowest common denominator of national environmental standards, rather than a raising of standards. Shrybman (1990) evaluates possible effects of lowest common denominator harmonization in "International Trade: In Search of an Environmental Conscience."