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TTIP Agreement - don't yawn, it's important!

(95 Posts)
Eloethan Fri 23-May-14 10:05:57

blog.38degrees.org.uk/2014/05/15/secret-eu-us-trade-deal/

Other posters have talked about the dangers of the discussions that are taking place (which have received almost no coverage and which many people are consequently unaware of) regarding the TTIP Agreement. 38 Degrees is seeking support to mount a campaign to challenge these negotiations on behalf of the millions of ordinary people who are likely to be affected by the unprecedented powers that may be granted to corporations. 38 Degrees states that:

"Right now, officials in the US and EU are secretly negotiating a hugely influential and dangerous trade deal which would put the profits of big business ahead of our welfare, health and environment.

It’s called the “Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership”, or “TTIP” for short, but in reality it’s more like a Christmas-list for big business. The negotiations are shrouded in secrecy, but leaked details suggest the deal will:

- Allow companies to sue governments if they make decisions which negatively affect big business’ potential profits (like capping energy prices, or introducing plain packet cigarettes.)"

The implications of this are quite frightening. Large corporations have the financial clout to hire huge legal teams to mount proceedings against governments, which do not have unlimited amounts of money to defend themselves against such claims. The business world's priority is to maximise profits and it has proved to be unscrupulous in riding roughshod over the rights of ordinary people in achieving this.

If you are concerned about what is happening, please consider supporting the proposition to mount a campaign.

ayse Fri 23-May-14 11:28:56

Done

Wheniwasyourage Fri 23-May-14 19:04:18

Done.

MiniMouse Fri 23-May-14 19:22:33

Done!

JessM Fri 23-May-14 22:48:17

Yes I have responded to this as well. Heard an interesting tale about the perils of this type of agreement. The people of Samoa don't have a lot of money and don't have the healthiest diet and tend as a consequence to gain too much weight. Some bright americans managed to convince the Samoan people that turkey tails were good to eat. That's right, the parsons noses discarded from a million thanksgiving turkeys. Nice fatty snack when fried. Ideal addition to an already problematic diet.
Samoan government tried to ban the import of these fattening morsels in the interests of health. But the Americans weren't having any of it, because it breached their trade agreement.
www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-20/an-samoa-lifts-ban-on-high-fat-turkey-tails/4699506

annodomini Fri 23-May-14 23:17:41

Already have signed.

durhamjen Fri 23-May-14 23:28:30

Have mentioned this a few times on here, but you are right, people do yawn.
That is why a vote for the Green party in Europe was important, because apart from the NHA party, they were the only ones who opposed the agreement.
Caroline Lucas wanted it to exempt the NHS. Otherwise the government could be sued for not letting private companies in America take over the NHS. Virgin has already tried to sue CCGs for giving contracts to inhouse groups.

Agus Fri 23-May-14 23:57:59

I have already signed.

besottedgran Sat 24-May-14 00:40:32

Done

durhamjen Mon 26-May-14 20:54:59

anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/

Now the elections are over, this is what you should be concerned about now.
How can UKIP say they are all about our sovereignty, yet be silent on the TTIP?

durhamjen Mon 26-May-14 20:56:17

anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ukip-ttip-eu-trade-deal-2014.html
A better link.

Eloethan Mon 26-May-14 23:00:48

Frightening stuff. These proposals, which potentially have massive implications for ordinary people's employment and consumer rights, and public services in general, are being discussed, and may be implemented, without the majority of the population even knowing about them, let alone agreeing to them.

lucyinthesky Tue 27-May-14 15:00:12

Signed. Cannot understand why the media are so quiet about this :-(

whenim64 Tue 27-May-14 15:31:40

I already signed, too.

Nelliemoser Tue 27-May-14 15:52:20

Signed! This is really frightening.

Wheniwasyourage Tue 27-May-14 21:02:43

Bump. Don't want it sliding off the Active list!

durhamjen Wed 28-May-14 00:07:52

This is what the Polish think of it.
www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/euro-elections-you-tell-us/marzena-sadowska/ttip-and-first-rule-of-fight-club

durhamjen Wed 28-May-14 11:36:05

Granjura, how does Switzerland fare with the TTIP?
Obviously the Swiss are not concerned about the NHS in the UK, but there must be other reasons for not wanting the EU to ride roughshod over the Swiss.
ri.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A7x9UnkBu4VTkygAHCp3Bwx.;_ylu=X3oDMTBzNm9uM2F2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMTIEY29sbwNpcmQEdnRpZAM-/RV=2/RE=1401301890/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fanotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk%2f2014%2f05%2fukip-privatise-nhs-nuttall-ttip.html/RK=0/RS=0Z1Loe52Wj2IUq4lvJQzCKYhF3k-

durhamjen Thu 29-May-14 00:07:16

It's also a way of bringing in GM foods by the back door.
mondediplo.com/2013/12/02tafta

durhamjen Thu 29-May-14 00:23:04

Another reason to want to stay in Europe. All the major British parties want to sign up to the TTIP. There are 120 groups in Europe who do not want us to. These include the World Development Movement and War on Want. If we were not in the EU, Cameron would have signed up to it with no real parliamentary opposition.

www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2405583/120_groups_demand_ditch_the_ttip_euus_trade_deal.html

JessM Thu 29-May-14 07:00:26

And if we were a little isolated nation, well,* barrel, over it, for good*, comes to mind in any negotiations of this kind.

Wheniwasyourage Thu 29-May-14 21:20:08

Bump again

durhamjen Fri 30-May-14 00:25:38

Do you think there are a lot of people on GN who cannot be bothered to find out about the TTIP, when?
They'll regret it when their taxes double to pay for it.

durhamjen Fri 13-Jun-14 20:38:10

A long time since this has been mentioned. It is still being discussed in secret.
nblo.gs/XCwVj

Eloethan Sat 14-Jun-14 00:41:53

Thanks durhamjen.

For people who don't think this issue concerns them, here is just one small extract from the link provided, which demonstrates the sorts of powers that multinationals are trying to strengthen:

"............ Canada was forced to revoke its ban on the toxic fuel ad"ditive MMT under challenge from the US company Ethyl. The US tobacco giant Philip Morris is suing the Australian government for billions of dollars over its public health policy that all cigarettes must now be sold in plain packaging........" (I wonder if this is one of the reasons why the British government is now backtracking on its proposal to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes).

Governments will either have to risk being hit with huge legal costs to fight these sorts of claims or let multinationals do what the hell they like.