TTIP

Got it - the argument is that talks should be suspended as the plan to introduced secret opaque courts for disputes are against our human rights.

I expect someone will do a blue later only I am useless (totally incompetent) at that.

I've been campaigning against TTIP for a long time and found that when I explained the ramifications of it going through: i.e. big business being able to sue governments for loss of profits, a reduction in food safety, privatisation of the NHS etc. many people genuinely thought I had it wrong. They didn't believe that such a proposal could get the backing of governments. Fortunately there is now much more awareness and publicity surrounding the deal and the UK is finally catching up with the rest of Europe in understanding and saying 'no' to the deal. It's true that Alfred de Zayas, a senior UN official is opposing TTIP, he says: “We don’t want a dystopian future in which corporations and not democratically elected governments call the shots".

Joseph Stiglitz, American economist and a professor at Columbia University who is a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, has also publicly come out against TTIP. In the video I've linked to he explains that TTIP serves only big business and what the outcome of signing the agreement will (not could, but will) lead to.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsIO5YCuqmU

A very similar trade agreement already exists between the EU and Canada:
ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ceta/

This article from the Guardian helped me to understand the issues - and to keep a sense of perspective:

www.theguardian.com/membership/2015/feb/18/guardian-live-what-is-ttip-and-how-does-it-affect-us

leftfootforward.org/2015/05/is-this-the-end-of-ttip/

Let's hope so.

Looking more hopeful isn't it?

First time I've felt happy since the election.

Just been reading about this. Two examples I read: Phillip Morris is suing Australia because of the Austalian rule that all cigarette packets be in plain boxes. A French company is suing the Egyption government over loss of profits because the Egyption government have upped the minimum wage.
All this is very very wrong.

Interesting to see what happens here, petra, when we have plain packaging next year.
A Swedish company is suing Germany because they have banned nuclear power.

act.goingtowork.org.uk/page/speakout/how-will-your-mep-vote-on-ttip-

I have always wondered who is in charge of laws.
The smartest lawyers?
This will keep lawyers in business for ever. We, as in the world will need zillions more. Their costs will go skywards.

I do not understand, soon. Can you explain what it has to do with lawyers at the moment.

Ah. Pollaidh's link says that all 28 EU countries have to agree. Unlikely I would have thought. For now .
I dont tend to go too far down the route of ifs and maybes. So that is me out for now.

Do you mean "How do laws come into being?" in general, soontobe ? Or "Who makes sure that everyone is keeping the laws that are there?"

You still haven't explained what it's got to do with lawyers at the moment.

My link was to ask you if you wouldn't mind sending a message to your MEP to ask him or her if he or she would kindly vote against TTIP.
TTIP talks are all in secret. They did not want to tell us what was going on until it had all been signed up to. Cameron wants to sign up to it. Many MEPs do not. If Britain comes out of the EU Britain can sign up to it on her own. But there's no need to bother about it now. Let's just wait and see, shall we?

www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/22/eu-dropped-pesticide-laws-due-to-us-pressure-over-ttip-documents-reveal

This is before TTIP has been agreed. Hopefully it will make those in favour see sense.

"Thank you for your email regarding TTIP.


The TTIP negotiations are still ongoing and they are not expected to be concluded any time soon. Specific discussions between the US and EU on investment protection and ISDS have not even yet started. What is currently on the table is the outline of a proposal for a reformed ISDS from the European Commission. This proposal is currently being scrutinised by the European Parliament.

In June 2015 the European Parliament will vote on a resolution to set out its position on TTIP. While the European Parliament does not have formal powers in the negotiations, it does have the power to veto any trade deal. Expressing our position at this stage can therefore allow us to influence the outcome of the negotiations.


Labour MEPs are supporting an unambiguous amendment to this resolution, calling against the inclusion of ISDS in TTIP.


Labour MEPs have also tabled a series of amendments to call for a full exclusion of public services. We have developed these amendments together with public services users, providers and employees and are confident that the legal language we propose is absolutely watertight.


We have also tabled amendments to defend our standards, notably in terms of regulatory protections for workers, consumers and the environment, as well as food safety.


We have already started to gather support for our position from MEPs from other countries and political groups. You can rest assured that we are doing our utmost to ensure that the European Parliament will defend a strong resolution on TTIP which properly addresses all of the concerns that have been voiced in the public debate."
From a Labour MEP.

38degreee petition, if anyone wants to sign it - it's nearly at 200,000 target.

secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/eu-ttip-petition#petition

www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/corporate-courts----a-big_b_5826490.html

This is about the US, but it applies here as well.

Signed!

Pressure is working on the TTIP, but it needs more, otherwise the government will slide the NHS back in to be privatised.

strongerunions.org/2015/05/29/ttip-european-parliament-fight-moves-on/

I can't remember if I've already signed the 38 Degrees TTIP petition. What happens if you sign it twice - does it automatically get deleted or can it affect the validity of the petition?

I've just tried it, Eloethan and it let me sign it again, then sent an automated email thanking me for signing.

I have signed - what seems ages ago. What happened to the UN thing about human rights etc? Oh and talking about human rights I will get that one up for a comment!