NO TTIP -- bilaterals.org | TTIP: Un ataque a la democracia y al derecho a decidir
TTIP: An attack on democracy and the right to decide
TTIP: An attack on democracy and the right to decide
Jesus Gellida Albiol - Rebellion, 12/02/14
This agreement is known as TTIP for its acronym in English, but what is the TTIP? Who is behind its negotiation? Why do you want to implement? And how affects each one of us?
THE TTIP aims to become a comprehensive treaty between the US and the EU.
The negotiating parties are the European Commission (on behalf of the
Member States of the European Union) and the government of the United
States.
These negotiations seek to facilitate free trade and direct investment
by eliminating unnecessary regulatory barriers and supposedly the
downward harmonization of regulations through the Regulatory Cooperation
Council in order to foster market entry of multinational companies on
both sides of Atlantic in very favorable to their interests conditions.
Since the beginning of the converts negotiations have been kept secret
by the opacity and lack of democratic procedures identity signals
thereof.
There are no mechanisms to facilitate the information on the Treaty and
negotiations are conducted between the parties and, therefore, the
public does not know where is this Treaty or how it will affect their
lives.
Instead multinational corporations if they have access to information
while pressed through lobbies (1) to influence negotiations and thus
secure favorable to their private interests.
Therefore, it is working for a deregulation or favorable to the
interests of large corporations so the new regulation is to approve as
arbitration mechanisms between the warring parties that want to impose
unilateral regulation.
All information that appear in the TTIP thanks to some leaks suggest
that the objectives of the agreement threatens important social, labor,
environmental and democratic rights acquired long and hard social
struggles. A treaty that with the current view of intellectual property rights only favors monopolies.
This would be very adverse consequences for the majority of the
population of the EU, the US and around the world since there would be
an equalization downward different regulations due to pressure from
multinationals which could even negotiate with states labor market
reforms - increasingly flexible -.
Would thus endanger workers' rights, public services, health,
education, nutrition (2), energy and the environment, in a race to
equalize rights and labor and environmental standards down.
But these types of agreements are nothing new since decades imposed on
different parts of the world and are a clear example of whom favor.
This applies, for example, the NAFTA (free trade between Mexico, USA
and Canada) with very negative consequences for most people because what
is prized above all are the interests of large corporations
multinationals.
There are many more regional or bilateral treaties between the US and
other countries or between the EU and other countries that they promote
to promote trade liberalization and the implementation of a series of
unfavorable regulations for stocks especially in poor countries and with
little bargaining power (3).
But back to TTIP, this agreement also incorporate a mechanism for
dispute settlement between states and the Investors (large multinational
corporations).
This arbitration mechanism known as ISDS is out of national courts and
establishes the possibility that multinationals demand in the United if
they feel that they take a decision that violates his and / or future
interests involved.
A perverse mechanism for resolving conflicts between state-investor as
it is biased in favor of corporate interests and against the public
interest.
The TTIP is one of the greatest threats to the sovereignty, democracy
and the right to decide on public matters as how we said this treaty
articulated mechanisms for companies to impose their interests against
those of the vast majority population.
It is also necessary to refer to that last May 6th Congress of Deputies
CiU (4) joined the PP, PSOE and UPyD to vote against holding a
referendum on the TTIP. Where is, therefore, the right to decide how much flying CiU according to what ?.
Finally, to stop this attack on democracy and rights of people and the
environment must be overcome first media invisible to most people know
where is the TTIP and how can affect.
Through the campaign not to TTIP can raise awareness about this Treaty
and possible responses to it: demonstrations, petition, protest actions
and complaints, etc.
All to articulate a massive response to demand transparency in
negotiations and that any agreement that people take stands, social and
labor rights and the planet to corporate interests. An alternative is the proposal of the Alliance for Alternative Trade Mandate for.
Notes:
(1) 93% of the preparatory meetings for negotiations with TTIP were lobbies.
(2) agribusiness firms want to leverage the TTIP to impose further GMOs.
(3) You can find more information on the Free Trade campaign Setem respect http://www.setem.org/site/es/notlc
(4) To further see the article "PP, PSOE, CiU and UPyD together in
favor of a secretly negotiated between the EU and the United States
treaty."
