EU- US trade deal likely to affect Ireland's ability to pass public health laws
We
believe that public health legislation in Ireland is under serious
threat unless a planned trade agreement between the European Union and
the United States is significantly altered.
believe that public health legislation in Ireland is under serious
threat unless a planned trade agreement between the European Union and
the United States is significantly altered.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, is a
planned trade agreement currently being negotiated by officials from the
United States and the EU, which aims to reduce regulation and stimulate
economic growth.
It could allow multinational companies to sue countries for
introducing public health policies that will reduce the cancer rate and
save lives but hit the commercial bottom line.
It is through similar trade agreements that Australia, the first
country to introduce plain packaging of tobacco, is being sued by
tobacco companies.
planned trade agreement currently being negotiated by officials from the
United States and the EU, which aims to reduce regulation and stimulate
economic growth.
It could allow multinational companies to sue countries for
introducing public health policies that will reduce the cancer rate and
save lives but hit the commercial bottom line.
It is through similar trade agreements that Australia, the first
country to introduce plain packaging of tobacco, is being sued by
tobacco companies.
“Ireland has become a global leader in anti-tobacco initiatives for
example,” said Kathleen O’Meara, Head of Advocacy & Communications.
“This has happened in the face of serious and costly opposition by
global tobacco companies. Right now, our plain packaging of tobacco laws
are being challenged in the domestic courts by tobacco companies. TTIP
could allow such a case to be taken at a three-person investor court
sitting in Washington DC which would not have an appeal mechanism and
would be massively expensive for the State to defend.”
example,” said Kathleen O’Meara, Head of Advocacy & Communications.
“This has happened in the face of serious and costly opposition by
global tobacco companies. Right now, our plain packaging of tobacco laws
are being challenged in the domestic courts by tobacco companies. TTIP
could allow such a case to be taken at a three-person investor court
sitting in Washington DC which would not have an appeal mechanism and
would be massively expensive for the State to defend.”
The Investor State Dispute Settlement, or ISDS, allows companies to
bypass the domestic courts system and sue countries for introducing
polices they believe would be damaging to their business. Tobacco
companies have been using ISDS to block, amend and delay laws which are
being introduced around the world designed to reduce the harm from
smoking.
bypass the domestic courts system and sue countries for introducing
polices they believe would be damaging to their business. Tobacco
companies have been using ISDS to block, amend and delay laws which are
being introduced around the world designed to reduce the harm from
smoking.
This has created a ‘regulatory chill’. New Zealand has stalled
their introduction of plain packaging of tobacco and Uruguay has been
sued by the tobacco industry for damages worth US$2 billion – or 3.6% of
its entire GDP.
