Thursday 8 May 2014

The TTIP threat to public services and labour rights

The TTIP (Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership) is slowly emerging as an issue in the Euro elections although public awareness remains low.  It is one of those extremely important issues where debate is limited by a combination of complexity and opaqueness.

This hustings should help shed light on the issue:

Take Back the Power
Global Justice and the European Elections

Monday 19 May, 7pm 
Small Hall, Friends Meeting House, 173-177 Euston Rd,

Come and meet your MEP candidates and question them on their commitment to trade justice.

•        Jean Lambert, Green Party
•        Jonathan Fryer, Liberal Democrats
•        Seb Dance, Labour Party
•        Glyn Chambers, Conservative Party
•        Tbc, UKIP (invited)

Chair: John Hilary, Executive Director, War on Want 

On Thursday 22nd May, we will be voting for candidates to represent us in the European Parliament. Europe takes decisions on important global issues, including trade.

A major trade deal - the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) - is currently being negotiated between the USA and the EU. New corporate trade deals like this threaten to increase global inequality, undermine democracy and hand public service provision to multinational companies. 

•        What effect will this deal have on our lives here in the UK? 

•        How can we ensure that this deal prioritises human rights, environmental protection and labour standards?

•        How can we ensure transparency and accountability in the negotiation of these deals?

Meet your European Parliamentary election candidates and hear what they have to say on these issues and what they will do to address them, if elected on 22 May.

Organised by North and East London World Development Movement
Join the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/655635101157740
Contact nandelondonwdm@gmail.com to find out more
Web: www.groups.wdm.org.uk/northandeastlondon

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the  South East published a detailed report on the TTIP two months ago and I include it here for readers:


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

38 Degrees petition here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-all-health-service-provision-exempt-from-us-eu-free-trade-agreement

Anonymous said...

Is it just me or does anyone else see the parallel with the ex-Culture Secretary, Maria Miller's fiddling of expenses?

However, whilst both Maria Miller & Cara Davani were ordered to pay back monies fiddled, the former apologised (albeit begrudgingly) AND resigned! I've read Brent's audit report a number of times now (see Martin Francis' linked blog 08/05/14 for redacted report), and there's no whiff of an apology there from Cara Davani....the arrogance of the woman!

Well, perhaps we can keep our fingers crossed for a resignation, BEFORE the local elections! Anyone think Cara Davani has enough emotional intelligence to concede as Maria Miller did in her resignation letter to Mr Cameron...(this controversy)... "has become a distraction from the vital work this Government is doing?"
Do the honourable thing Ms Davani and resign!

World Innovation Foundation Blog said...

Never believe a politician they say and this is very true here. What is to stop them adding the NHS at any time? Just look at Canada for a single example of what happens and where they are being sued for $250 million by an American Multinational because they are not allowing Fracking to go forward just for the time being. Are we all mad including our politicians to see what flood gates the taxpayer will be open for?

This TTIP has to be stopped. For once it is signed it is forever and where corporate
and political power together knows no bounds as history has clearly shown with
wars and human suffering.

With a 30-year moratorium on the release of any of the documents, the TTIP
stinks from the very start. For if everything was above board, why 30-years and
where there is certainly something very sinister about this secretive trade
deal.

http://worldinnovationfoundation.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/the-ttip-transatlantic-trade-and.html