Since mid 2013 secret negotiations are held between the EU and the USA about an agreement on free trade and investment partnership (Transatlantic Trade and Investor Partnership, TTIP).
This agreement is said to boost the economy, to create jobs, to increase income.
Again, this is a lie!!!
The effect on GDP is best case marginal, 0.5% growth in 10 years. That makes 0.05% per year.
Average income for a household of 4 is expected to rise by 455 € in 10 years. Average? If it is 910 for one and 0 for another, it is still 455 average.
Social and environmental standards
Only a small number of barriers to free trade are not related to tariffs. The TTIP negotiations are focussed mainly on non tariff barriers (NTB). What are these NTB’s? Well, it is simply the harmonisation of standards. Social standards, environmental standards, workers rights and technical standards. One can easily imagine where this harmonisation will lead to. Yes, you got it. US standards will be introduced to the EU. Except the standards for the financial system which is more regulated in the US compared to the EU. The financial industry, the City of London in the first place, will use all its power to prevent any further regulation of this industry.
Secret negotiations
The whole process of negotiations is secret. EU parliament has almost no control, documents in possession of parliamentarians must not be disclosed to the public.
Secret tribunals
Any legal dispute will be settled by a secret arbitral tribunal, outside national or European jurisdiction. Corporates can sue any member state for compensation of reduced profit in case of new, more restrictive, laws. Rulings of these tribunals are final, without any possibility to appeal and without any democratic control.
EU propaganda
The EU commission had asked national governments to instruct their leading media to report only on positive aspects of TTIP.
My opinion
I am not opposed to free trade itself and if we can boost trade by reducing tariff barriers - I am ok with this. If they want to boost trade by taking away achievements our parents and grand parents have been fighting for since almost 200 years - I say no!
I am strongly opposed to the secrecy of those negotiations. I am opposed to secret tribunals, I am opposed to the take over of our democracies by the big corporates. I shall use all available, non violent means to defend our freedom.