International

The Commission has opened a website on which we can all give our opinion of the treaty – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) which European Commissioner for Trade Karel de Gucht is currently negotiating with the US. In particular, consultations will focus on the way in which corporate investments will be protected. I’ve taken a look at the site: on each question you get a long screed explaining how good all of the proposals are, and only then can you react. To call this manipulation is to put it mildly. De Gucht thinks that he can keep things cool until after the elections then get back down to it afterwards. The SP is completely opposed to this treaty, consultations or no consultations.

What are they thinking of? There are already 2,700 laws which we in Europe have adopted in order to give major corporations a clear run at the EU’s internal market. Now De Gucht wants to see a similar market with the US, and indirectly with those countries which also have trade agreements with the US, such as Canada, Mexico and Australia. A fine things for the big firms which as a result would face the same laws and regulations throughout, but yet more inroads into the public’s influence. This isn’t about matters of little importance, moreover, but food safety, dangerous substances, pharmaceuticals, consumer rights, social rights, public services – the list is endless.

At least as dangerous is the stipulation that corporations have the right to summon member states before an arbitration committee if they believe that their investments are put at risk by fresh national regulations. Originally this was limited to actual expropriation, but now we see in different parts of the world hearings involving environmental laws and, for example, legislation aimed at discouraging smoking. This is precisely what the consultations are about. There are rumours that the European Commission wants to see this section removed from the treaty, but when I read the questions on the new website , it seems that Brussels is looking first to brainwash everyone who wants to answer.

You can find the Commission’s question at http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ttip/. It’s not easy to follow, but is does show precisely how the European Commission manages the public. It doesn’t listen, but broadcasts, and it does this in order to push through its own agenda. And all of this under the guise of consultations.

The actual reason for the consultations is therefore not that the Commission is interested in your opinion or mine. The entire round of consultations has been set up as a result of the social protests which have to date been aimed at the provisions for protection of investments. As for other aspects, such as the harmonisation of US and EU rules and laws, these are emphatically not on the agenda of the consultations. De Gucht hopes to silence social protest. After the European elections he can then go calmly on with the talks. It seems to me that the European public has been seriously underestimated. They will no longer allow themselves to be manipulated by Brussels. The SP’s view is that we must once again say no to Brussels, beginning with a powerful no to the TTIP. We must not allow our national democracy to be eroded further, and absolutely not by De Gucht and his American friends.