Stop Free Trade Agreements with USA and Canada
„EU Commissioner for Trade, de Gucht, asks for stupefaction of the people and the social democrats deliver. Even with the promises of Minister of Justice, Maas, to prevent chloride chicken and to restrict investor protection, TTIP is crap,“ comments Fabio De Masi, member of GUE/NGL faction in EP for DIE LINKE, on the opening of new negotiations about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in the U.S. as well as the demand of EU Commissioner for Trade, de Gucht, for a stronger promotion of TTIP by German politicians and opinion leaders. De Masi further:
„TTIP remains an assault on democracy. A regulation council shall in future prevent laws, if they don’t suit the corporations. The free trade agreement with Canada (CETA) still includes the right of corporations to sue states before private arbitral tribunals. Due to the Northatlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) US corportations then only need a letterbox in Canada to sue states who make laws in the common interest. A warning letter industry against democracy (litigation finance) by hedge fonds and law offices is looming. Imagine employees suing corporations for lost wages due to the Agenda 2010. This would be a pretty penny.
The anyway modest prognoses for growth and jobs because of TTIP are dubious. The current claim of trade union IG Metall only to agree if the US finally ratify all core working norms of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, is a clear message to the social democrats. Take the last exit and bury TTIP. There is sufficient trade between EU and US already: the highest trade barriers are anyway exchange rate fluctuations. It would be more sensible to regulate the financial markets as well as exchange rate target zones. DIE LINKE demands the immediate stop of negotiations on TTIP and CETA. We need Europe-wide referenda on international treaties like TTIP which threaten our rule of law as well as democracy.“