again: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP

FIRST LISTEN THIS: TTIP, A Wolf In Sheeps Clothing, 49.07 min, uploaded by R.A.W.W. – Raising Awareness World Wide, August 29, 2014: Alarm bells on ISDS are ringing this loud for a reason: ISDS allows foreign firms to bypass domestic courts and sue governments  …;

Free Trade Faults: Europeans Fear Wave of Litigation from US Firms – Published on Spiegel Online International, by Christoph Pauly, Jan 26, 2015:  

With broad public resistance and a European Parliament majority against it, EU officials are rethinking their positions on the proposed free-trade agreement with Washington. Many fear investor protection rules will wreak havoc on national laws. When Bernd Lange talks about the advantages of a free trade agreement with the US, he often cites the example of the VW bus. The hippy favorite has been the target of a 25 percent tariff since 1964, a punitive move after the European Economic Community raised levies on imported chicken, shutting the Americans out of the market. Sales have been hampered for decades as a result. But if the levy were significantly reduced, its price tag would plunge … //

… Concerns Justified: … //
… Countries Practically Kneel Down Before Us: … //

… Law of the Strongest:

  • So far, companies have largely focused their sights on developing nations, which are forced to accept these kinds of provisions just to be granted the right to export to rich countries. « Investor protection is traditionally a law of the strongest, » says Natacha Cingotti of the non-governmental organization Friends of the Earth. In Central America, the mere threat of expensive proceedings by the Americans has often been enough for them to get what they want.
  • That’s not always the case though. Six years ago, the Australians prevailed in removing provisions for investor protection in a trade agreement reached with the US. Now TTIP opponents in the European Parliament argue that Brussels must take its cue in negotiations from the Australian government’s success. « ACTA showed that things can move very quickly, » says Ska Keller, the Green Party’s trade policy spokeswoman. Two years ago, a few mass protests proved sufficient to doom the anti-counterfeiting deal in European Parliament.
  • Critics of TTIP are united in their opposition to special rights for investors. A handful of Democratic members of Congress has even called on Obama to exclude the controversial rules from negotiations. Their calls are backed by Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO union.
  • German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel has proposed the creation of an International Trade Court to arbitrate conflicts as an alternative. Even EU Commissioner Malmström says « that would be the best solution. » But, she adds, it is unlikely this will happen given that the idea has been discussed for years within framework of multi-national trade talks without bearing any fruit.
  • Nevertheless, perhaps the US and Europe could agree on a common public court for their conflicts. Doing so would not only create a new global standard for trade conflicts. It might also make people less averse to the idea of investor protections.

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