10 reasons why you should be worried about TTIP
Date: 6 June 2014
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY
If agreed, TTIP would give corporations the power to sue governments over decisions that could harm their future profits, undermining democratic decision-making made in the public interest.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO PUBLIC SERVICES
TTIP will create new markets in public services such as health and education, leading to greater liberalisation and privatisation. It would also make it very difficult to bring these services — as well as our energy and water — back under public control or renationalise them.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO FOOD SAFETY
Through a harmonisation of food safety regulation, EU food safety standards would be lowered to US levels. This would remove EU restrictions on genetically modified organisms GMOs), pesticides and hormone-treated beef.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
TTIP would see EU environmental regulations being harmonised and reduced to US levels, allowing a US-style fracking boom in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO THE CLIMATE
With strong investor rights, TTIP would allow corporations to sue governments for bringing in new policies to leave fossil fuels in the ground.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO WORKERS’ RIGHTS
Workers’ rights could be reduced to US standards and businesses could relocate to US states and EU countries with the lowest labour standards.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO PERSONAL PRIVACY
Leaked documents indicate that TTIP could be used to reintroduce central elements of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which was rejected by the European parliament after popular protest. This could force internet providers to spy on their customers.
- TTIP IS A THREAT TO FINANCIAL CONTROL
TTIP is set to remove many of the new financial regulations (such as banking safeguards) have been introduced since 2008 to prevent a future financial crash.
- TTIP IS BEING NEGOTIATED IN SECRET
While corporate lobbyists are playing an integral role in negotiations, the public have been shut out. All negotiators must sign nondisclosure agreements. There is no access to the draft text of the agreement — even for MPs — so most of what we know is from leaked documents.
- TTIP IS A DANGEROUS BLUEPRINT FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD
If TTIP is agreed, countries in the global south will come under huge pressure to apply TTIP standards to avoid losing trade. The business lobby are upfront about their aim of creating ‘global convergence toward EU-US standards’. This would see free trade policies forced on poorer countries, that they have had no part in negotiating.
Photo credits: #3 futureatlas.com / Flickr, #7 Seattle Municipal Archives / Flickr
