CPTPP reaction: “MP’s deserve a real democratic say”

Date: 19 February 2024
Campaigns: Trade

In response to the Business and Trade Committee’s CPTPP report, out today,

Cleodie Rickard, trade campaign manager at Global Justice Now said:

We welcome the business and trade committee’s call for MPs to be given the power to properly scrutinise the UK’s accession to the Pacific trade deal. They have highlighted the dangerous lack of transparency and accountability in UK trade agreements, which we’ve long condemned. It is downright scandalous that international agreements with such far-reaching impacts are rushed through with little to no democratic oversight. MPs deserve a real democratic say.

“Among the most worrying parts of the Pacific trade deal are investment protection – or ‘ISDS’ – provisions, which empower foreign investors to challenge our economic and environmental security. As it has already done with Australia and New Zealand, the government must seek separate agreements with all CPTPP member countries to remove these provisions from the deal.”