Hi all
Please could people sign the letter below to your MP opposing CETA.
CETA is a major new business deal that was negotiated in secret between
the EU and Canada over five years from 2009 to 2014. It stands for the
Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement.
As you no doubt know CETA is TTIP by the back door and will threaten our
legislative processes and regulatory standards and everything from
environmental protection, public services, and labour rights to consumer
safety laws and food standards – thereby inhibiting the government from acting in the public interest for 20 years even after leaving Europe.
environmental protection, public services, and labour rights to consumer
safety laws and food standards – thereby inhibiting the government from acting in the public interest for 20 years even after leaving Europe.
Would you get behind our campaign to send a letter to MPs re the
imminent
voting of CETA in the Council of Europe on Oct 18th and its signing at a
EU-Canda summit on Oct 27th . Please write to your MP and pass on to other
lists that campaign on issues will be affected by CETA such as environment, democracy food and health standards, public services etc and ask them to write to their MP.
voting of CETA in the Council of Europe on Oct 18th and its signing at a
EU-Canda summit on Oct 27th . Please write to your MP and pass on to other
lists that campaign on issues will be affected by CETA such as environment, democracy food and health standards, public services etc and ask them to write to their MP.
Many thanks
Haringey Unite Community
Dear MP
The trade deal CETA is about to be voted on
in the Council of Europe in Luxembourg on Oct18th and if agreed, signed on Oct
27th at the summit between the EU and Canada. At present the UK government
supports CETA.
CETA is a major new
business deal that was negotiated in secret between the EU and Canada over five
years from 2009 to 2014. It stands for the Comprehensive
Economic Trade Agreement and it represents one of the ‘new generation’
of trade treaties on behalf of big business that are set to undermine our
democracy and destroy our basic rights. CETA will lead
not just to economic losses but also to rising unemployment and inequality,
with negative implications for social cohesion in an already complex and
volatile political context according to the most up to date assessment [1A]
The UK will be subject to the provisions of CETA whatever our
relation with the EU until we formally leave. The referendum last June indicated that the British people
certainly did not expect Brexit to mean continuing EU control over our
legislative process for a further 20 years. Yet due to Article 30.9 of CETA (the
stabilisation or sunset clause) "in the event that this Agreement is
terminated, the provisions of
Chapter Eight (Investment) shall continue to be effective for a period of 20
years after the date of termination of this Agreement
in respect of investments made before that date", it means
that everything from
environmental protection, public services, and
labour rights to consumer safety laws and food standards could be under
threat - thereby inhibiting the government from
acting in the public interest for 20 years. So while the PM is trying to take
back control of UK borders at some cost to the economy she is at the same time throwing
away control of our legislative processes and regulatory procedures with
negligible economic benefits to the UK. CETA is designed to protect the interests of corporations at the expense
of ordinary people - to benefit the few at the expense of the many, quite contrary
to the Prime Ministers new agenda.
I am very concerned there has been no debate
either in Parliament or in the media despite the imminence of the vote and widespread
opposition in Europe and the UK.
Could you therefore please ask the following
question at Prime Ministers Question time preferably on Oct12th or raise the
issue via some other House of Commons procedure.
"Given the fact that
CETA (the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between the EU
and Canada) is about to be agreed
on Oct18th and signed on Oct 27th can the Prime Minister ensure there will be a
debate on CETA in Parliament as a matter of urgency?
In the meantime until Parliament has a chance to debate CETA could she agree the UK government will neither sign
up nor authorise ‘provisional application’ of the Comprehensive Economic Trade
Agreement (CETA)"
OPPOSITION IN EUROPE AND UK
CETA has
caused widespread opposition throughout Europe. The Dutch and Irish parliaments
have passed a motion rejecting
provisional application of CETA. Austrian Vice Chancellor Kern has spoken
against it and the government has been shaken by a split. Luxembourg and Belgium have said they will
vote against CETA or abstain. Bulgaria and Romania have issues over visas and
will refuse to sign unless addressed. Both the TUC in the UK and trade-unions
throughout Europe are opposed. There is a legal lawsuit being brought at the
Federal Constitutional court in Germany and a legal challenge to ICS may be
brought at the European Court of Justice.
Over 3
million Europeans voted against TTIP and CETA in the European Citizens
Initiative of which 500.000 were from the UK. In addition there was a public
consultation by the European Commission on Investor State Dispute Settlement
(ISDS) which was opposed by 97% of respondents.(The Investor Court system is
only different from ISDS in respect of procedure. In essence it is the same -
see below 10, 11)
Below is further information
about CETA and ICS from a number of organisations
Yours Sincerely
[1A] The most recent study of the Economic Impact of CETA on the EU
http://www.ase.tufts.edu/gdae/policy_research/ceta_simulations.html
[1B] Current status of CETA & how it affects the UK after Brexit
http://arstechnica.co.uk/tech-policy/2016/07/ceta-eu-mixity-details-analysis/
[1] War on Want: What is CETA?
http://waronwant.org/what-ceta
Here’s another good guide to what’s in CETA:
Global Justice Now: What is CETA?
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/what-ceta
[2] Politics: The Canadian trade deal which will let in TTIP by the back door:
http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2016/09/01/canadian-trade-deal-will-let-in-ttip-by-the-back-door
[3] This article from the Financial Times is behind a paywall.
“European and Canadian authorities are aiming to ratify the CETA at talks in Brussels next month but political resistance in Austria and Belgium presents a fresh threat to the pact as it cannot come into force without unanimous support from all 28 EU member states. The leadership of the Austrian government is divided on CETA.”
https://www.ft.com/content/caa1f46d-7792-3c24-90aa-d0e9c7d248d1
[4] Politico: Europe nears trade deal with Canada:
http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-nears-trade-deal-with-canada-keeps-ttip-on-life-support-ceta-europe/
[5] This article from Politico is behind a paywall.
Junior economy Minister Harald Mahrer: “We expect that this declaration will be finished by next week”
http://www.politico.eu/pro/austria-to-agree-on-canada-deal-within-next-few-days/
[6] Global Justice Now: CETA: TTIP’s little brother A guide to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada:
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/resources/ceta-ttip-little-brother-global-justice-now.pdf
[7] This blog gives a good outline on why CETA will weaken our regulations, protections and increase privatisation:
Citizen Action Monitor: CETA: What it is and why it’s bad for Canada:
https://citizenactionmonitor.wordpress.com/2013/10/26/ceta-what-it-is-and-why-its-bad-for-canada/
This article discusses how dangerous CETA is because 80% of US companies have subsidiaries in Canada:
Public Citizen: Tens of Thousands of U.S. Firms Would Obtain New Powers to Launch Investor-State Attacks against European Policies via CETA and TTIP:
https://www.citizen.org/documents/EU-ISDS-liability.pdf
Here’s the story about the EU asking Canada to re-work some of CETA:
CBC: EU quietly asks Canada to rework trade deal's thorny investment clause:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-europe-trade-isds-ceta-1.3412943
[8] 38 Degrees: DIY Brexit results, trade section:
http://diybrexit.38degrees.org.uk/
[9] 38 Degrees: 6 things you need to know about CETA
https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/607
http://waronwant.org/what-ceta
Here’s another good guide to what’s in CETA:
Global Justice Now: What is CETA?
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/what-ceta
[2] Politics: The Canadian trade deal which will let in TTIP by the back door:
http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2016/09/01/canadian-trade-deal-will-let-in-ttip-by-the-back-door
[3] This article from the Financial Times is behind a paywall.
“European and Canadian authorities are aiming to ratify the CETA at talks in Brussels next month but political resistance in Austria and Belgium presents a fresh threat to the pact as it cannot come into force without unanimous support from all 28 EU member states. The leadership of the Austrian government is divided on CETA.”
https://www.ft.com/content/caa1f46d-7792-3c24-90aa-d0e9c7d248d1
[4] Politico: Europe nears trade deal with Canada:
http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-nears-trade-deal-with-canada-keeps-ttip-on-life-support-ceta-europe/
[5] This article from Politico is behind a paywall.
Junior economy Minister Harald Mahrer: “We expect that this declaration will be finished by next week”
http://www.politico.eu/pro/austria-to-agree-on-canada-deal-within-next-few-days/
[6] Global Justice Now: CETA: TTIP’s little brother A guide to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada:
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/resources/ceta-ttip-little-brother-global-justice-now.pdf
[7] This blog gives a good outline on why CETA will weaken our regulations, protections and increase privatisation:
Citizen Action Monitor: CETA: What it is and why it’s bad for Canada:
https://citizenactionmonitor.wordpress.com/2013/10/26/ceta-what-it-is-and-why-its-bad-for-canada/
This article discusses how dangerous CETA is because 80% of US companies have subsidiaries in Canada:
Public Citizen: Tens of Thousands of U.S. Firms Would Obtain New Powers to Launch Investor-State Attacks against European Policies via CETA and TTIP:
https://www.citizen.org/documents/EU-ISDS-liability.pdf
Here’s the story about the EU asking Canada to re-work some of CETA:
CBC: EU quietly asks Canada to rework trade deal's thorny investment clause:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-europe-trade-isds-ceta-1.3412943
[8] 38 Degrees: DIY Brexit results, trade section:
http://diybrexit.38degrees.org.uk/
[9] 38 Degrees: 6 things you need to know about CETA
https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/607
[10] Legal briefing
EP Legal Service Opinion on ICS in CETA by Client earth
[11] ISDS Rebranded
as ICS, rights for
corporations to sue states refuse to die. by Corporate Europe Observatory
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