Brussels – When the controversial EU-US free trade agreement TTIP the new Brussels Commission shall forward the opinion of the European Socialists change course a. The designated EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström had promised to abandon the negotiations on safeguards for the protection of investors. This was announced by the Chairman of the Trade Committee in the European Parliament, Bernd Lange (SPD), with in Brussels.
The so-called mechanisms for resolving conflicts between investors and states (ISDS) in trade agreements are controversial for some time. Opponents warn, companies could bring to the base of ISDS clauses the EU or individual countries to international arbitration. In Germany Federal Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) rejects investment protection rules – including the Free Trade Agreement with Canada Ceta, which is already negotiated finished.
Long said, however: “Malmström is a step in the right direction.” He now expect with confidence the hearing Malmström in Parliament, which is scheduled for this Monday.
Juncker does not want European standards for TTIP sacrifice
The planned TTIP agreements with the economic giants USA is anathema to many critics. They fear the lowering of consumer and environmental protection standards in Europe. The former Commission President José Manuel Barroso had always denied these allegations. The investor protection was, however, already adopted by the EU under public pressure in the negotiations on ice.
The new Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said he was not prepared “to sacrifice on the altar of free trade,” European standards in the field of safety, health, social or Privacy Policy. He will not accept it, “that the jurisdiction of the courts is restricted in the EU Member States by special regulations for investors complaints”. If there are no delays, the new Juncker Commission on November 1, will start work.
The EU and Canada had formally announced until Friday in Ottawa the completion of their free trade negotiations, which lasted five years. The agreement – Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta) – due to come into force in 2016 and has previously not formally approved (ratified) are. Ceta is considered as a blueprint for the far more important TTIP.
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