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News / 29 September 2015

Sound the alarm against TTIP on 10-10!

On 10 October, we’ll sound the alarm against TTIP: the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. For years, the EU and the USA have negotiated behind closed doors to define the rules of the game for this bilateral treaty. Yet, it has only been a year since the Dutch are getting to know the consequences of TTIP.

 

TTIP means the disruption of existing regulation for the environment, labour and safety. Moreover, the promised economic growth is an illusion. Those are the clear-cut conclusions of various scientific studies.

Both ENDS also worries about the impacts of TTIP on developing countries, which risk being outcompeted by the two economic superpowers. Hence, it is high time that we blow the whistle and explain crystal clear why the whole world should worry about treaties such as TTIP. And what better stage to do this than in the TTIP-free municipality of Amsterdam.

ISDS and the race to the bottom

There is a lot of resistance in Europe against the so-called ‘Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement’ mechanism (ISDS), which enables foreign companies to sue governments if they introduce policies that harm their business (read: expected profits). This means that – if a government adapts the regulation for labour, environment or safety – countries risk a sky-high fine ordered by the court as compensation for the foreign investors. In order to avoid such court cases, governments will adjust their laws and regulation as little as possible. Even if this means that their citizens and the environment will be worse off.

 

Raise your voice in favour of democracy!

On 10 October, you can raise your voice and get to know about the details and potential impacts of this treaty. In addition to the controversial ISDS mechanism, TTIP conceals a number of other traps. After the protest march through the city, there will be a variety of lectures and workshops, in which anyone can shed his or her light on the topic. Thus, come join us to sound the alarm against TTIP at the Jonas Daniel Meijer Plein (Amsterdam) on 10 October at 13:00.

 

Get informed

There is ample information available on TTIP and ISDS. Here’s a selection:

- The TTIP-alarm Facebookpage

- Stop TTIP! website Both ENDS, TNI, Milieudefensie, SOMO, Greenpeace, WILPF Nederland, Partij voor de Dieren, Aarde-Boer-Consument Platform, Foodwatch, GroenLinks, FNV, SP, Internationale Socialisten, Wemos, Vrijschrift

- EU proposal for investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in TTIP does not hit the heart of the ISDS-problem (24 September 2015), Both ENDS

- What do bilateral investment treaties actually offer us? (21 September 2015), Both ENDS

 

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