Today 14th April is a big TTIP day in Europe. In the Parliament you can follow the debate live here.
Here are the amendments being voted on.
Politicians of all hues are suggesting amendments. Ag will feature at 15.00 CET. Here is the debate sequence for today:
ENVI: Tuesday 14th April, 09:00 AM
CULT: Thursday 16th April, 09:00 AM
JURI: Thursday 16th April, 10:00 AM
AFCO: Thursday 16th April, 10:00 AM
PETI: Thursday 16th April, 10:00 AM
AGRI Tuesday 14th April, 15:00 PM
Also today TTIP-related events
1: Sharon Anglin Treat (Maine Citizen Trade Policy Commission) at 12.30 CET Parliament presentation.
Treat will focus on:
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2. CETA and TTIP – A Lobby-Wonderland for Industry and Business?
AK EUROPA, the ÖGB Europabüro, Friends of the Earth Europe, Lobby Control and Corporate Europe Observatory panel debate.
Unveiling the mystery of ISDS: Is ISDS really a Trojan horse?
Pro-ISDS lobby group EFILA and conservative MEPs Christofer Fjellner and Danuta Hübner Conference in the European Parliament on ISDS and TTIP.
And tomorrow, Wednesday 15th – another pro-TTIP business event!
3. A group calling itself ‘Friends of TTIP’ from the European People’s Party, sponsored by Damiler, are holding a pro-TTIP breakfast. This will assess the “successful implementation of Regulatory cooperation” and will be hosted by Daniel Caspary of the EPP.
Speakers include:
- Ignacio Garcia-Bercero, EU Chief Negotiator of TTIP, DG Trade
- Elena Bryan, Senior Trade Representative of the United States Mission to the EU
- Jochen Feese, Head of Accident Research, Sensor Functions, Pedestrian Protection, Mercedes-Benz
Cars - Monique Goyens, Director-General BEUC
Brussels.
New publication: Lawyers subverting the public interest. Lobby group EFILA’s stake in investment arbitration
In response to the formation of the aforementioned new pro TTIP group EFILA, Friends of the Earth Europe, CEO and TNI have released this briefing. This briefing “exposes how EFILA represents an attempt by the arbitration industry to fend off much-needed reforms in order to protect a highly lucrative business” according to TNI.
TNI add:
While EFILA’s stated aim is to “foster an objective debate” around ISDS, the law firms that founded it and the individuals on EFILA’s boards have clear vested interests in the current investment arbitration systems leading to serious doubts that its policy recommendations will be little more than pro-arbitration industry propaganda.
EFILA seems to be an exemplary case of a special interest group, trying to protect and expand a system highly beneficial to its members at the expense of the general public. A broad group of public interest advocates, ranging from consumer organisations and trade unions to environmental NGOs and public health groups, have spoken out against ISDS. Businesses, governments and academics, too, have called for the exclusion of ISDS from TTIP. EFILA’s position thus seems to solely represent the interests of the investment arbitration industry” they conclude.
Background
Background reading on today’s activities from Green MEP Molly Scott Cato is here
Background from IATP and Sharon Treat
2014 Maine Citizen Trade Policy Commission TRADE POLICY ASSESSMENT: Maine Agriculture and Food Systems in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, Karen Hansen-Kuhn, IATP and John Piotti, Maine Farmland Trust (July 2014):
CIEL report on regulatory cooperation and pesticides (January 2015)
IATP analysis of the SPS chapter and regulatory cooperation, Dr. Steve Suppan (February 2015)
PRICING THE PRICELESS: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Environmental Protection, Heinzerling & Ackerman, Georgetown University Law Center (2002)
Get involved
Global Day of Action TTIP Saturday 18th April.
IATP take a picture initiative on the TTIP Global Day of Action
