General Discussion

cali

(114,904 posts) Sat Feb 15, 2014, 04:27 PM Feb 2014

And it's not just the TPP. Talks on the TTIP moving along briskly.

It's clear President Obama doesn't take the "no fast track" block seriously. At all.

By now many of us have heard of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—the massive 12-nation trade deal (“NAFTA on steroids,” critics say) that could undo any number of labor and environmental laws. But while the firestorm over TPP was heating up in Washington, negotiators were hammering out yet another massive trade deal, this time with the European Union. It’s called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and it’s every bit as scary as the Pacific deal, says Cole Stangler at In These Times (Dec. 30, 2013).

Like TPP, TTIP is mostly about bringing regulations between countries more in step. And before you get excited about France’s paid vacation laws, it’s probably going to be more of a race to the bottom. Expect something like American-style GMO laws to show up in Europe and the EU’s infamously wimpy financial regulations on Wall Street. Negotiators are also excited about beefing up “investor-state dispute” laws, which would make it easier for corporations to sue governments over laws they don’t like.

Oh, and you can’t read it. Also like TPP, the EU deal is super-duper secret as officials don’t want pesky public concerns getting in the way of negotiations. They did invite “stakeholders” like unions and green groups to give 10-minute presentations at a meeting in December—but compared to the hundreds of corporate lobbyists negotiators see regularly, “stakeholder” positions on TTIP are probably not a huge priority.

http://www.utne.com/economy/eu-trade-deal-zm0z14mazros.aspx

8 replies

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Highlight:

And it's not just the TPP. Talks on the TTIP moving along briskly. (Original Post) cali Feb 2014 OP

My Input to TPP and TTIP … as a stakeholder Vox Moi Feb 2014 #1

"In These Times" is one fabulous source for Truth. truedelphi Feb 2014 #2

I don't hate all international negotiations; not even all international trade negotiations. pampango Feb 2014 #3

Wrong. OldEurope Feb 2014 #4

A guest, I think on Ed's show, indicated that BO can sign the TPP without fast track authority GoneFishin Feb 2014 #5

Power weaseling is an excellent term. Enthusiast Feb 2014 #6

No wonder he can't work on immigration or jobs. Jakes Progress Feb 2014 #7

K&R woo me with science Feb 2014 #8

Vox Moi

(546 posts)

1. My Input to TPP and TTIP … as a stakeholder

Reply to cali (Original post)

Sat Feb 15, 2014, 04:36 PM

Feb 2014

[link:|

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)

2. "In These Times" is one fabulous source for Truth.

Reply to cali (Original post)

Sat Feb 15, 2014, 05:04 PM

Feb 2014

Thanks for posting this.

pampango

(24,692 posts)

3. I don't hate all international negotiations; not even all international trade negotiations.

Reply to cali (Original post)

Sat Feb 15, 2014, 05:49 PM

Feb 2014

Like TPP, TTIP is mostly about bringing regulations between countries more in step.

That is a good thing as long as the agreed-upon regulations represent a high standard such as EU countries adopted for trade with each other.

International negotiations are the best way to resolve global issues rather than countries (like the US) going all "cowboy diplomacy" and acting unilaterally all the time. "You play by my rules or there is no game."

While negotiations are a good thing the outcome can be good or bad depending on the specifics of the eventual agreement, if one is reached.

And before you get excited about France’s paid vacation laws, it’s probably going to be more of a race to the bottom.

"Probably" is a fair assessment. (The author to not say "certainly.&quot My opinion is that any TTIP agreement that a French or German politician presents to his/her citizens, and who hopes to get re-elected, is probably on safer ground if it does not stray too far from the laws and regulations that folks have fought for.

And one could certainly argue that the possibility of adopting common European-like standards in these negotiations is preferable to the certainty of a continuation of WTO policies that have brought us to this point.

OldEurope

(1,273 posts)

4. Wrong.

Reply to pampango (Reply #3)

Sat Feb 15, 2014, 07:23 PM

Feb 2014

Problem with Europe is: Those negotiations are between your government and the EU Commission. The Commisson is not elected at all. European governments place their persons there and they have a lot of power. But no control. There is an European Parliament, but it has hardly any control over what the commission does. So Europeans have no knowledge about that secretely negotiated TTIP. There are actions against that agreement and the media in Europe are well aware (at least my favourite newspaper is).

We are afraid of international corporations sueing our communities for not allowing fracking. Or GMOs. Or not privatizing water supply. You spy on us and think it is perfectly ok. We are afraid of you.

GoneFishin

(5,217 posts)

5. A guest, I think on Ed's show, indicated that BO can sign the TPP without fast track authority

Reply to cali (Original post)

Sat Feb 15, 2014, 07:25 PM

Feb 2014

if the eventual authority is made retroactive when it is passed.

This is a scary proposition in my mind because this kind of weaseling is particularly effective on legislators who are prone to playing both sides, and always looking for a way to dodge accountability.

Faced with a sort of fait accompli reasoning they can shrug their shoulders, go along with the president, and say the reputation of the country is at stake if they don't.

This is power weaseling at it's worst.