(TPP) Transparency

http://watchingamerica.com/News/239463/transparency/

Transparency
El Pais, Spain
By Joan Boada I. Masoliver
Translated By Sean P. Hunter
21 May 2014
Edited by Bora Mici

A few days after the European elections, and without a very promising turnout, I would like to put my two cents in and explain to the citizenry a subject of which little has been spoken but that can help make one aware of the importance of participating in elections. It's about the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union and the U.S. that is developing among secrecy worthy of the Vatican. In June 2013, the negotiations began; this week, the fifth round started between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Commission, a non-elected organization that negotiates behind the Parliament's back.

No unions, ecological organizations, consumer groups or governments of member states participated in this negotiation. However, according to Ecologists in Action, of the 130 previous negotiation meetings, 113 have been with lobbyist groups from the automotive, pharmaceutical and agribusiness industries, among others. In fact, on the European side, the meetings are run by Karel de Gucht, a trade commissioner who is being investigated for defrauding 900,000 euros from Belgian tax authorities. All a guarantee of transparency!

The question is: What objective does this treaty have? According to its supporters, it will improve employment and economic growth. It will create the world's biggest free trade zone, which will represent almost half of the global gross domestic product and will be composed of 800 million consumers, not citizens. They confirm 2 million jobs. How do they intend to do it? By means of a reduction in environmental, social and labor standards and by increasing the privileges of corporations, so they can continue doing business and enter into the public sector: that is to say, increasing their wealth by deregulating.

~snip~

Ultimately, it is about an accord that places the interests of multinational corporations before the rights of the citizenry, and it is developing without publicity, transparency or democratic control. This lack of transparency also carries over to Spain since the ATCI has not been brought up in the campaigns of the large parties or in the mainstream media.