The European Citizens’ Initiative petition against TTIP and CETA is open until 6 October for signatures. Fewer than 200,000 signatures are needed to reach the 3,000,000 mark. The petition’s main objective is:
“To prevent TTIP and CETA because they include several critical issues such as investor-state dispute settlement and rules on regulatory cooperation that pose a threat to democracy and the rule of law. We want to prevent lowering of standards concerning employment, social, environmental, privacy and consumers and the deregulation of public services (such as water) and cultural assets from being deregulated in non-transparent negotiations. The ECI supports an alternative trade and investment policy in the EU.”
Additionally, UK WILPF is one of more than 150 organisations that signed the ECI’s letter opposing US President Barack Obama’s “fast track” authority over trade negotiations such as TTIP. That authority was granted via an Act passed by the US Congress that included means to block any sanctions on Israel, including existing EU measures relating to illegal settlement produce from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The ECI letter states that, “As organisations opposed to any EU-US trade treaty that does not serve the public interest, we are gravely concerned at the recent introduction of US legislation that seeks to use TTIP to block human rights actions in solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
The full text of the letter is here. You can find out more about TTIP and ways to get involved, including adding your signature to the petition here.