Civil society, trade unions, farmers and grassroots activist groups from all over Europe call for a day of action to stop the ongoing TTIP, CETA, TiSA and other free trade negotiations and to promote alternative trade policies, which put peoples rights, democracy and the environment first.
TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) and CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and EU) are the most prominent examples of how trade and investment policies are being negotiated undemocratically and in the sole interest of large corporations. Negotiations are being undertaken in secrecy, with very little information available for public scrutiny, while allowing corporate lobbies increasing influence over them.
Should these agreements go ahead, multinational corporations will have exclusive rights to sue governments before international panels independent from national and European legal systems. They will reduce health and safety standards in a bid for transatlantic harmonization and undermine national and local governments authority to prevent harmful business practices such as fracking or use of GMO’s. They will induce the sell-off of essential public services and force workers and social rights in a race to the bottom.
These policies are closely linked to the ongoing dismantling of social standards and the push for privatization of public services in the name of austerity, crisis-policies and increasing "competitiveness".
The day of action will make our dissent publicly visible in the streets of Europe. We will carry the debate about these policies into the public arena, from which the EU Commission and European governments try to keep it away. And we will promote our alternatives for different economic policies.
We stand in solidarity with citizens and groups around the world who share our concerns for the environment, democracy, human and social rights. TTIP/CETA/TiSA and other similar trade agreements will be stopped by the energy which the citizens of Europe, Canada and the US put into making our voices heard.
We call on organisations, individuals and alliances to participate by organising autonomous decentralized actions across Europe. We welcome diversity of tactics and solidarity actions from across the world that will help inform, engage and mobilise people locally.
We can win this battle. Together, let’s roll back corporate power!
More informations: info@altersummit.eu
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