Poland is threatening to block a part of the EU’s trade deal with Canada because of its concerns over a planned mechanism for resolving disputes between governments and multinational companies.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been signed but not ratified and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations are in train. The former faces challenges in securing legislative ratification in the US and some other member states, buts its progress faces widespread, and growing, resistance in key European countries, with opposition coming from both within national bodies politic and wider civil societies. The success of both projects hangs in the balance. This short paper looks at the cases for and against both projects and analyses the political dynamics at play.
New European Union proposals in trade talks with the U.S. are aimed at simplifying technical regulations in the cosmetics, medical devices, cars, chemicals and textiles sectors, the European Commission said.
“Investorenschutz-Regeln haben in TTIP und Ceta nichts verloren”, sagt Professor Gus Van Harten aus Kanada. Der Jurist hat eine Studie vorgelegt, die eindeutig zeigt, dass von solchen ISDS-Regeln in der Vergangenheit vor allem große internationale Konzerne mit Milliarden-Umsätzen profitiert haben. Van Harten hält private Schiedsgerichte im Freihandel für unfair. Das ganze ISDS-System sei reformbedüftigt, sagt er.