Verbraucherschutz ade?

GERMANY | 04-06-2014 | Federal Government has no interest in transparent negotiations on the free trade agreement with Canada and the United States. Left faction rejects plans further.

The federal government is coming under increasing pressure. So criticism of the so-called free trade agreements will increasingly loud, currently ausgedealt behind closed doors between the European Union on the one hand and Canada and the United States on the other side. Although few details of the secret negotiations have so far been made public, still prevails in the population rejection. The citizens of the Federal Republic are primarily driven by the concern that it might come under the said agreement to massive deterioration of consumer protection and the social and labor rights. At a hearing in Bundestagsauschuß for food and agriculture to the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada called CETA on Monday experts read the coalition parties, the Levites.

The Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND) warned about over a reduction in current EU standards for environmental and animal welfare. So the applicable regulations in Canada are not only in these two areas was significantly weaker than the European, but this also applies to the existing EU laws on food labeling, or as the approval of hormone-treated and genetically modified foods.

The legal scholar Peter-Tobias Stoll of the University of Göttingen complained at the hearing that even experts received little insight into the current state of negotiations. He called on the federal government to provide „the Bundestag with information.“ For this purpose, it is „required by law“. There was „no consolidated basis, which enables to form an opinion,“ also criticized Frank Schmidt-Hullmann from the Industrial Union Construction, Agriculture and Environment (IG BAU). There are hardly any reliable draft texts known that would allow an evaluation of the negotiation status.

To reject the proposed agreement has also attracted Karin Binder, the food policy spokesperson of the Left Party. „CETA is a blueprint for the free trade agreement with the US, which is also currently negotiating,“ stated Member of Parliament. The Left Party was sticking to its position and reject both the trade agreement with Canada and the „Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership“ (TTIP), presented binder clear.

Both agreements were intended eventually to put corporate interests over the democratic decision-making structures and the interests of the people. How should companies can take the future even influence bills before the parliaments will ever dealt with it, further criticized the MPs. It should also be provided that secret tribunals could sue governments for compensation if the rules for higher social and environmental standards would reduce the profits of the company.

Federal Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) had „declared transparency of TTIP negotiations“ to the „key question for the conclusion of the FTA,“ stated binder group colleague Klaus Ernst recently. „His trite words can save the German Economics Minister, if he is not able to make to prevail at EU level,“ said Ernst.

Gabriel now seem to be a consequence of the increasingly vociferous criticism from the Left Party, environmental and Verbaucherschutzorganisationen turned with a letter to all members of parliament. Currently, would „intense discussion on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – in the population as well as in the media, in the parties as well as in business associations and trade unions,“ says the agf this letter. „Regardless of how one is to TTIP: We all should be interested in a broad and open debate on this important subject have,“ said Gabriel. Run by his Ministry has therefore published a brochure eingehe to frequently asked questions. „Of course, some of the answers will provoke opposition – which is in the nature of things. But dispute on the basis of facts is always better than a debate based on prejudice, „Gabriel notes succinctly. Why is he doing at EU level is not offensive for transparent negotiations strong is his secret.

Markus Bernhardt