AIBU to think that we should all be complaining to our MEPs before the TTIP becomes a done deal?

[sconequeen]

The more I find out about TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) proposals, the more worried I get. It could potentially have such a huge adverse effect on our public services, food safety, farm animal welfare, ability to refuse GM foods, etc. AIBU to think that the negotiations should not be going on behind closed doors, that the proposals under discussion are undemocratic, and that we should all be telling our MEPs that we don't want this?

I agree absolutely. It's a terrifying agreement that would basically mean that any creeping privatisation of health services in the UK (for example) could not be undone by future governments, as the private companies would be able to sue the government to prevent it. It's hugely, massively undemocratic, just handing all sorts of decisions to international companies rather than to governments, no matter what the local population that elected that government says. We need to stop this agreement going through!

I have emailed my MEP about it and, as I thought, he is very much against it.

He's a Scottish MEP, so he is currently seeking, alongside other members, complete assurance that it will not affect the Scottish Government’s ability to determine how NHS services are provided.

It's very worrying, I wonder how on earth this could be seen as a good idea.

If you don't like it campaign for a referendum on leaving the EU. Our MEPs don't have enough clout to stop it. We can only fight these kinds of deals if we take our national autonomy back.

It's frightening. And they are getting away with it thanks to a lack of scrutiny by the media. The Today prog mentioned it in passing the other day but said the objections were about environmental protection. Nothing about democracy or the NHS!

This is the reason I object to the EU. I don't care much about immigration, but I have a massive problem with a situation where stuff like this gets agreed at supranational level, and our democratically-elected Parliament is powerless to stop it or - unlike any law or agreement made nationally - to back out of it once it's in place.

I repeat: our democratic government is powerless to stop it.

Everyone who says 'oh but we should write to our MEPs' should note that the UK doesn't have enough MEPs to vote anything down, and anyway the European Parliament doesn't originate legislation, it just ratifies it.

From the point of view of democratic accountability, the whole thing stinks.

V scary I agree!

If you don't like it campaign for a referendum on leaving the EU.

That's something I couldn't do. I think the threat from right-wing parties such as UKIP becomes much bigger if we leave the EU, which is something which also worries me a lot.

It's a complicated issue, so I suppose all I can do, being in favour of staying in the EU, is keep up to date with actions of our MEPs.

I think it's not just a case of keeping up with the actions of our MEPs. We also need to tell them that we object to this. That seems to be the only way at present of having any effect at all on what is being negotiated in our names but without any consultation with us.

I've emailed, awaiting a response.

Oh quite Manatee - the EU is horribly undemocratic.

Actually the general mood amongst EU nations seems to be against TTIP and especially against any provision allowing corporations to sue countries. I think we are better off staying in the EU to get continued protection against such trade agreements. The British government has done a lousy job in previous bilateral agreements with The United States. Think about the wonderful 2003 US-UK Extradition Treaty that is completely one sided in favour of the USA. I wouldn't trust this current government to negotiate any agreement with the USA - they'd happily sell off as much of our infrastructure as they could.

The big thing about TTIP is it will facilitate the break up and sell off of the NHS. Cameron has been asked to leave the NHS out of TTIP, he has refused.

Chile - I didn't know that but I'm not surprised at all. The UKs biggest problem is it's own government more than the EU.

It's not widely known about, that's why those of us do know are campaigning like mad!

child - indeed, he claims the treaty will have no impact on the NHS, but refuses to remove the NHS from the terms of the treaty. Both things cannot be true.

I've said this on several threads about ttip already and elsewhere but... anti-ttip does not need to be anti-eu. I believe that if the uk left the eu, the us would simply dream up a new treaty especially for the uk alone... Negotiated between just the uk and the us, without the eu's tempering, more socialist outlook (and simply bigger purchasing power), how beneficial do you think that would be for the uk's people? Can anyone really see uk politicians stopping t ask 'how high' when the us says jump? Especially this shower of (insert expletive if you can think of a bad enough one), greedy rich bastards?

Stay in the eu to fight the ttip properly.

Maybe we should start a new thread, with a title that makes it clear this is about NHS privatisation, and a link to this one?

Idealist - I completely agree. This current government especially is still in the free-market capitalism mindset (madness) that is responsible for recent recession and the ever increasing inequalities in American society. The EU is really the best way to resist this, the UK negotiating alone with the US will result in a dismantling of key UK infrastructure to further enrich the few top people and politicians.

I find it utterly terrifying. I have emailed my MEP and signed a petition about it. No response from the MEP yet...

Petitions: there are a few circulating but here's the 38 degrees one secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/eu-ttip-petition#petition

I really have to say, Manatee... democratic government? The UK? You are having a laugh, yes? The Uk is substantially less democratic than my left foot. IMO of course.

YANBU. I hope that people are becoming a little more aware of the dangers of the proposed TTIP now that negotiations are underway.
The implications of this are truly frightening (and it's not just about the NHS as some of today's headlines suggest).

Follow the Money! This is not for our benefit as uk/eu citizens, it's about huge (American) corporations acting to maximise and protect their profits.

Thanks for the information and link, I was clueless of this issue.

absolutely vile agreement. Why would a multinational company want that kind of autonomy? I believe the end goal is about so much more than profit maximization.

Its about power, world domination of new world order proportions.

Im sure the UK's mainstream media has been given a D-notice especially as there is an election looming.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zgkojIElZM Very informative for those wishing to increase their awareness of ttip