Update: TTIP vote postponed

UPDATE [09/06, 16:23]: The European Parliament debate and vote over a TTIP resolution has been postponed due to more than 200 amendments being tabled. Campaigners have said this indicates that mounting public pressure against TTIP is paying off.  Stay tuned on UNITElive as the story develops.

New generation international trade deals, including TTIP, TPP, TiSA and CETA, are on a relentless march forward as secret negotiations continue and big business lobbies with all its influential might.

 
But opposition against these trade deals threatening public services and environmental and labour protections is mounting – a citizens-led petition against TTIP has broken records, achieving 2m signatories in a matter of months.

The European Parliament was set to meet tomorrow (June 10) but will now debate the TTIP treaty and vote on a draft resolution and various amendments at a later date

 
The most important of these amendments strongly rejects Investor-State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) — provisions which enable large multinational companies to sue governments in secret courts if public services interfere with a corporation’s insatiable lust for profits.

 
Unite assistant chief of staff Adrian Weir explained that although the planned vote is non-binding, it “puts down a marker” and will demonstrate to the European Commission the size of the opposition to ISDS provisions and other aspects of the trade deal.

 
Kozmas Kota of the campaign group Stop TTIP agreed, noting that even though a resolution might not have binding effects, “…it could set strong guidelines for the negotiators in the European Commission considering that in the end TTIP must be ratified in the EP through a Yes/No vote.”

 
But Weir warned that those taking a stand against TTIP must continue to put strong pressure against such trade deals if they want to have their voices heard above the deafening din of global corporate power.

 
“Such is the global reach of the ‘new generation’ trade treaties that even with a success for the unions and social movements in the European Parliament multinational capital will still be in a strong position,” he noted.

 
TUC general secretary Frances O’ Grady wrote a letter to MEPs yesterday (June 8), urging them to vote against ISDS and stand up for public services and labour standards.

 
“It is vital that the European Commission and EU member state governments hear the voice of European citizens through the European Parliament,” she noted.

 
Weir lauded the TUC’s clarion call but said the EP debate and vote on the resolution is only the beginning in the fight against race-to-the-bottom trade deals.

 
“Unite supports the TUC’s call for MEPs to vote against ISDS in the European Parliamentary debate but recognises that this is but one part of a bigger fight for Unite policy to completely oppose TTIP and the other ‘new generation’ trade treaties,” he said.

 
Unite calls on all citizens concerned about TTIP and new generation trade deals to join the 2m voices strong and sign the growing petition here.

 
Stay tuned on UNITElive as the new date for the now postponed debate is announced.