France, Alternative Libertaire AL (September) - News of
capitalism, Free Trade: At risk of Tafta (fr, it, pt) [machine
translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
Supposed "win-win", the various treaties free trade in circulation are still signed to the
capitalists and to the detriment of the population. Nothing better can be expected from
the youngest, the Tafta, treaty between the European Union and the United States are still
being negotiated. ---- What should we be afraid of transatlantic free trade agreement
draft (Tafta) wanted by the European Union (EU), about which information are scarce? ----
Nafta, free North American Free Trade Treaty entered into force in 1994, provides a good
return on experience, as well as bilateral investment treaties (BITs) signed within the EU
as well, especially with the recent entrants. ---- Complaints explosion ---- Freehold TBI
(there are 2600), complaints are six times higher than in 2000. US companies have filed
127 complaints to date. The 28 EU members have together pledged 300 prosecutions, in or
outside the EU. The Lone Pine Resources tanker attacked Quebec through its subsidiary
unienne-states of Delaware. Now, Lone Pine is based in Calgary. Better, the expected fine
is probably intended to bail out, business is bad, and to pay a redundancy plan[1]. This
highlights one of the favorite strategies of multinationals. If, between the country of
the head office and the nation referred TBI is no, they go up a subsidiary in the latter.
Egypt must regret having signed a BIT with France, whose technique is priceless. The Cairo
waters and the portfolio of its population are remediated by Veolia, which was quick to
attack the country in 2012 after an increase in the minimum wage. The Swedish nuclear
power producer Vattenfall has attacked Germany, which wanted to dismantle its plants after
Fukushima[2].
The favorite target of Europeans is the Czech Republic, attacked 14 times since 2005 in 27
areas to be privatized according to the good precepts of Dr. EU. The most emblematic case
is the one instituted in 2012 to Slovakia by Dutch insurer Achmea's, which received 22
million euros. In 2006, the country had decided to return to the privatization of health
and directs insurers to exercise without making a profit. Inconceivable. Why not generic?
Ultimately, the Czech Republic had to pay 840 million euros to firms to fines or amicable
arrangements with $ 15 million of costs[3].
Outside the EU, Latin American countries are the most affected. The urbanization calls for
developing services. These countries attractive to their natural resources, privatize at
all-will at ridiculously low prices, hence the presence of the multinational
communications, energy, water, banks, oil and fishing. For example, Argentina froze prices
of basic commodities (energy, water...) during the financial crisis of 2001-2002.
Companies like CMS Energy (US), Suez and Vivendi have filed 40 complaints. The convictions
against the country totaled $ 1.15 billion in late 2008[4].
Démoncratie
"The UN is not a post-democratic international order. We must learn from the past. We have
already seen that in previous international treaties, major multinationals have managed to
block the government policies with the help of secret courts that operated outside
national jurisdiction. This is the same mechanism that we proposed again in the Tafta ",
said Alfred de Zayas, UN expert for the promotion of a democratic and equitable
international order (The Guardian, May 27, 2015). By negotiating in secret, the two
parties concerned show once again their contempt for democracy. On the one hand, political
life requires money larger firms, which one will have nothing to deny after. On the other,
the decisions taken by technocrats whose lobbies hold hands. TCE, democratically rejected
by them and rose again, is an example. In fact, a prominent section of Part III explained
that in case of conflict between two members, would ensure above all to restore the
channels of commerce...
The two protagonists share the revolving doors (revolving doors). This is better than the
revolving door, as they say here, since going on the public to the private and the public,
etc., navigating a conflict of interest to another. Recall among others the chief
treasurer unien states Paulson headed Goldman Sachs. An EU negotiators list is provided by
corporateeurope.org. This reinforces their lobbyists who grease the tab to put oil in the
wheels of negotiations. Included among others the winners the Spanish Maria Trallero, went
from DG Trade in the Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries, which spent 5,071,000 euros
to pressure. We do not know too much for Google, it would be at least 3.5 million euros,
with a great catch, Tobias Mc Kenney, DG International Trade Address Book without either
of course... In the other direction, O'Maley an Eoin, Ireland, rose from BusinessEurope,
the employers' lobby continent to DG Trade as a special advisor[5].
We do not trade as well as with dictatorships, news of large contracts again shows,
whether weapons or not. As well stay between policy makers, as they say, to do business
quietly. Despite a vote to limited effect, the people is harmful: it must pay, he growls,
as they say in the media, it is unpredictable. His fundamental rights are not threatened
by the TBI, they will be reformed in the light of new legislation. As a public good is an
old Moon out of age, only the nationalization expropriation that requires reasonable
compensation. People can revolt, which is not conducive to business, such as Exxon Poland
(shale gas) or Bechtel in Bolivia (Cochabamba water supply).
Labour law is superfluous. The WTO is the only body with binding powers, the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) is a voice without arms. The European Commission refused to
include a minimum labor rights based on ILO. That posted workers from Eastern Europe are
taking notice and undocumented pickers strawberries or tomatoes.
Among the UN bodies, which can be read with delight the Charter in light of the TBI, the
Economic and Social Council is supposed to be the main forum for reflection, debate and
innovation on sustainable development. According to the charter, in case of
incompatibility between an article and another treaty, she prevails (Article 103).
Jean-Claude (AL Paris-Sud)
To read:
- Marie-Thérèse Bitsch, History of European construction[3rd ed.], Complex / issues of
History, 2001.
- The castaways of free trade, the WTO TAFTA, links that release, group Attac, 2015.
[1] marketwatch.com.
[2] The Economist, October 11, 2014.
[3] See the Transnational Institute, tni.org.
[4] Ibid.
[5] corporateeurope.org.
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Libre-echange-Aux-risques-du-Tafta
