Declare Wicklow a TTIP and CETA Free Zone

Our local businesses, environment and democracy are under threat from a trade deal currently being negotiated between the EU Commission and the USA.

The deal is called TTIP and could outlaw local authorities’ support of local businesses, allow multinational corporations to sue us if councils deny fracking permits and open up services like water, health and education to privatisation.

What’s up for grabs are the rules and regulations that force corporations to abide by standards that protect our health, our rights, our jobs, services and the environment.

These regulations for example stop corporations releasing chemicals and products into the market before they are proven to be safe.

They also make sure workers get their rights and that local communities are protected from environmental disasters.

But if TTIP goes ahead corporations will get to have a say on policies that govern our daily lives - before we or even politicians get to see them.

And if they don’t like the rules they will be able to sue governments when they make changes or bring in new policies that could potentially affect their profits.

Right now in Canada a fracking company Lone Pine Resources Inc., is suing the government for its decision to not allow fracking in Quebec. They are able to do this because of an ISDS clause in another trade deal.

In Egypt the government was sued by water company Veolia for attempting to bring in a minimum wage. Germany is being sued by Swedish energy company Vatenfall for €4.7 billion because of Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power.

TTIP also removes barriers to US companies who want to sell their products in Europe.

Right now the sale of US beef in Europe is very limited. Hormone injected beef is banned outright.

Hundreds of councils across Europe have already said they don’t want TTIP. Because of people power politicians are waking up to the threat TTIP poses and to the fact that people aren’t going to stand aside and let our democracy and rights be sold off.

In addition to that a similar Trade agreement named CETA if the TTPIP fails will deliver a similar agreement between the EU and Canada, with similar legal provisions thus providing a backdoor for the same restrictive legal provisions to be implemented: CETA summary: http://www.ase.tufts.edu/gdae/Pubs/wp/16-03CETA_ES.pdf