Stop the Corporate Power Grab

Our public services, environment and democracy are under threat.

Behind closed doors, negotiators from the EU and the US are drawing up a 'trade' deal called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). It's being negotiated in secret—even MPs haven't seen most of the documents relating to the negotiations. The official line is that it will create jobs and increase economic growth.

But leaked documents reveal that the deal could reduce food quality standards, encourage fracking, water down banking regulation and make it harder for governments to renationalise vital services like railways. Worst of all, corporations would have the right to sue governments in secret courts for damages if their profits were affected by new laws, for example to protect the environment, public services or consumer rights. Previous experience of similar trade deals and academic studies show that widespread job losses could be expected across the EU.

We must not allow this to happen. If signed, these agreements will act as a blueprint for other trade deals that will facilitate a corporate takeover worldwide.

Over 1.5 million Europeans have said they don’t want TTIP! With your help, we can reach 2 million by October. Sign the petition to demand an end to these toxic trade deals and demonstrate the strength of opposition to TTIP across Europe.

We call on the institutions of the European Union and its member states to stop the negotiations with the USA on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and not to ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada.

We want to prevent TTIP and CETA because they include several critical issues such as investor-state dispute settlement and rules on regulatory cooperation that pose a threat to democracy and the rule of law. We want to prevent lowering of standards concerning employment, social, environmental, privacy and consumers and the deregulation of public services (such as water) and cultural assets from being deregulated in non-transparent negotiations. The ECI supports an alternative trade and investment policy in the EU.