Protest against TTIP from Scotland

                        Protest against TTIP.

TTIP puts too much at risk to be a valuable consideration

April 3rd, 2015 - 12:10 am Liz Murray

Supporters of TTIP call this “levelling the playing field” but it will actually create an unbalanced system that favours transnational companies. It will give them freedom of movement for capital, goods, and services, as well as the ability to sue governments in secret courts, but will ask nothing of them in return.

Under TTIP, it’s conceivable that the Scottish Government could be sued by transnational companies if they perceive their profits to be threatened by its public policy decisions.

So, US oil and gas companies, for example, might sue over the moratorium on fracking, or if regulations on climate change emissions were tightened. Or big tobacco might do the same if further smoking bans or tighter tobacco-control regulations were brought in.

And Scotland’s treasured public services, such as the NHS and Scottish Water, could also be at risk. Where there is privatisation in any part of Scotland’s public services, then TTIP could mean contracts being opened up to US companies.

The UK Government, in its support for TTIP, is negotiating away Scotland’s power to protect its natural heritage, its public services and the health of its people, and is handing power to big business. It’s vital the Scottish Government and Scottish politicians say no to TTIP.

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