As the European Union TTIP Team promises “transparency” in the negotiations, protestors by the tens of thousands take to the streets of Brussels Belgium and in cities throughout Germany to make their opposition known all this week. While some European news sources cover the actions, US sources have so far remained very quiet. Here is a new video report from YouTube. The report is in English. (article continues below)
The TTIP or Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership is a 24-chapter trade agreement affecting the massive economic combination of the United States and the European Union, making this deal even larger than the better-known Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP trade deal.
Although the TTIP was recently declared “failed,” the negotiations continue with a four day round of discussions scheduled for New York City in early October.
Protestors are also opposing CETA or the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement which affects the European Union and Canada.
There was a US publication talking about the TTIP and TPP this week, sort of. Newsweek Europe wrote an opinion piece entitled “Why TTIP Failure Would Be Damaging For Barack Obama.” The article pointed out the reason for the protests:
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will meet key EU officials in Brussels on Thursday, including Trade Commissioner Cecila Malmström. The talks are aimed at rejuvenating the controversial, stalling Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the United States and the 28-member EU …
But the article failed to mention anything about the protests.
(featured picture from video here)