EFA MEPs say No to TTIP

MEPs from the European Free Alliance (EFA) Group in the European Parliament are saying 'no' to TTIP in Strasbourg this week. TTIP is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a bilateral free trade agreement currently being negotiated in secret between the European Union and the...

EFA MEP to vote against 'trojan horse' trade agreement

Press release from Plaid MEP Jill Evans

Plaid MEP Jill Evans will vote against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or TTIP trade agreement in Strasbourg this week. Jill Evans MEP is concerned that the agreement could open up Welsh public services like the NHS, fire services, education and others to competition from priva...

EU-US TTIP negotiations

Parliament vote postponed as panic prevails in EP establishment

The European Parliament's president this evening decided to postpone the vote on a resolution on the ongoing EU-US TTIP trade and investment negotiations*, which had been foreseen for tomorrow. Commenting on the decision, Greens/EFA trade spokesperson Yannick Jadot said: "The European Pa...

TiSA international services agreement

Leak reveals major interference in European regulation

Yesterday, Wikileaks released 17 secret texts of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) negotiations (1), including annexes covering a wide range of issues and sectors but also a document on member states exceptions from the liberalisation requirement. The leak came on the same day as ministers dis...

EU-US TTIP negotiations

Socialist MEPs capitulate on investor protection; draft resolution backs TTIP's corporate agenda

The European Parliament's trade committee today adopted a resolution on the parliament's position with regard to the ongoing EU-US TTIP trade and investment negotiations*. The resolution was adopted with a large majority and, crucially, failed to include any criticism of the controversial IS...

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Issue n°12 May 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY Commission’s cynical moves to ease way for GMOs in Europe Organic: driving force towards paradigm change for our broken food system School Fruit and Milk Schemes: natural food wins over agro-industrial plans FOOD FOR THOUGHT Report exp...

ISDS/EU trade policy

Commission continues to wriggle around controversial investor dispute mechanism debate

EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström will attend the European Parliament's trade committee today and present preliminary proposals for reforming the controversial investor-state dispute settlement mechanism (ISDS) in the context of trade agreements. Commenting on the meeting and leaked d...

GMO approvals

Cynical approval of 19 GMOs by EU Commission reinforces democratic concerns

The European Commission today announced it was approving 10 new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for food or feed use and renewing 7 existing authorisations, as well as approving 2 new genetically-modified flowers (1). Criticising the decision, Green food safety spokesperson Bart Staes said: ...

Regulatory Cooperation In TTIP

What does it mean for the future of our food and democracy?

Report from the discussion with Sharon Treat on US legislators' perspectives on the ongoing TTIP negotiations on regulatory cooperation for food policies  On 14th April as we approached the  Global Action Day on TTIP, MEPs from across the political spectrum welcomed Sharon Treat[i],...

GMO approvals

EU Commission continues down slippery slope of easing way for GMOs in Europe

The European Commission today presented a proposal for a new scheme of renationalising decisions on GMOs in the EU. The proposals would introduce the possibility for EU member states to restrict trade of GMOs within their territory without touching the authorisation procedure for GMOs as such. Comme...

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Issue n°11 April 2015

GREEN INSIGHT INTO EU FOOD POLICY End of Milk Quota: Greens support small producers and call for a crisis management scheme TTIP: a major concern for the future of our food and democracy FOOD FOR THOUGHT Eating from the Farm - A report by Friends of the Earth Europe on the social, enviro...

EP committee draws clear red lines for TTIP concerning food and health

With an overwhelming majority (59-8-2) the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) gave red light to the TTIP opinion report of Green rapporteur. Green draftsperson, MEP Bart Staes, who is very pleased with the result of the vote in ENVI: "It would have been unthinkable for the ENVI committee not to reach a majority vote on a critical report on TTIP."