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Democracy Needs Transparency
Published on
Tuesday, May 03, 2016
by Greenpeace Blog
by Annie Leonard
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'We need an open, transparent debate about these deals that puts people and the environment ahead of corporate interests.' (Image: Greenpeace)
I believe democracy needs transparency.
That’s why I was so excited when I heard that Greenpeace Netherlands was releasing to the public secret documents from the United States’ current trade negotiations with the European Union. The deal is called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP for short) and once it’s agreed upon it will govern the U.S.-European economic relationship for years.
You can check out the documents obtained by Greenpeace Netherlands here.
And what these leaked documents tell us is that right now it’s not looking like a good deal for the environment, democracy, or the public in general.
It’s also clear that U.S. negotiators have been consulting with industry behind closed doors. These secret negotiations for the TTIP put corporate interests ahead of the public and undermine basic principles of transparency and open debate that are fundamental to our democracy — just like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) did.
That’s why I was so excited when I heard that Greenpeace Netherlands was releasing to the public secret documents from the United States’ current trade negotiations with the European Union. The deal is called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP for short) and once it’s agreed upon it will govern the U.S.-European economic relationship for years.
You can check out the documents obtained by Greenpeace Netherlands here.
And what these leaked documents tell us is that right now it’s not looking like a good deal for the environment, democracy, or the public in general.
It’s also clear that U.S. negotiators have been consulting with industry behind closed doors. These secret negotiations for the TTIP put corporate interests ahead of the public and undermine basic principles of transparency and open debate that are fundamental to our democracy — just like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) did.
What are the first conclusions from the documents?
From an environmental and consumer protection point of view, four aspects are of serious concern:
From an environmental and consumer protection point of view, four aspects are of serious concern:
Full article: http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/05/03/democracy-needs-transparency
