http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/31/alberta-tar-sands-trade-agreement
Trade talks between Europe and Canada could leave the door open to companies suing states for losses incurred by efforts to fight climate change, campaigners claimed today.
The warning, backed by an MEP and a law expert, came as 10 protesters unsuccessfully attempted to talk to the Canadian energy minister, Ron Liepert, this morning during a visit to London for a meeting with Lord Howell, the UK minister for the Commonwealth.
Liepert is visiting the UK and Belgium to promote tar sands in the Canadian province of Alberta as a "leading source of secure energy". The protesters tried unsuccessfully to gain access to the Canadian high commission on Grosvenor Square.
Concern is focused on the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (Ceta), a trade deal which Canada and the EU have been negotiating for the last two years and which they hope to finally sign in 2012. Campaigners say Ceta could affect governments' rights to regulate themselves and could also open the door for tar sands oil to be imported into Europe.
The agreement, which is in draft form, includes a clause allowing corporations to sue states for compensation if they feel their earnings have been unfairly compromised. Campaigners fear the agreement would give investors leverage against proposed changes to the EU fuel quality directive, which MEPs are reviewing to decide if it should discriminate against carbon-intensive fuel, such as tar sands oil.
"The proposed trade agreement between Canada and the EU will have a substantial impact on efforts to address the local, regional and global impacts of oil sands developments," was the conclusion drawn by lawyer
Showing posts with label CETA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CETA. Show all posts
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
CTV News | At the gates of Europe: Canada's top negotiator on EU free-trade
CTV News | At the gates of Europe: Canada's top negotiator on EU free-trade
Pro- EU Free Trade by CTV news
Overcoming foreign trade restrictions remains a challenge for Canadian business. In Europe, a free-trade deal, currently being negotiated with Canada, could open up service sectors to Canadian companies, reduce barriers to investment and provide transparent rules and processes. All are changes that could prove helpful to small and medium sized businesses, says Steve Verheul, Canada’s chief negotiator for the pact.
“We would be the only developed country with this kind of access into the EU,” he says.
Mr. Verheul, 50, has been Canada’s chief negotiator since free-trade talks with Europe started in May, 2009. His goal, he says, is for the deal to be broader than the North American Free Trade Agreement and “deeper in ambition.”
Why such a broad and deep free trade deal with Europe?
It’s something we’ve been wanting for a long time. Someone said it goes back 30 years. We obviously rely quite heavily on the U.S. market and there’s been an interest in diversifying into other markets. The European market is the largest, wealthiest single market in the world. Plus, we have a lot of cultural and historical ties with Europe. It made it a natural ally for a free-trade agreement.
Where are the negotiations at?
We’ve been through five rounds of negotiations; we’ve got two more planned for early next year. We’re anticipating concluding the negotiations later in the year. We’ve
Pro- EU Free Trade by CTV news
Overcoming foreign trade restrictions remains a challenge for Canadian business. In Europe, a free-trade deal, currently being negotiated with Canada, could open up service sectors to Canadian companies, reduce barriers to investment and provide transparent rules and processes. All are changes that could prove helpful to small and medium sized businesses, says Steve Verheul, Canada’s chief negotiator for the pact.
“We would be the only developed country with this kind of access into the EU,” he says.
Mr. Verheul, 50, has been Canada’s chief negotiator since free-trade talks with Europe started in May, 2009. His goal, he says, is for the deal to be broader than the North American Free Trade Agreement and “deeper in ambition.”
Why such a broad and deep free trade deal with Europe?
It’s something we’ve been wanting for a long time. Someone said it goes back 30 years. We obviously rely quite heavily on the U.S. market and there’s been an interest in diversifying into other markets. The European market is the largest, wealthiest single market in the world. Plus, we have a lot of cultural and historical ties with Europe. It made it a natural ally for a free-trade agreement.
Where are the negotiations at?
We’ve been through five rounds of negotiations; we’ve got two more planned for early next year. We’re anticipating concluding the negotiations later in the year. We’ve
CETA and Council of Canadians
I should preface this by saying that I have some respect for the C of C and that as far as Canadian activists groups go they easily surpass the others in term of organizational skills, clarity in communication, etc. I do not think, however, that a petition is the best way to lead a fight against CETA. Given the paucity of corporate coverage on CETA, it would seem a more aggressive campaign would be required. For example, I notice the Winnipeg chapter has a facebook page to which they load videos. It might be an idea for them to do on the street interviews/video push-polls which ask people about what they know of CETA, whether they know it would prevent Canada from makings its own solar panels, windmills and practically force Canada to import them. This would encourage people to discuss the issue and promote C of C's websites, materials, etc.
I would be curious to know if there are any C of C members here on rabble/babble and what they think.
- by 2dawal rabble January 7th,2011
I would be curious to know if there are any C of C members here on rabble/babble and what they think.
- by 2dawal rabble January 7th,2011
Common Ground - November 2010 CETA /Agriculture
Common Ground - November 2010
The fourth round of negotiations over a new trade agreement between Canada and Europe – CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) – took place in Ottawa last month and yet few Canadians have even heard of this trade deal. Many Canadians might expect a trade deal with Europe to be a progressive step forward, but, in this case, the opposite is true. The trade deal threatens to give biotech, pharmaceutical, pesticide and seed and grain companies powerful new tools to force farmers to buy gene-patented seeds at high prices. Worse, it will almost entirely eliminate the rights of farmers to save, reuse, exchange and sell seed.
This so-called bilateral agreement between the European Union and Canada is, in reality, a deal between Canada and the 27 member states of the European Union and, as such, it is hardly bilateral. That being said, the European Commission is negotiating this trade deal on behalf of EU member states and aggressively pushing an extreme right-wing agenda. Coupled with strong Canadian leanings in the same direction, the agreement is providing a platform for our government to bring forward legislation that would likely never pass on its own. Essentially, CETA is a “lets get it in the back door” approach from both sides of the Atlantic. This is exacerbated because the negotiation process is semi-secret where the “parties” have agreed not to disclose the content of the text while negotiations are in progress.
The National Farmers Union was able to obtain a leaked draft text
The fourth round of negotiations over a new trade agreement between Canada and Europe – CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) – took place in Ottawa last month and yet few Canadians have even heard of this trade deal. Many Canadians might expect a trade deal with Europe to be a progressive step forward, but, in this case, the opposite is true. The trade deal threatens to give biotech, pharmaceutical, pesticide and seed and grain companies powerful new tools to force farmers to buy gene-patented seeds at high prices. Worse, it will almost entirely eliminate the rights of farmers to save, reuse, exchange and sell seed.
This so-called bilateral agreement between the European Union and Canada is, in reality, a deal between Canada and the 27 member states of the European Union and, as such, it is hardly bilateral. That being said, the European Commission is negotiating this trade deal on behalf of EU member states and aggressively pushing an extreme right-wing agenda. Coupled with strong Canadian leanings in the same direction, the agreement is providing a platform for our government to bring forward legislation that would likely never pass on its own. Essentially, CETA is a “lets get it in the back door” approach from both sides of the Atlantic. This is exacerbated because the negotiation process is semi-secret where the “parties” have agreed not to disclose the content of the text while negotiations are in progress.
The National Farmers Union was able to obtain a leaked draft text
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