3 ms·

If it needs public input while is held in the secret?

walterbell 12y ago
We need people to call and write their representatives. Europe has moved towards greater transparency and received 150,000 public comments, http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-update-xlvii-3593403/ http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-up... "The Commissioner outlined two main proposals for boosting transparency. First, to extend access to TTIP texts to all Members of the European Parliament, beyond the currently limited group of Members of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee. Second, to publish texts setting out the EU's specific negotiating proposals on TTIP." http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-update-xlviii-3593961/ http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-up... ".. the unexpected decision to hold a consultation on the area last year. The hope seems to have been that this would keep critics quiet, and allow the European Commission to come up with a few minor tweaks to its proposals while claiming that the public had been allowed to air their views. It didn't quite work out like that. An unprecedented 150,000 replies were received - and this was on a hitherto obscure aspect of a traditionally boring trade agreement. That number alone bespeaks a new relationship between the public and the politicians who are supposed to serve them. "
- Silhouette 12y ago
  I'm not sure the European powers that be are as transparent about TTIP in practice as the spin might suggest, though: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-cable-urges-greater-transparency https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transatlantic-trade-and-i... "In a meeting in London today (16 February 2015) Vince Cable and UK Trade Minister Lord Livingston will ask Commissioner Malmström to give senior UK parliamentarians access to TTIP treaty text as it is developed, so that they can monitor progress and ask questions on the public’s behalf." That is, in the UK even senior members of our own national government don't know what we're supposedly signing up for with TTIP. Given that: - we have an election coming up in less than three months - the outcome of that election is probably the most unpredictable in living memory - TTIP is already perceived by a significant proportion of the general public to be a threat to "national treasures" like the NHS - depending on the outcome of the election it is quite possible we will have a referendum on leaving the EU entirely within the lifetime of the next government these kinds of shenanigans seem likely to push the UK public even further towards leaving the EU.
  - sandbags 12y ago
    Its seems to be worse than this. According to a radio interview I heard a few weeks ago only MEP's can look at the TTIP text and then only in a special secure room. They are not allowed to make any notes or take any copies and are not permitted to discuss it. TTIP seems to me the antithesis of any semblance of a democratic process we should support. I don't know how they get away with it.

We need people to call and write their representatives. Europe has moved towards greater transparency and received 150,000 public comments, http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-update-xlvii-3593403/ http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-up... "The Commissioner outlined two main proposals for boosting transparency. First, to extend access to TTIP texts to all Members of the European Parliament, beyond the currently limited group of Members of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee. Second, to publish texts setting out the EU's specific negotiating proposals on TTIP." http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-update-xlviii-3593961/ http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/ttip-up... ".. the unexpected decision to hold a consultation on the area last year. The hope seems to have been that this would keep critics quiet, and allow the European Commission to come up with a few minor tweaks to its proposals while claiming that the public had been allowed to air their views. It didn't quite work out like that. An unprecedented 150,000 replies were received - and this was on a hitherto obscure aspect of a traditionally boring trade agreement. That number alone bespeaks a new relationship between the public and the politicians who are supposed to serve them. "

Silhouette 12y ago
I'm not sure the European powers that be are as transparent about TTIP in practice as the spin might suggest, though: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnership-cable-urges-greater-transparency https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transatlantic-trade-and-i... "In a meeting in London today (16 February 2015) Vince Cable and UK Trade Minister Lord Livingston will ask Commissioner Malmström to give senior UK parliamentarians access to TTIP treaty text as it is developed, so that they can monitor progress and ask questions on the public’s behalf." That is, in the UK even senior members of our own national government don't know what we're supposedly signing up for with TTIP. Given that: - we have an election coming up in less than three months - the outcome of that election is probably the most unpredictable in living memory - TTIP is already perceived by a significant proportion of the general public to be a threat to "national treasures" like the NHS - depending on the outcome of the election it is quite possible we will have a referendum on leaving the EU entirely within the lifetime of the next government these kinds of shenanigans seem likely to push the UK public even further towards leaving the EU.
- sandbags 12y ago
  Its seems to be worse than this. According to a radio interview I heard a few weeks ago only MEP's can look at the TTIP text and then only in a special secure room. They are not allowed to make any notes or take any copies and are not permitted to discuss it. TTIP seems to me the antithesis of any semblance of a democratic process we should support. I don't know how they get away with it.