Greenpeace Activists in Geneva Protest Against U.S.-EU Deals

Edited by Pavel Jacomino
2016-09-20 16:18:51

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Geneva, September 20 (RHC)-- Greenpeace activists have staged a protest in front of the U.S. mission in the Swiss city of Geneva against the controversial European Union deals with Washington. 

Greenpeace Switzerland’s trade campaigner Matthias Wuthriech said the protesters want an end to the talks on the so-called Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) being discussed by Brussels and Washington. 

He said the deal is "dangerous" and would "pave the way for global deregulation and liberalization of everything, from financial markets to public services.  TISA would undermine effective climate action and environmental protection, health care and education, labor rights and data protection.”

Wuthriech said: “Greenpeace demands a full stop of negotiations on trade like TISA, TTIP, CETA and co, and wants a start of a public debate on a trade which is in favor of people and the planet, and not just in the interests of corporate multinational corporations and fossil fuel companies.”

The demonstrators are skeptical of the benefits of the TISA and the TTIP.  They also slammed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which is in the works between the EU and Canada. 

The protests come as opposition to the transatlantic trade treaties has gained momentum across Europe.  On September 17, thousands of people demonstrated in Austria and Germany against the pending trade deals.  

Critics say the TTIP and CETA could further complicate the situation in the job market.  They say the deals would also have huge environmental implications as they give firms and companies more of a leeway to expand their activities at the expense of public safety. 

Several months ago, Greenpeace revealed that it had obtained 248 pages of classified documents from the closed-door negotiations that indicated compromising with the U.S. would undermine EU standards on the environment and public health. 



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