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Press Release: Rights must not be abandoned in trade negotiations

22 February 2016

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"Internet users are not being properly involved or even heard by trade negotiators. This has to change.

European Digital Rights (EDRi) has joined forces with an international coalition of experts, scholars, groups representing Internet users, consumers and businesses to make this change happen. We are calling for reform of trade negotiations in order to protect the Internet and digital rights at a global level.

Today, we issue the “Brussels Declaration on Trade and the Internet”. The Declaration makes six specific recommendations for States and Regions participating in global trade agreements. These include regular releases of draft proposals, meaningful public participation and engagement with the public, experts and organisations fighting for Internet users and consumers’ human rights and fundamental freedoms online."

See: Press Release: Rights must not be abandoned in trade negotiations (EDRi, link)

See also: Brussels Declaration on Trade and the Internet (pdf)

The twelfth round of negotiations on TTIP is taking place this week: TTIP – 12th round of talks, 22-26 February (European Commission, link).

And see: The zombie ISDS (TNI, link): "The analysis in this report shows that the proposed ICS [Investment Court System] does not put an end to ISDS. Quite the opposite, it would empower thousands of companies to circumvent national legal systems and sue governments in parallel tribunals if laws and regulations undercut their ability to make money. It would pave the way for billions in taxpayer money being paid out to big business. It could curtail desirable policymaking to protect people and the planet. And it threatens to lock EU member states forever into the injustices of the ISDS regime.

In a nutshell, the proposed ‘new’ ICS is ISDS back from the dead. It’s the zombie ISDS."

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