We urgently need your help.
One of the big problems with the toxic trade deal
between Canada and the EU (CETA*) is the system
of corporate courts that allow corporations to sue
governments for passing laws that might harm their
profits. This assault on democracy is
called the Investor Court System (ICS).
A group of 89 members of the European parliament
(MEPs) quite rightly think that this controversial
new court system needs much more scrutiny before it
is unleashed across Europe, and they’ve made
a proposal that ICS should be referred to the
legal experts at the European Court of Justice.
But some EU leaders are determined to force
this toxic trade deal through at top speed at any
cost. They are insisting that this
vote should be pushed forward to Wednesday, 23
November, at very short notice and they are
refusing for ANY debate to take place about the
referral. Party leaders are even
insisting MEPs withdraw their support for the motion
tabled for Wednesday. These politicians know that if
there is proper legal scrutiny from the European
Court of Justice, then it could jeopardise the whole
deal.
This is not democracy, this is politicians
pushing toxic trade deals through at
breakneck speed with no debate and at great risk to
our legal systems. If CETA is pushed through like
this it will still impact the UK regardless of when
Brexit happens.
We need all our MEPs to support the very
sensible demand that the corporate court system
should be scrutinized by legal experts.
Thank you for your support,
Guy Taylor
Campaigner at Global Justice Now
*Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement