This is why we are vehemently opposed to the TPP, which gives expanded rights to multi-national corporations: These companies (along with hundreds of others) are using the investor-state dispute rules embedded in trade treaties signed by the countries they are suing. The rules are enforced by panels which have none of the safeguards we expect in our own courts. The hearings are held in secret. The judges are corporate lawyers, many of whom work for companies of the kind whose cases they hear. Citizens and communities affected by their decisions have no legal standing. There is no right of appeal on the merits of the case. Yet they can overthrow the sovereignty of parliaments and the rulings of supreme courts. You dont believe it? Heres what one of the judges on these tribunals says about his work. When I wake up at night and think about arbitration, it never ceases to amaze me that sovereign states have agreed to investment arbitration at all ... Three private individuals are entrusted with the power to review, without any restriction or appeal procedure, all actions of the government, all decisions of the courts, and all laws and regulations emanating from parliament. There are no corresponding rights for citizens. We cant use these tribunals to demand better protections from corporate greed. As the Democracy Centre says, this is a privatized justice system for global corporations. theguardian/commentisfree/2013/nov/04/us-trade-deal-full-frontal-assault-on-democracy
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 18:36:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015