07/09/2016 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 7 September, the Bulgarian city of Karnobat became the 2000th city/council to join the network declaring itself to be CETA- and TTIP-free. The movement, already joined by EU cities and counties, such as Amsterdam, Cologne, Edinburgh, Grenoble, Barcelona, Milan, Vienna and Thessaloniki, is seeking to stop the free-trade agreements with Canada (CETA) and the United States (TTIP). They are critical of the lack of transparency of the negotiations and call for local and regional bodies to play an integral part in the negotiation. “75 million citizens in Europe now live in TTIP- and/or CETA-free zones. It’s crystal clear that the people across Europe and their local representatives categorically refuse these unfair treaties. It’s time for national governments to listen”, said Amélie Canonne, head of the NGO AITAC. The mayors and councillors from these towns will gather in Brussels on 20 October for the Citizens’ CETA Summit. (EH)