Headed by the Friends of the Earth Europe association, 162 organisations representing civil society, trade unions and farmers’ groups from across Europe call in a declaration handed on Thursday 1 February to Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström for the EU's trade policy to be made more democratic.
The organisations stress the need for ‘profound change’ in the EU’s approach to trade negotiations to restore trust and establish democratic accountability, insisting that ‘Only a democratic and transparent process from its inception, both at the European and Member States level, has the potential to ensure that trade and investment agreements will benefit all and hence gain broad endorsement.’
The call comes after ‘widespread public opposition’ to corporate trade agreements like TTIP (now frozen by the US Administration under Donald Trump) and CETA (the free-trade agreement with Canada).
The signatories suggest nine steps that should be taken to establish democratic scrutiny over the negotiation and conclusion of trade and investment agreements: Public consultation on and parliamentary approval of new negotiating mandates; Balanced participation of stakeholders in the forming of negotiating mandates and ratification processes; a greater role of national ministries; A much stronger role for the European Parliament and national parliaments to steer negotiations; full transparency of the negotiation process, including the publication of consolidated texts; abolishing provisional implementation for ‘mixed’ agreements; wide parliamentary debate before the signing and ratification of agreements; and signing agreements for a limited time, with the option of extending them. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)