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sovereignty | democracy

Neoliberalism and the end of politics
6-Jan-2020 Counter Punch
Understanding power is more important to predicting the winners and losers of neoliberal economic policies than knowing the economics.
Why don’t we just… wake up to the threat of ISDS?
2-Jan-2020 Big Issue North
Commercial ISDS adjudications trump democratically established laws and controls.
How consultative has India’s RCEP strategy really been?
19-Aug-2019 The Wire
There is little doubt that the smaller stakeholders and businesses within India’s informal economy have the most to lose, and yet their voices are not being heard.
EU drive for trade liberalisation adds to tensions in Tunisia
17-Apr-2019 Social Europe
The European Union’s disproportionate pressure for trade liberalisation risks exacerbating political strains in the last democracy of northern Africa.
Maldives ruling party pledges probe into Chinese deals after landslide win
10-Apr-2019 South China Morning Post
Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed, whose party won a landslide in the archipelago’s parliamentary election, on Tuesday pledged to conduct a thorough probe into deals with China.
Myitsone dam is now a sovereignty issue
4-Apr-2019 The Irrawaddy
Public opposition to the controversial Myitsone Dam project is gaining momentum ahead of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s upcoming visit to China.
Saving Japan’s seed heritage from “free trade”
7-Mar-2019 Local Futures
Former Japanese minister Yamada joined forces with 150 lawyers that have challenged as unconstitutional both the TPP agreement and the government’s decision to abolish the seed protection law.
Revealed: How dark money is winning ‘the Brexit influencing game’
23-Feb-2019 Open Democracy
Documents show the “unfettered” access to ministers and senior politicians enjoyed by secretive think tanks that are “marching the country” to a no-deal Brexit and radical free-trade deals.
Liam Fox rushing through Brexit trade deals would mean bypassing democracy
13-Feb-2019 Huffington Post
Although they will affect huge areas of society, many of these ’rollover’ deals would pass through parliament without any debate or vote.
Want to sue Venezuela for millions? These firms can help, for a price
21-Dec-2018 Reuters
Investment funds backing a slew of big-dollar corporate lawsuits has boomed over the past decade, fueled by favorable court rulings and investors seeking juicy returns.
Keynote address by George Kahale, III
6-Nov-2018 Curtis
Combined with the dispute settlement mechanism of international arbitration, investment treaties have been transformed intol "weapons of legal destruction."
European Parliament gripes against a France Insoumise MEP
12-Sep-2018 Euractiv
The attempt by the European Parliament administration to exert pressure on a tweet on the EU-Japan trade agreement shocked MEP Younous Omarjeee, who condemned this as an attack on freedom of expression.
The real problem with free trade
11-Sep-2018 Project Syndicate
Free trade has enabled a few companies to secure monopolies or near-monopolies, which has given rise to massive inequalities.
Chile - Civil society organizations: "Without impact studies, Congress cannot vote free trade agreements"
21-Aug-2018 Resumen
The Chamber of Deputies approved the request that the Government has to review in detail each and every treaty signed by Chile, as well as future agreements.
Secret RCEP trade deal fails international standards of transparency, experts warn
20-Jul-2018 Friends of the Earth International
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership involving 16 nations from Asia-Pacific will impact the lives of over three billion people, yet a new study reveals how the deal fails international standards of transparency and public engagement.
Secrecy in RCEP trade deal threatens Asian democracies
19-Jul-2018 Jakarta Post
With a global trade war looming and public faith in corporate globalization at an all-time low, secrecy in trade deals cannot be accepted. People have a right to know what is being negotiated in their name.
A globalisation for people, not business
5-Jun-2018 Social Europe
Globalisation is in crisis because of its almost totalitarian outreach to all areas of everyday life. People feel a loss of control, because their way of life is perceived as subject to trade requests solely for the benefit of globally acting firms.
Corporate lawyers hijack UN meeting, while civil society is sidelined
28-May-2018 Truthout
The takeaway from the UNCITRAL’s process for its so-called "reform" discussions is that lawyers making millions in ISDS cases are welcomed, while the voices of the millions of people whose lives are harmed by ISDS cases brought by multinational corporations are barely an afterthought.
Quiet on the set! The EU is negotiating trade deals...
17-Apr-2018 CEO
Following calls for openness and public participation, the European Commission now advertises its trade negotiations as transparent and inclusive. But crucial information about EU trade deals are still kept from citizens. Even member state governments regularly complain about being left in the dark. At the same time, corporations continue to call the shots on EU trade talks.
Solutions for a stalled NAFTA: Stop pushing so hard on IP, and release the text
12-Apr-2018 EFF
Although advances have been made in some chapters, reports suggest that virtually the whole of the agreement’s IP chapter remains up in the air.