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Joining Pacific trade deal is ‘reckless gamble’, campaigners say

Photo: Global Justice Now

Global Justice Now | 30 March 2023

Joining Pacific trade deal is ‘reckless gamble’, campaigners say

Reacting to the news that the UK is to accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Jean Blaylock, trade campaign and policy manager at Global Justice Now said:

“Joining the Pacific trade deal is a reckless gamble by a government willing to sacrifice British farmers, workers and the planet in its desperation for a symbolic success.

“In particular, this deal will let multinational companies sue the British government for bringing in policies which harm their profits. This could include almost anything that helps us meet our net zero climate targets. At a time when many countries are scrambling to exit this climate-wrecking corporate court system, the UK government wants to lock us back down into the same mechanism through this deal.(1) And the UK government is rushing us into signing this at a time when it has just scrapped the only committee of MPs with experience to look into the small print.(2)

“Many countries, including the US, are recognising that trade policy needs fundamental transformation to support a step change to a sustainable green economy based on workers’ rights and shared prosperity, but this agreement is just another copy-paste of an ever more worn out and discredited approach.”

Global Justice Now’s full briefing on the CPTPP, What’s wrong with Pacific trade deal? is available here: https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/resource/pacific-trade-deal/

Read also: Nine civil society groups have signed a letter calling for a halt to the accession process. Signatories are the Trade Justice Movement, ActionAid UK, RSPCA, Fair Trade Wales, PAN UK, Sustain, Global Justice Now, Just Treatment and Compassion in World Farming UK.

Notes

1. In recent months many countries have announced they are leaving the Energy Charter Treaty, which includes investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions similar to those in the CPTPP: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/brussels-says-eu-exit-energy-charter-treaty-unavoidable-2023-02-07/

2. Last week the government confirmed the abolition of Parliament’s International Trade Committee: https://twitter.com/TradeJusticeMov/status/1638590551665647634

 source: Global Justice Now
  CPTPP UK