Birmingham's fears over US-Europe trade deal

Birmingham's fears over US-Europe trade deal

Article summary taken from: 

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birminghams-fears-ove...

Birmingham city councillors have raised fears their ability to award £1 billion worth of contracts and business could be hit if a new US-Europe trade deal is signed.

The city council has joined other local authorities from across the UK and Europe in calling on government and EU leaders to come clean over the new Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP) deal currently being negotiated.

The deal has been widely criticised as the negotiations are taking place in secret and even MPs have been unable to scrutinise its details.

Of particular concern to councillors are new measures, under the Investor State Dispute Settlement, which could allow companies to sue governments if they fail to secure profits from public sector contracts.

Coun Martin Straker-Welds (Lab Moseley and Kings Heath) welcomed the backing of the full council for his motion on TTIP.

He said TTIP could remove the ability for councils to act in the best interests of the communities they represent, as corporations' right to profits are elevated above the democratic rights of the people.

Read more on the Birmingham Mail website

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TTIP