Australia/ Kuala Lumpur, 14 November 2017: This weekend trade ministers from the 11 remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries have attempted to salvage the trade deal by suspending a number of controversial provisions. Leaders could not reach a final agreement as predicted yet endorsed the deal in a statement and made a commitment to continue negotiations.
Friends of the Earth International warns that the rebranded Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership would still threaten people and planet, if approved.
Sam Cossar-Gilbert, Friends of the Earth International Economic Justice Resisting Neo-Liberalism Coordinator, said:
“The zombie TPP deal continues to stagger on terrorizing people across the Asia Pacific. Now is the time to put this deeply unpopular and environmentally destructive deal to rest. Trade can not trump climate action any longer.”
“Over 160 countries are currently taking part in international climate negotiations in Bonn to reduce greenhouse emissions, yet the zombie TPP trade deal would undermine climate action by protecting ‘free trade’ in dirty energy products and lead to an increase in coal, oil and gas exports, fuelling global warming.”
Mageswari Sangaralingam from Friends of the Earth Malaysia/ SAM warned that:
“Despite some modifications the zombie TPP deal still includes the controversial Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism that enables foreign corporations to sue governments in secret trade tribunals for almost any climate measure that harms their expected profits.”
MORE INFORMATION:
Sam Cossar-Gilbert / +61 403 145 167 / sam.cossargilbert[at]foe.org.au