Public Services Under Attack With TTIP, Say Trade Unions

Public services are under attack with major international trade deals such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the European Union's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), according to a new report released Monday.

The deals will hamper people's access to basic services such as water, health and energy by removing the government's ability to regulate them, according to the report released by an international group of non-government organizations and trade unions.

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The report, “Public Services Under Attack,” said the two trade deals could allow public services to be locked into commercial deals that would put profit before people's rights to access such services – a decision that would be “effectively irreversible.”

Under the current World Trade Organization agreements, access is regarded as a basic human right. However, the two agreements currently being negotiated would undermine this.

#TTIP Alarm !!! pic.twitter.com/nAW4rVIlAK

— Hans van Vliet (@Hans_van_Vliet) October 10, 2015

John Hilary, the executive director of War on Want, one of the NGOs behind the report, said the deals could create a situation where if someone could be denied access to water if they could not pay their bill.

“Suddenly, instead of water being considered a human right, it would be treated as a commodity and people could be cut off if they can’t afford it,” Hilary told The Independent.

The report highlights the close relationship between industry and the European Commission, as well as big business and their involvement in CETA and TTIP.

According to a report by Bilaterals.org, big business has successfully lobbied against exempting public services from CETA and TTIP, and set up a “negative list” approach whereby all public services are up for grab unless an explicit exception is made.

They also highlight the far-reaching investment protection provisions in both trade agreements, which would allow companies to sue the EU and its member states over regulatory changes that could hamper investments.

The British government, which is involved in both deals, has told the public in the past that the trade agreements would not jeopardize public institutions, referring specifically to education and the National Health Care System.

However, Hilary warns the public should be skeptical of these kinds of promises. Both deals are currently being negotiated.