TTIP EU-US talks
Election promises already being broken in EU Parliament
The sixth negotiating round of the controversial EU-US TTIP trade negotiations will start on Monday, with MEPs set to debate the talks on Tuesday. The Greens/EFA group had proposed the European Parliament adopt a resolution, as the logical conclusion of this plenary debate, but this proposal was blocked by the four largest political groups in the Parliament (1). Commenting on this, Greens/EFA co-presidents Rebecca Harms and Philippe Lamberts said:
"Today's decision to muzzle MEPs and prevent the European Parliament from adopting a resolution on the ongoing TTIP negotiations shows it didn't take long for election promises to be broken. Candidates of all political colours were talking up their credentials on defending citizens' interests with regard to TTIP during the election. It is cynical that, at the first possible instance, the bigger political groups are now trying to stifle debate on these highly controversial negotiations, which have provoked major concerns among EU citizens and civil society.
"The Greens will continue to push for the Parliament to take a stronger and clearer role in preventing these opaque negotiations from going too far. The European Parliament is the voice of the citizens and it needs to defend their legitimate concerns about the prospect of TTIP lowering EU standards."
(1) The decision was taken at the Conference of Presidents of the political groups in the European Parliament, which is responsible for deciding on the agenda of the Parliament's plenary sessions. The presidents of the European People's Party, Socialists and Democrats, Europe of Conservatives and Reformists and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats all opposed the proposal for a resolution.
