Trade

The EU's trade policy aims to increase the 'competitiveness' of European companies – by guaranteeing them access to raw materials through often secretive free trade deals and by making sure that regulations do not stand in their way. CEO is challenging this craze for so-called competitiveness, which we believe in reality advances the interests of corporate Europe at the expense of social and environmental justice.

MEPs called on to support trade and investment rules that work for people and the planet

02.04.2014

Today, a European alliance of over 50 civil society organisations will launch the Alternative Trade Mandate pledge campaign, calling on European Parliament election candidates to make EU trade and investment policy serve people and the planet, not just the profit of a few large corporations.

Campaigners slam Commission’s mock consultation on investor rights in EU-US trade deal

27.03.2014

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SEATTLE TO BRUSSELS NETWORK

Brussels/Amsterdam, 27 March 2014 - Campaigners from the Seattle to Brussels Network [1] have criticised the European Commission’s consultation on the investor rights in the EU-US trade deal as a mock consultation aimed at selling its pro-industry agenda, rather than an honest attempt to have a much-needed open debate on the issue. The public consultation was launched earlier today.

Citizens turn up the volume on troubled TTIP negotiations

19.03.2014

March 10-14th saw the latest round of the highly controversial EU-US free trade negotiations take place in Brussels. But while the industry's 50 leading CEO's, known collectively as the European Roundtable of Industrialists, proclaimed it their responsibility to ensure the deal was passed 'with as little noise as possible', citizens from both sides of the Atlantic had other, rather noisier ideas for the Belgian capital.

Spekulative Investoren wollen über 1,7 Milliarden Euro von Europas Krisenländern

10.03.2014

Spekulative Investoren verlangen vor privaten internationalen Schiedsgerichten mehr als 1,7 Milliarden Euro Entschädigung von Griechenland, Spanien und Zypern – für Maβnahmen, die diese Länder zur Bekämpfung ihrer Wirtschaftskrise ergriffen haben. Das zeigt eine heute erschienene Studie der Organisationen Transnational Institute (TNI) und Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO).

Profiting from crisis - How corporations and lawyers are scavenging profits from Europe’s crisis countries

10.03.2014

Since the economic crisis hit Europe, international investors have begun suing EU countries struggling under austerity and recession for a loss of expected profits, using international trade and investment agreements. This is revealed by a new report released today by the Transnational Institute and Corporate Europe Observatory.

Climate

Fracking auf TTIP komm raus - Wie das EU-USA Freihandelsabkommen Klima- und Umweltschutz untergräbt

06.03.2014

Das TTIP Handelsabkommen zwischen der EU und den USA könnte Öl- und Gaskonzernen den Weg ebnen für milliardenschwere Schadensersatzklagen gegen Verbote und scharfe Regulierungen des ‘Fracking’ von Öl und Gas. Das ist das Ergebnis einer neuen Analyse, die Corporate Europe Observatory gemeinsam mit anderen Organisationen herausgegeben hat.

EU-USA Handelsabkommen: Einfallstor für Milliardenklagen gegen Fracking-Verbote

06.03.2014

What are you hiding? The opacity of the EU-US trade talks

17.02.2014

While Commissioner De Gucht claims that “there is nothing secret” about the ongoing EU-US trade talks, notes of Commission meetings with business lobbyists released to CEO under the EU’s freedom of information law were heavily censored.

Critics score against extreme corporate rights in TTIP, but must not be fooled by the Commission’s tricks

23.01.2014

The European Commission's freeze in negotiations over dangerous corporate rights in the EU-US trade deal (TTIP) announced this week is an important first success for the growing anti-TTIP movement. But a closer look at the Commission’s line shows that it might just be a smart trick to dispel concerns.

Climate

Corporate lawsuits under TTIP could block environmental and social policies

15.01.2014

The European Commission has repeatedly promised civil society that the ongoing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations with the United States will not lead to a race to the bottom in terms of environmental protection, health and safety standards and consumer rights. The fear has always been that Europe would be forced to lower the bar to create a “level playing field” between the US rules and generally more robust EU regulations.

Busting the myths of transparency around the EU-US trade deal

25.09.2013

On 7 October, the second round of negotiations for a far-reaching transatlantic trade deal will begin in Brussels. Amidst calls for greater openness and public participation, the European Commission has gone into propaganda mode, promoting myths about the transparency and accountability of the talks. See through its feel-good rhetoric with Corporate Europe Observatory’s myth-busting guide to secrecy, corporate influence and lack of accountability in the transatlantic trade negotiations.

TTIP: Unfounded attack on CEO

17.12.2013

Yesterday Corporate Europe Observatory published a leaked document which carried a specific proposal from the European Commission on how to deal with “regulation” in the TTIP negotiations (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a trade agreement being negotiated between the European