Global Research

This incisive article first published by Global Research in December 2014 is of utmost relevance to the ongoing process of US-EU negotiation of the TTIP. It also has a bearing on the ongoing decision of the U.K to Leave the European Union.

Author’s Introduction and Update 

Below  is my article published by Global Research in December 2014, on the nefarious consequences of the TTIP – to remind people what is laying ahead for Europe, if the EU and its members ratify the TTIP: Slavehood, sheer and unescapable corporate slavehood, enhanced and controlled by Goldman Sachs — and not to forget, the Rothschilds, who are the invisible hand behind the FED.  

Katherine Frisk sums up best what the TTIP would mean for Europe:

International “free trade” agreements such as the TTIP and the TPP which will override the National Sovereignty of any country who signs them, the Constitution of any country, their Constitutional law courts and any laws that any government may or may not make regarding health regulations, minimum wage regulations or environmental requirements. Far from being Capitalism with checks and balances restricting monopolies, it is a form of Corporate Fascist hegemonic colonialism and Corporate Empire building, eliminating all competition in the interests of monopolies.

Peter Koenig, April 24, 2016

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The EU to Become a “U.S. Colony”? The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would Abolish Europe’s Sovereignty

by Peter Koenig

Global Research

December 2, 2014

The proposed Free Trade Agreement (sic), the so called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – TTIP – between the US and Europe would be an infringement and final abolishment of Europe’s sovereignty. It would expand the US corporate and financial empire which already today dominates Washington’s politics and that of much of the western world – to take over Europe. Europe’s sovereignty would be jeopardized, meaning the sovereignty of the EU itself, as well as and especially the sovereignty of EU member countries.

At stake would be EU’s and EU members’ legal and regulatory system, environmental protection regulations – and Europe’s economy. Europe’s basic social infrastructure, what’s left of it after the 2008 invasion of the infamous troika – IMF (FED, Wall Street), European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC) – like education, health, as well as water supply and sanitation services would become easy prey for privatization by international (mostly US) transnationals.

This so-called ‘Free Trade Agreement’ (sic) between the US and Europe Obama is pushing on the European Commission and for which on behalf of Europe, Germany’s Madame Merkel seems to be a forceful standard bearer, if signed, would be serving the interests of corporations rather than of the 600 million European citizens.

According to John Hilary, Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham, and expert on trade and investment, the TTIP is a Charter for Deregulation, an Attack on Jobs, and End to Democracy.

“[The] TTIP is therefore correctly understood not as a negotiation between two competing trading partners, but as an attempt by transnational corporations to praise open and deregulate markets on both sides of the Atlantic.”
http://rosalux.gr/sites/default/files/publications/ttip_web.pdf ).

In his State of the Union address of February 2013, Obama first announced the TTIP, for which the first round of – secret – negotiations started with a specially designed clandestine and restricted EU committee already July 2013. The objective is to complete talks fast and outside of the public domain, so that the peoples of Europe and the US will not find out the true magnitude of the agreement with all its threats before the treaty has been signed. Negotiation documents are to be kept under vaults for 30 years. Outside this EU special committee, EU and member countries parliamentarians have no access to the details of the contract.

Why is that, if the TTIP is to bring benefits to the peoples of both sides of the Atlantic? – Because this assumption is an illusion. In fact, officials of both sides of the Atlantic unofficially admit “the main goal of TTIP is to remove regulatory ‘barriers’ which restrict the potential profits to be made by transnational corporations.” These ‘hindrances’ include labor rights, food safety rules (including limitations on GMOs), environmental and health restrictions, such as the use of toxic chemicals, as well as regulations on digital privacy and – the newly introduced banking safeguards.

The TTIP’s most blatant transgressions into Europe’s sovereignty, environmental and social regulations include:

• Opening of flood gates for privatization of public services such as water supply and sanitation, health services and education – for profit;
• Jeopardy of public health – as practices which are legal in the US would also be legalized in Europe, such as genetically modified food production, and hormone treatments of livestock and poultry;
• Endangering small-scale agriculture, as it would favor large agro-corporations over family farming;
• Making fracking legal in Europe;
• The universal right of foreign corporations to sue countries for compensation in secret arbitrary courts for foregone profits in case governments pass laws that could reduce profits – case in point: the Swedish energy company Vattenfall is seeking $6 billion in compensation for Germany’s nuclear phase-out – and chances are that Vattenfall may win its case;
• Opening ways for increased internet monitoring and surveillance; and
• Opening of flood gates for privatization of public services such as water supply and sanitation, health services and education – for profit;

• Excessive copyright regulations (pharmaceuticals and other monopoly prone industries), restricting free access to culture, education, and science.

The TTIP is practically irreversible. Once agreed and signed by Brussels and Washington, the treaty would be enforced in all EU members and could only be amended or revoked by agreement of all 28 EU members and the US. This would almost be impossible. An individual (no longer) ‘sovereign’ EU member government could no longer decide to drop out of the agreement if and when it realizes that the TTIP works against its public interest, since it is not the individual country that signs the TTIP, but the EU.

The only way out would be exiting or dissolving the EU.

It is not a coincidence that the so-called negotiations are rushed and carried on in secret. If ratified and signed by the EC, the TTIP would be a monumental disaster for Europe’s future generations. It would further curtail the peoples of Europe’s constitutional rights and make them mere serfs of industrial and financial corporations and their elite.

Why is Madame Merkel so adamant to defend the interests of Washington rather than those of her own country, let alone those of the EU as a block? – It is clearly also a blow on Russia, since the TTIP would almost certainly mean a definite cut between Europe and Russia – and most likely between Europe and Asia.

The question may be asked – did the NSA find out something mortifying when they were eavesdropping on Merkel’s cell phone? – When she found out about the White House tapping her phone, she appeared extremely furious about Obama. Many politicians, including in Europe, hoped this would suggest a break from Washington – which would have allowed other European puppets to follow their ascribed European leader. Then suddenly she made a U-turn. It is difficult to believe that she is so naïve. Whatever they may have on her -putting the future lives of more than 600 million Europeans at stake is a crime.

As a curious coincidence, at the 8-10 November APEC Meeting in Beijing, Obama also proposed a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – a ‘free trade agreement’ that would include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam. Its implementation, like the enactment of the TTIP is one of the primary goals of Obama’s trade agenda.

Strangely, China is not included in the proposed partnership countries. The Western mainstream media says that Obama wants to sideline China – a ‘sanction’ for not falling in step with Washington’s agenda for a One World Order.

However – what if it is the other way around – China sees the fraud in these so-called free trade agreements and opted not to part take in them?

If the proposed TTIP combined with the proposed TTP would be ratified and signed, it would be like a corporate empire taking over the world, especially Europe and Asia – less China and Russia. The Unite States is already in the claws of transnationals.

Let’s keep in mind, these are secret negotiations, taking place behind closed doors, with little to no access to politicians and parliamentarians of the countries concerned. The talks are to be rushed through as fast as possible, so as to put the people at large before a fait accompli.

Only We, the People, can stop this crime – a new layer of US propelled world hegemony – by launching and supporting anti TTIP referenda on internet and in the streets.

Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources. He writes regularly for Global Research, ICH, RT, the Voice of Russia, now Ria Novosti, The Vineyard of The Saker Blog, and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed – fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe.