On 21-22 April 2016, it was held in Barcelona the first Pan-European Meeting of “Local Authorities and the New Generation of Free Trade Agreements”, organized by the Campaign Catalunya NO al TTIP, the Spanish No al TTIP campaign, the Barcelona City Council and a European Working Group.
Thanks to public pressure and the international civil society mobilisation against the New Generation of Free Trade Agreements, over one thousand European municipalities have adopted resolutions declaring themselves TTIP/CETA/TISA-free zones. These treaties will jeopardise the democratic principles by substantially reducing political space and restricting the scope for public choices via the implementation of a range of measures that impact local democracy- from the Investor-state State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) and Regulatory Cooperation, to changes in rules for government procurement and public services.
As citizens and local authorities, we know that we must walk beyond and open spaces of collective reflection on how we defend local communities and their democratic institutions as spaces for debate and decision-making, and how we strengthen public policies defending Human Rights, as well as supporting the local economy in order to achieve social and economic justice. There is a urgent need to understand and raise awareness on the social, economic and environmental impacts of the current Trade & Investment agenda, in which Free Trade Agreements such as TTIP/CETA/TISA represent a severe threat for democracy, Human Rights and popular sovereignty. It is also important to share and strengthen the already existing alternatives, as well as to explore constructive proposals onwards.
The event included a meeting of mayors and elected officials on the first day, followed by a meeting with representatives of civil society, trade unions, NGOs, business associations, among others that began in the evening of the 21st and continued on 22nd April. It was an opportunity to create new links between civil society and local authorities and work together to stop these treaties within the EU corporate agenda.
You can access to the schedule by clicking on this link.
For any queries, please contact the organization through the following email addresses: [email protected] and barcelona.no.ttip@gmail.com.
You can access to the adopted Declaration here.