8 May 2012

Green MPs Back International Opposition to TPP

New Zealand must follow the lead of Australia and refuse to sign any trade agreement that includes investor state dispute settlement provisions, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

Investor state dispute provisions are clauses in trade deals that allow overseas investors to sue governments at World Bank tribunals. Green MPs Metiria Turei and Eugenie Sage have signed an open letter calling for investor state dispute settlement provisions to be excluded from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP). The open letter is signed by over a 100 prominent opponents with a legal background in countries currently negotiating the TPP.

“The Key Government must not sign up to any trade treaty such as the TPP that allows foreign corporations to challenge our democratic laws,” said Mrs Turei.
"The TPP which is currently being negotiated includes investor state rules which would give tobacco companies the right to sue the New Zealand Government for losses.

“Overseas multinationals such as Philip Morris want investor-state disputes provisions in the TPP so it can stop countries introducing measures to combat the harm caused by smoking.

"Proposals around the packaging of cigarettes in plain cartons would be able to be directly challenged through New Zealand signing up to the TPP.
“Any trade-agreement that supersedes a country’s domestic laws is inherently undemocratic,” said Mrs Turei.

“I am proud to put my signature down among many others with a legal background in highlighting how our laws will be able to be challenged at anti-democratic World Bank tribunals should we sign up to the TPP.”

ENDS

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