Civil Society's Concerns About the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

When the EU and the US launched negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in June 2013, civil society was invited to play ‘a constructive and engaged part in defining the content’ of this strategic deal. Interest in the TTIP has gone beyond its expected economic impact: the agreement has been seen by some as a way to strengthen the West’s weakening grip on the world economy, and by others as a tool for big multinationals to secure unfair advantages at the expense of the rest of society. Civil society groups have come forward with various conditions, demands (including stopping the negotiations) and concrete proposals – in most cases to ensure that the TTIP represents their interests. The TTIP requires extremely complex international negotiations, and its final content is still not known. The result will depend on the outcome of the negotiations and the extent to which they respond to civil society's concerns. However, much will also depend on the way the European Parliament and the Council agree to transpose the provisions of the new deal – if concluded and approved – into existing EU legislation.