Huge rally in Berlin says ‘No’ to EU-US trade deal

[Lite Beer]

Huge rally in Berlin says ‘No’ to EU-US trade deal

Organisers are hailing a huge success, claiming that 250,000 people marched in Berlin on Saturday to protest against proposed free trade deals between Europe and both the United States and Canada.

“This is the biggest protest that this country has seen for many, many years,” Christoph Bautz, director of citizens’ movement Campact told protesters in a speech at the rally, spearheaded by an alliance of environmental groups, charities and opposition parties.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she wants the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with Washington finalised before President Obama leaves office.

But opposition to the TTIP has risen over the past year in Germany, with critics fearing the pact will hand too much power to big multinationals at the expense of consumers and workers.


Demonstrators – police gave a reduced estimate of those present – say it will also lower health and environmental standards, for example fully opening up to GM crops, widely used in America but viewed with suspicion in Europe.

Then there is the question of how to integrate Europe’s farm animal welfare standards into the world’s biggest trade deal which critics complain is being drawn up in secret.

Some activists say it will force Europeans to eat chlorine-washed chicken or meat from cattle fed growth-enhancing hormones – ideas rejected by the EU as ‘pure fantasy’.

The level of resistance has taken Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government by surprise and underscores the challenge it faces to turn the tide in favour of the deal which supporters say will create a market of 800 million and serve as a counterweight to China’s economic clout.

In a full-page letter published in several German newspapers on Saturday, Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned against “scaremongering”.

Businesses hope the trade deal will deliver over 88 billion euros of economic gains on both sides of the Atlantic.

“A fair and comprehensive free trade deal promotes growth and prosperity in Europe. We should actively participate in the rules for world trade of tomorrow,” Ulrich Grillo, head of the BDI Federation of German industries, said in a statement.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-10-10

[terryp]

Finally the people are waking up to what’s basically a huge take over by vested interests.

while here in thailand they are sleepwalking into the other disaster of the TPP.......................

Next TSIA negotiations will be announced to control ALL your money in the World

these are serious times people it will have huge implications on your life and most certainly on your children’s

[shirtless]

Western nations have become all the poorer from the last free trade agreement , we again are being sold out by our political leaders

[zaphod reborn]

It's ok, the EU is well on its way to becoming an economic backwater. No need for any kind of trade agreements.

[Cats4ever]

The secrecy makes people suspicious. Past trade deals that failed to deliver, make people suspicious. Some of the people pushing the deals make people suspicious.

I am willing to be convinced, but the evidence has failed to convince me so far ( I am talking TPP, however cooments refer to TTIP also).

[Scott]

A post with an oversized graphic has been removed.

[Expat1]

Any such trade agreement would in no way benefit the Europeans in any significant way. We are talking about making another agreement with a country that held Germany's gold reserves for decades under the so called Fed Reserve requirements, then when Germany asked to have the gold (1000's of tonnes) returned it was not there. Gone (ok, after a year they were given 85 tonnes back). But no problem they will get it back to Germany in a decade or so...maybe. Better yet the Merkel govt just capitulated and then said that the gold is safe there in NYC. Safe, how is it safe, if it is not there at all? And they want to make MORE deals with these people. Really? KIV, it is the Merkel govt that will be making this new slick deal with these people as well. Never deal with the new Amers on large sums of money, it will be the last time you see it. Ask the guys that have started the BRICs banks. They know.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Expat1

[sawadee1947]

Any such trade agreement would in no way benefit the Europeans in any significant way. We are talking about making another agreement with a country that held Germany's gold reserves for decades under the so called Fed Reserve requirements, then when Germany asked to have the gold (1000's of tonnes) returned it was not there. Gone (ok, after a year they were given 85 tonnes back). But no problem they will get it back to Germany in a decade or so...maybe. Better yet the Merkel govt just capitulated and then said that the gold is safe there in NYC. Safe, how is it safe, if it is not there at all? And they want to make MORE deals with these people. Really? KIV, it is the Merkel govt that will be making this new slick deal with these people as well. Never deal with the new Amers on large sums of money, it will be the last time you see it. Ask the guys that have started the BRICs banks. They know.

you might be right. But other experts say it might benefit for both sides, more even for Germany. But agreed I have my doubts anyway. I would not sign that paper unless there will be some amendments concerning liability.

[Mumpel]

But other experts say it might benefit for both sides

if it is so, why it is not published openly?

Wikileaks suggested a huge amount of money for the whole text and they gather it in pieces and publish as soon as they get them

[SheungWan]

Any such trade agreement would in no way benefit the Europeans in any significant way. We are talking about making another agreement with a country that held Germany's gold reserves for decades under the so called Fed Reserve requirements, then when Germany asked to have the gold (1000's of tonnes) returned it was not there. Gone (ok, after a year they were given 85 tonnes back). But no problem they will get it back to Germany in a decade or so...maybe. Better yet the Merkel govt just capitulated and then said that the gold is safe there in NYC. Safe, how is it safe, if it is not there at all? And they want to make MORE deals with these people. Really? KIV, it is the Merkel govt that will be making this new slick deal with these people as well. Never deal with the new Amers on large sums of money, it will be the last time you see it. Ask the guys that have started the BRICs banks. They know.

Gold bugs and conspiracy theorists all in a tizzy.

[mjnaus]

Any such trade agreement would in no way benefit the Europeans in any significant way. We are talking about making another agreement with a country that held Germany's gold reserves for decades under the so called Fed Reserve requirements, then when Germany asked to have the gold (1000's of tonnes) returned it was not there. Gone (ok, after a year they were given 85 tonnes back). But no problem they will get it back to Germany in a decade or so...maybe. Better yet the Merkel govt just capitulated and then said that the gold is safe there in NYC. Safe, how is it safe, if it is not there at all? And they want to make MORE deals with these people. Really? KIV, it is the Merkel govt that will be making this new slick deal with these people as well. Never deal with the new Amers on large sums of money, it will be the last time you see it. Ask the guys that have started the BRICs banks. They know.

Gold bugs and conspiracy theorists all in a tizzy.

Right... Because anyone taking a critical point of view and asking questions must be a conspirary theorist. While those who just blindly buy into all the crap shoved down their throats by their governments have a much healthier attitude...

[Oryx816]

Didn't they also say that letting in all the migrants "promotes growth and prosperity in Europe"?

Edited October 11, 2015 by Oryx816

[SheungWan]

Any such trade agreement would in no way benefit the Europeans in any significant way. We are talking about making another agreement with a country that held Germany's gold reserves for decades under the so called Fed Reserve requirements, then when Germany asked to have the gold (1000's of tonnes) returned it was not there. Gone (ok, after a year they were given 85 tonnes back). But no problem they will get it back to Germany in a decade or so...maybe. Better yet the Merkel govt just capitulated and then said that the gold is safe there in NYC. Safe, how is it safe, if it is not there at all? And they want to make MORE deals with these people. Really? KIV, it is the Merkel govt that will be making this new slick deal with these people as well. Never deal with the new Amers on large sums of money, it will be the last time you see it. Ask the guys that have started the BRICs banks. They know.

Gold bugs and conspiracy theorists all in a tizzy.

Right... Because anyone taking a critical point of view and asking questions must be a conspirary theorist. While those who just blindly buy into all the crap shoved down their throats by their governments have a much healthier attitude...

In the above example its conspiracy/gold nonsense all the way.

[BusyB]

€88,000,000,000 boost to the two economies. Sounds great doesn't it?

Shared among 800,000,000 people.

= exactly €110 per capita.

Apart from the fact that I and 99% of the citizens will not see a cent of that, do they seriously think we're going to let them sell our social democracies to global corporations and the likes of the Koch brothers for the price of 3 extra doner kebabs a month?

[quandow]

[quandow]

One of the most frightening points of this nightmare is a provision that a corporation can sue a country for potential loss of income.

Example: Monsanto wants to sell their poisonous GMO's in New Zealand. New Zealand says "No thank you" and bans GMO's. Monsanto can now sue New Zealand for the profit they could have made had their carcinogen-laced garbage been sold.

This MUST be stopped. You may not believe in God, you may not believe in Satan, but DAMNED if this isn't proof of the existence of pure evil.

[Friendly Stranger]

Give it to Merkle, she'll agree and sign anything.

[ozyjon]

This is the best reading i've done in ages,,

great quotes, thanks everyone, eg;

''while here in Thailand they are sleepwalking''

''the EU is well on its way to becoming an economic backwater''

''Right... Because anyone taking a critical point of view and asking questions must be a conspiracy theorist. While those who just blindly buy into all the crap shoved down their throats by their governments have a much healthier attitude..''

''Didn't they also say that letting in all the migrants "promotes growth and prosperity in Europe"?''

Wow, put it all together and there you have it.

Brilliant, good weekend everyone.