MOTION 1
Proposed by: Councillor Dilwar Ali.
Seconded by: Councillor Darren Williams.
This Council notes:
1. That the EU and USA launched negotiations in July 2013 on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
2. That negotiations are underway to determine which goods and services TTIP will apply to and if new rules can be agreed to protect investors, harmonise standards, reduce tariffs and open new markets throughout the EU and USA.
3. That there has been no impact assessment about the potential impact on local authorities.
4. That there has been no scrutiny of the negotiating texts by local government and no consultation with local government representatives.
5. That MPs are also unable to scrutinise the negotiating documents.
This Council believes that:
1. TTIP could have a detrimental impact on local services, employment, suppliers and decision-making.
2. A thorough impact assessment of TTIP on local authorities must be undertaken before the negotiations can be concluded.
3. The proposed Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism has been used by corporations to overturn democratic decisions by all levels of governments at significant public cost. Local decision-making must be protected from ISDS.
4. The EU’s food, environmental and labour standards are better than those in the US and TTIP negotiations must raise and not lower these standards across the EU and USA.
5. Sourcing supplies and employment locally is important to strengthening local economies and meeting local needs. TTIP must not impact on local authorities’ ability to act in the best interests its communities.
This Council resolves:
1. To write to the Welsh First Minister and Minister for Public Services; Cardiff MPs and AMs; and all Welsh MEPs, raising our serious concerns about the impact of TTIP on local authorities and the secrecy of the negotiating process.
2. To write to the local government association to raise our serious concerns about the impact of TTIP on local authorities and ask them to raise these with government on our behalf.
3. To call for an impact assessment on the impact of TTIP on local authorities.
4. To publicise the council’s concerns about TTIP; join with other local authorities which are opposed to TTIP across Europe and work with local campaigners to raise awareness about the problems of TTIP.