DutchNews.nl, March
31, 2015
The Dutch parliament on
Tuesday overwhelmingly voted in favour of a motion stating a new trade treaty
between the US and Europe should not disadvantage the Dutch legal system and
Dutch democracy.
The TTIP is a new free trade agreement which supporters say
will boost prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic. However, its detractors
claim Europe will lose control over product safety and workers rights and that
it will give big business free play to challenge government policies.
One
section of the treaty allows a company to make a legal claims against a country
if it considers its interests are being damaged. This could include being
refused permission to sell products or being forced to comply with
environmental legislation.
The Dutch cabinet supports the TTIP in principle but
trade minister Lilian Ploumen is trying to ensure it is amended in places,
broadcaster Nos reports. The motion states that the Dutch values ‘such as human
dignity, freedom, democracy, equal rights and the protection of the environment
and human rights must remain guaranteed’.
The TTIP may not include any ‘dispute
settlements which are detrimental to our national legal system and our democratic
decision-making process’, the motion said.
The motion was supported by parties
from across the political spectrum, except the ruling VVD.
Rutte and
Chinese president Xi Jinping. Photo: flikr.com/
minister-president
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