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TTIP reading room: “How in the high-security wing”

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TTIP reading room: “How in the high-security wing”

In the new reading room in the Ministry of economy can members of Parliament TTIP-Verhandlungstexte view. Some criticize the conditions. In a DW Interview, said Klaus Ernst from the Left-hand of his experiences.

DW: Since the 1. February can the members of the German Bundestag in the reading room documents to the transatlantic free trade agreement (TTIP). They were there for. What insights have you gained?

Klaus Ernst: The deputies themselves have only very restrictive access to the records. You need to your phone review. You are under observation by someone who is in the room sitting and also can control what you write down.

The texts are in English. This is thus a Problem, because it is commercial technical texts, where even normal interpreters have problems, and we do not have a staff to take. So we can get the texts do not properly evaluate.

The time is two hours. Even the paper on which you write, will be provided. And also the pen. This is strange. I would like to give you the content to say nothing, that is also secret.

If you do not have concrete content will be allowed to speak, what can you about the documents say?

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We are Verhandlungstexte provided. If the all are, we can’t judge. What I noticed is: the private arbitration courts, there are very extensive texts. I was surprised how far in the negotiations on this question already.

The EU Commission and the US argue that more transparency would be the negotiations at risk. Why do you think it is useful to gain insight in ongoing negotiations to get?

The impact of this trade agreement, all areas of life. An example: we have the Blinker on the car will be yellow, then for the Americans is a trade barrier, because where the turn signal is red. And to the dismantling of these trade barriers.

You will not be at the highest Standard to some, otherwise it would indeed be more expensive. It is below the best Standards. And that then means the removal of regulations in Europe in the member States, as regards working conditions and occupational health and safety, environmental protection, consumer protection.

I would like to just at the edge of the Chlorhühnchen and genetic engineering remind us herüberschwappen could. All these things will be behind the backs of the people being negotiated.

You paint a bleak picture. An American could argue with a chicken in chlorine to dunk was better, because so no Salmonella to emerge. And in Germany, Fertigsalat also in chlorine cleaned. It is not good to have a debate about what is better and the other to learn?

Yes you can make. The only question is, whether a trade agreement needs. The Chlorhühnchen diverts attention from crucial issues: We have completely different conditions, even with the social standards.

A different topic are raw eggs. In the last negotiations was discussed, how to trade with raw eggs across the Atlantic to deregulate. I think this is already the approach to stupid, that one eggs on the ocean cruises in the face of environmental problems. It is about the liberalisation of trade, and not to the better Standards.

The Pacific States have just the free trade agreement with the US ratified. The negotiations on TTIP to pull against, it was
massive protests. How do you see the opportunities for a degree?

The risk that this agreement is concluded, is still very large. It is the resistance of the citizens, the parliaments and the press, whether such treaties can prevent or not. I hope we can do it.

That is, the TTIP reading room is for you more a Farce than a milestone?

The reading room is a nice idea, it is so done, as if it was transparent would be. The citizens know this, because he himself no access to. I had the feeling that I’m in a maximum-security wing. I can only say that I feel in the exercise of my free mandate of the nature of this regulation is extremely hampered. And we are now investigating whether legal steps.

Klaus Ernst is a member of Parliament of the party “The Left” in the Bundestag. The former trade Union official, was one of eight top candidate of his party in the General election 2013. As a member of the German Bundestag, he is one of the committees for labour and social Affairs and the Committee for economy and energy.

The Interview was conducted by Charlotte Potts.

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