Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson
Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has said she will continue to oppose the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in the European Parliament.
Speaking as negotiations continue on the proposed agreement between the EU and the USA, Ms Anderson said the proposed partnership had the potential to have “one of the biggest pieces of legislation ever” to come before the European Parliament.
Ms Anderson said: “TTIP could see major US companies and their subsidiaries sue European governments for legislating in a way that reduces their ability to make profits.
“That is totally unacceptable as it would allow business interests to override democratically elected institutions.”
Ms Anderson added her party colleagues, Lynn Boylan, Liadh Ní Riada and Matt Carthy, had already opposed TTIP in the European Parliament and would continue to do so.
She added: “Opposition to this proposed partnership is growing with trade unions, environmental groups and anti-poverty organisations voicing serious concerns about the impact this could have on Europe.
“The discussions around TTIP need to reflect this impact, particularly on a government’s right to legislate for its own people.”
Ms Anderson said the debate needed to be “open and transparent” so people could learn the truth about TTIP.
She added: “Those in favour of the legislation, including British prime minister David Cameron, have made claims about job which have been described by academics from across Europe as vastly overblown.”
Ms Anderson concluded: “The reality is that TTIP, far from solving unemployment problems, could actually lead to the loss of one million jobs in the EU and USA.”
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