Sergei Stanishev said: ‘The resolution to be adopted very much reflects the position of our family.’
‘The position would exclude of Services of General interest (included but not limited to water, health, education, social service, social security systems) from the scope of the agreement.’
‘The respect of the EU fundamental rights standards has to be guarantee by the inclusion of legally binding and suspensive human rights clause in the agreement’
‘We demand the protection of Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity and a strong legal protection for EU geographical indications. In that way it would prove Europe is a strong global trading partner, while introducing standards in international trade.’The protection of workers’ rights and environmental standards in TTIP is a ‘red line’ for the socialist and democratic family. The position would ensure that TTIP includes labour and environmental standards as well as the protection of the workers’ rights.’
‘It is for us to the utmost importance that the foreign investors have no greater rights than domestic investors, that our data is protected and the financial markets regulated.’
In order to resolve disputes between investors and states, we want a system subject to democratic principles and scrutiny with transparent functioning, including an appellate mechanism, respecting the jurisdiction of courts of the EU and of the Members States and where private interests cannot undermine public policy objectives; therefore we need a new system at the place of ISDS.
It is vital to the PES to have increased transparency in the negotiations by making more proposals available to the general public. President Stanishev announces the launch by the PES and S&D group of a transparency campaign on the TTIP, for the process to be accessible to citizens and also for explaining our positions and the reasons why we have them. We will continue to struggle to have transparency on negotiation and to provide access to the proposals to general public.
