Just been contacted by staff from within the Euro Parliament and told I must remove this video. I won’t be. #TTIPhttps://t.co/JkVLDyxMdQ
— Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (@lukeming) May 4, 2016
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan MEP writes:
Just been contacted by staff from within the Euro Parliament and told I must remove this video. I won’t be. #TTIP
Previously: TTIP Of The Iceberg
TTIP?
It’s a disgrace that we can’t see the TTIP documents. Democracy me hole.
And the fact that people just think ‘oh well, that’s a pity’ and carry on as normal.
TTIP will give businesses the opportunity to limit the extent of Government health policy and it will happen behind the scenes outside of any parliament and out of reach of journalists (not that the Irish ones would bother looking into it).
EU Commission’s trade negotiations are secret before being decided upon. That goes for every EU external trade treaty ever. The EU parliament only ratifies (votes for, or against it), after a negotiations have been finalised. If they don’t agree with it, simply vote against it, and it will go back to the negotiation table.
If Ireland was making it’s own trade agreements it would be the exact same. Civil Service/Government making trade agreement to be voted upon in the Dail after finalisation.
[take from someone who knew more than me on Reddit]
[this is not a defence of TTIP, just the whole why can’t we see it! thing]
How exactly do I vote against it?
Do you personally? You don’t. The elected representatives which you voted in through the European elections do that for you once the final treaty is put before the parliament.
I would like to think they would take the time to read the treaty before deciding to vote either for or against it in blind ignorance though.
And how would you suggest they take the time, they arent allowed a copy of it
You disgust me, voterep1
“And how would you suggest they take the time, they arent allowed a copy of it”
They are not allowed to take a copy while the negotiations are in place. Once the negotiations are finished, it will be given to each MEP and it can be downloaded by you personally from the EU website.
[Once again, this is not a defence of TTIP, just the whole why can’t we see it! thing]
@vote Rep # 1. Normally I’d accept that but in the case of CETA and TTIP, FG and others have already expressed their support. It doesn’t take a genius to see what Americans were told and what actually happened following the ratification of NAFTA is exactly what’s happening here. They were told it would increase trade and jobs. The opposite happened, their jobs were exported. It is not possible to maintain the worker protections we have in Europe if we are competing directly with a workforce who have such poor working conditions, no sick leave, holiday or maternity leave as standard.
The reality is that most of what is being discussed shouldn’t be even on the table. We should not be removing restrictions on cheap food imports that are currently banned in the EU. There is absolutely no benefit to us to open our public services to the corporate elite.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-is-ttip-and-six-reasons-why-the-answer-should-scare-you-9779688.html
https://www.ttip-leaks.org
Greenpeace has exposed 250 pages of this corporate takeover of the world. Its sister deal TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) and TISA (Trade In Services Agreement) are Obamas retirement plans. He sold out his voters to corporate USA and wants to sell out the rest of us also. Cameron is in the Guardian stating just one more push will get TTIP over the line. No doubt there will be a rather large addition to his Panama fund over that one.https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/04/david-cameron-political-courage-ttip-trade-deal
This is just the beginning….
This is just the start….
This is just the TTIP…
That’s not a knife, THIS is a knife….
Like
Thats not a Knif!. Thats a SPOON.
Well done to Luke Flanagan for standing up to a very dodgy censorship and unjustifiably secretive deals. How are the people of Europe supposed to benefit from this secrecy? When people connected to Goldman Sachs were running several EU countries appointed by Brussels and Berlin, I thought wow, they are doing it in everyone’s face and they are getting away with it, but this TTIP stuff somehow manages to be worse. Democracy is truly dead.
A Britainless EU and Trump presidency by the end of the year. #theendisnigh #hashtag
Needs more #hash
…says Luke.
Bah dum tish
How can you say democracy is dead when we had an election, like, 70 days ago? And we’ll probably have a government in time for the Dáil’s 8 week summer recess and everything.
Cause he doesn’t understand what democracy means.
I guess one of us doesn’t.
abuse of the term Democracy.
Who cares. Democracy isn’t exactly serving the people well is it? I know you blame the politicians, but you elect them too. Try and answer without using the word “Should”.
“Democracy isn’t exactly serving the people well is it?”
Communist.
try again
What would you suggest Tony?
I’m not getting at you, I’m genuinely curious what you think would work better.
Well if its delivering Trump and assorted nutbags across Eastern Eu, and coming closer.. Im just not in the mood for defending it any more. The alternative is a long discussion, but one needed to be had.
I am willing to put myself forward once again for the office of Benign Dictator (got no support last time :-D). Any support out there?
I know you’re not a commie. You’re the polar opposite. You’d probably favour a dictatorship that agrees with all your opinions.
It Isn’t Democracy. And in spite of what all the Media would have you believe, Communists are Democratic and do practice it. Either the media know that full well and don’t want yoou to know or they don’t know what they are talking about
The “anti-democratic” pitch here is overstated. Every EU country can veto TTIP (including Ireland), and it has to be passed by European parliament too, so Luke gets a vote himself.
Currently, it’s just a bunch of EU (and US) civil servants negotiating. The democratic part comes later. In this process, the European commission is not a decision maker.
You realise that the bigger and more complex the ‘package’ becomes, the easier it is for serious but maybe ‘not so big’ things to get through, right? Added to that, there could be all kinds of pressure and distractions to make sure that the deal goes through as a whole.
It sounds like they are attempting to make it so complex that most people won’t even bother to start getting involved and the debate will be run by highly biased experts skewing public opinion – there are plenty precedents of that in the EU.
“The democratic part comes later” is not good enough.
Luke showing that he doesn’t like how the system works. I hope it’s that he doesn’t know cause that would be poor form.
Maybe I am missing something? In days past, EP would have reviewed the final negotiated and agreed texts. Now they get to read the negotiating positions during the negotiations. That’s real progress. Trade deals are negotiated by bureaucrats (Commission) based on authority given to them by the Council (member states) and approved by politicians – it was ever thus. In some cases, ratification by national parliaments or referendum is required also. Where is the democratic deficit? Or does Ming claim to right to a seat at the negotiating table?
I’m surprised he could find his way to the table. He didn’t bother going there much from what I can gather… Maybe that has changed but his attendance was appalling at the beginning of his tenure.
The democratic deficit appears to be in the secrecy, for starters. Why can an MEP see the current version of the agreement as if it was a huge concession but can’t get a copy? I can’t think of a valid reason.
they can’t get a copy so that there are no leaks?
I don’t see the value of the secrecy. In fact I find it highly suspicious, opening the process to manipulation. The EU has shown in recent years where it’s heart is, and it is not always with the best interests of the public. As for the US, trust them at your peril.
His wife was ill, and he was caring for her, or so I understand. I could be wrong, mind.
http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-meps-ep-poor-voting-record-1834967-Dec2014/
It’s a few years old so this may not be relevant, but it explains certain absences.
well for a start try reading the wording of the role for national parliaments in the Lisbon Treaty.
the EU is the worst
I don’t know, the UK is keen to let all kinds of things through but are only being tempered by Germany and France.
The EU is the best
Are we guaranteed a referendum on TTIP legally speaking, should they push ahead with it, or is it possible it could be agreed to by the government in our absence?
A referendum is only mandatory when a change to the constitution is required. The legal people are getting better and better at avoiding this requirement.
A trade agreement totally circumvents any local law that it contradicts, and in many countries can be agreed upon without any sort of vote, even a parlimentary one. At least the EU has some level of vote. If you don’t want to see TTIP passed, start contacting MEPs ASAP.
Thx Lorcan and Manolo.
If no referendum required then we need a anti-TTIP lobby group?
Does anyone know how the Irish political parties stand on TTIP?
European Parliament – Some Figures for thought
751 Members/Seats elected from the 28 Member States.
Ireland has 11 seats- SF-3, Independent – 3, FG – 4, FF – 1.
EPP, largest party, European Peoples Party(Christian Democrats) -215 Seats.
Fine Gael is a member of the EPP.
S&D, next largest, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, aka S&D, 190 Seats, Current EP President Martin Schulz is a member of S&D.
ALDE, Alliance and Liberals for Europe, 70 Seats
These first three groups make up the “Majority”, 475 seats, and the next 6 make up the “Opposition”, 276 seats
ECR, European Conservatives and Reformists, 74 Seats
GUE/NGL, Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, 52 Seats
Greens/EPA, European Free Alliance, 50 seats
EFDD, Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy, 46 Seats
ENF, Europe of Nations and Freedom, 39 Seats
NI, Non-Inscrits, Non-Attached Members, 15 seats
From their websites:
EPP – For TTIP.
S&D – For TTIP.
ALDE – For TTIP.
ECR – For TTIP.
GUE/NGL – Against TTIP
Greens – Against TTIP
EFDD – Against TTIP
ENF – Against TTIP
This is a rough estimation obviously but I make that 549 in favour of TTIP and 202 against TTIP. If one was opposed to TTIP those figures make for disturbing reading. I may have some errors, its hard to determine a party’s official stance on TTIP just from their website. This is just some food for thought.
Food for very scary thoughts. Good research though, thanks.
No referendum and this Government is DEFINITELY committed to pushing the TTIP through.
I wouldn’t trust America with this TTIP agreement. Will it give them the ability to play chemical games with the food chain like they do over there? Pink slime will partially substitute our meat products. After the “Food Inc” documentary I would never want to buy American standard food. They have no standards, or morals, its food science to them, not food production. And this is already agreed on? Why is the behaviour of EU employees so secretive around this document? What are they hiding?
Anything FG agree with without questions is bad for the country.
Good Work Deputy Flanagan, keep fighting the good fight.
Nice one, Luke Ming Flanagan. The whole TTIP business is a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. I liked the foggy view of the locker room where Ming had to leave paper and phone. I also liked the curvature of that corridor where the secret documents could be ‘consulted’. It’s not really a Corridor of Power, more likely a Corridor of Kafka. Ming, if you ever lose your seat you may take up a new career in writing mystery novels.
The vid isn’t working for me. Has it been taken down?
Isn’t this thing currently being nobbled by the French anyway?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-03/ttip-doomed-france-threatens-reject-obamas-huge-transatlantic-trade-deal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQKvk5HU9BE
I know…. RT….. :)
What if some one like Snowden hacks a few more computers and spills the beans
They wont take that down will they, Ming Flanagan must be encouraged to put
more up on Youtube as RTE won’t publish much and indeed nothing.
You mean like how dozens of newspapers and news channels such as RTE *totally* swept the Panama Papers under the carpet, right? Mainstream media cover-up right there…
I did’nt see Frank Flannery on RTE filling us in on how he ended up in
Panama, nor the couple others who actually ran newspapers
RTE have powers to compel people to appear in interviews to answer questions they don’t want to answer now? Impressive.
Might have been nice if you actually told us what you read in there
Flanagan is a circus clown.
Trade deal details are kept secret for exactly the same reason that Budget details are kept secret, so that people don’t try to manipulate markets in advance of any deal being done. This has always been the case in the EU, and in every other trading block. That’s why the security systems exist in the parliament building.
When the deal is agreed by all sides, it will be presented for ratification to the Parliament and Council, and if they don’t like it, they can reject it. That’s where the democratic oversight kicks in.
Flanagan probably knows this, but rather than inform, he prefers to engage in aggrandising stunts in case anybody forgets that he’s still knocking about.
Also, what exactly is he suggesting here? That Ireland drop out of the EU and negotiate unilateral trade deals with the US, Brazil, China etc? Is he suggesting we’d get a better deal with Brazil on beef imports negotiating as 4m people rather 550m?
Circus clown. Brilliant description of him.
10/10
Sad thing is this will probably win him votes which is exactly what he’s aiming for.
Fool.
Why is Andy a fool Sheik?
Looks like we got a few of the establishment social media gang on here today. Nothing good will come of TTIP for Ireland. All it will do is benefit lower quality producers in the US, so Gareth and you other talking heads on here having a laugh at Luke Flanagan, you are the real USEFUL IDIOTS here. People will be looking back at comments from people like you when they look for some fools to blame for the trouble that TTIP brings. Watch Flanagan being interviewed in the Keiser Report if you need to know why TTIP is bad for Irish agriculture. Don;t come out and comment on forums like this with misinformation or pig ignorant noise. Educate yourself before commenting. This stuff has serious, long reaching implications for this country and is too important for the usual blueshirt idiot parade trolling. Also, why do we have to tune in to networks like RUSSIA TODAY to hear from Luke Flanagan, MEP? Has RTE got a boycott on him? What am I paying my license for?
I wasn’t commenting on TTIP. I don’t like TTIP and want the Parliament to reject it if it waters down environmental standards in the EU. I was commenting on Flanagan deliberately misleading people.
I have no issue with TTIP vis a vis Irish agriculture. Beef farming is incredibly damaging and we need less of it not more. Its self-contradictory to oppose TTIP on the basis that it is bad for the environment *and* bad for Irish agriculture.
Is there any reason to stay in Europe ?
yes , from my perspective, some of the many benefits include two generations of peaceful cooperation on the European Continent, peaceful engagement, in particular with the collapse of USSR in 90s and now the prospect of having the Institutional capacity to face the impacts of globalisation, of migration not just from Syria but also sub Saharan Africa and constructively engaging with conflicts in the neighbourhood and across the globe. However, those responsible at the Institutions and in the participating Member State Governments must also engage with the people and be open to examining the real causes of increasing disillusion, mistrust of the Institutions, growing aggressive nationalism in member states and important shortcomings of the Institutions in addressing key issues.
Well done, Luke Ming Flanagan. What a disgusting, corrupt, depraved institution is the European Parliament!
Thank you, Luke Flanagan MEP, for having the courage to tell us ordinary citizens, sorry, slaves of Europe how our pseudo, would-be masters operate and choose to operate.
Sickening to think that I might, through my own inaction and acquiescence and fear, how I might be passing on to my two daughters this evil, sick, putrid, fraudulent, obese and utterly dangerous ‘institution’ as being anything other than a depravity and one of humanity’s greatest – and self-made – dangers to Mother Earth.
Beannacht on you, Luke.
It’s just the European top brass to do this. After all who pays another Country billions of euros and the carrot of eu membership if they take refugees they don’t want. Shame is a word that comes to mind on both accounts.