Protests As Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks Resume In New York

Negotiators working on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) convened today [Monday] in New York City. Even the location was kept secret until the last possible minute, but hundreds of trade, labor, environmental, health, communities of color, anti-GMO and food justice, anti-fracking, animal and other activists still showed up in the big blizzard to protest the secret trade agreement and "fast track" trade promotion authority (TPA).

TPP is a huge "trade" agreement, which will set the rules for 40 percent of the world's economy. It is being negotiated in secret. Corporate representatives are part of the process, stakeholders like environmental, consumer, labor, democracy, health and other groups are excluded from the negotiations. Needless to say the agreement (some of it has leaked) reflects corporate interests at the expense of the rest of us and our governments. Meanwhile President Obama is asking Congress to pass fast-track TPA, which rigs the rules so that Congress essentially pre-approves TPP before Congress and the public even see what is in the agreement, never mind have the time to study it and rally opposition if opposition is warranted.

TPP Grants Monopolies

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) helped organize the protests because of their objection to extended monopolies being negotiated in TPP's copyright rules. In their post, Secret TPP Negotiations--And Public Protests--To Be Held in New York City, they explained...

"...The countries negotiating TPP with the US are willing to give in and agree to bad copyright rules as long as they get the other gains they were promised -- things like market access and lowered tariffs so they can sell their products to US consumers. But those other countries will not budge without a guarantee that the overwhelming public opposition to the agreement won't prevent its adoption in the United States. Fast Track offers that guarantee; that's one reason the White House is now desperate to pass it.

"Several public interest groups are organizing a protest outside the luxury Sheraton Hotel this Monday, January 26 at noon. Many of those demonstrating will be there to oppose other provisions in the TPP, but we encourage people to be there to represent all the users around the world who will be impacted by this massive agreement's draconian policies."

A "Death Pact" Not A Trade Agreement

AIDS activists joined the various groups at the protests. They are objecting to the monopolies TPP would grant to certain large pharmaceutical corporations, which they fear would bring the price of AIDS drugs beyond the reach of many in need of them. Health Global Access Project (Health GAP) released a statement that included the following...

"Previously leaked proposals revealed that the US seeks easier-to-get, stronger, and longer patent monopolies on medicines and new monopolies on drug regulatory data that would prevent marketing of more affordable generic equivalents. It also seeks restrictions on price control measures and enhanced investor rights that would allow drug companies to sue governments when their expectations of exorbitant profits are undermined by otherwise lawful government policies and decisions. These are among the most severe intellectual property rules ever demanded in international trade.

"'The TPP would create a vicious cycle. The provisions currently proposed will allow for fracking and other practices that fuel environmental degradation and make people sick. Strengthened intellectual property rules will then prevent people from accessing life-saving medicines,' said Michael Tikili of Health GAP, one of the endorsers of the demonstration. 'Thirteen million people living with HIV depend on generic AIDS medicines and another 20-plus million are waiting line for treatment. By protecting Pharma's bloated profits, the Obama administration is undermining its own global AIDS initiative -- this isn't a trade agreement -- it's a death pact."

Other groups represented at the New York TPP protest included the Teamsters, Fight for the Future, Green party, Popular Resistance and others.

Pictures of cold-looking protesters here, here, here, here and here.