AUSTRIA : THOUSANDS PROTEST EU-US FREE TRADE DEAL TALKS

Vienna, 1 Rajab 1436/19 April 2015 (MINA) – Thousands of protesters have rallied in Austria’s capital Vienna against the European Union’s ongoing negotiations for a free trade deal with the U.S. on Saturday.

More than 7,000 demonstrators gathered in front of the Austrian parliament to protest the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, chanting slogans such as “Stop TTIP”, “humanity and the environment before profit”, and “TTIP is a threat to democracy, and people’s health.”

The deal aims to remove trade barriers and make it easier to buy and sell goods between the U.S. and the EU, its advocates claim, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The protestors argued that while the deal may create jobs and increase economic growth, as proponents of the agreement claim, the true beneficiaries would not be citizens, but big corporations.

Critics also argue it will allow corporations to circumvent national regulations in several countries, posing a threat to the rule of law as well as public services.

The participants also protested against other similar talks for a free trade deal between Canada and the EU, this one called the Completion of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA.

The two sets of ongoing negotiations have not yet been finalized. The demonstration ended without incident. (T/P002/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)