So it turns out that TPP stands for more than just Team Positive Presence. It’s also the acronym for one of the largest free-trade agreements the world has ever seen: the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
To put it simply, free-trade agreements limit tariffs and other trade restrictions between nations. Sounds harmless, right? The reality is that free trade affects everything from labor, to the environment, to food production and nearly every facet of society. Free trade agreements flood agricultural markets and create trade imbalances, influencing local economies and global migration patterns.
Currently the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan are in negotiations to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The discussions surrounding the TPP have occurred in secret between world leaders with the input of more than 600 corporate “trade advisers.” Most of what is known about the actual document comes from WikiLeaks.
One reason there has already been global resistance against the TPP is that it will be enforced through an Investor-State System, which essentially means corporations will have the power to sue governments in participating countries over trade violations (a.k.a., anything that inhibits their profits). Across the U.S., labor unions, environmental organizations, non-profits and companies have taken a stance against the Trans-Pacific Partnership. They include AFL-CLO, 350.org, ACLU, Real Food Challenge, United Students for Fair Trade and others.
On top of the actual content of the TPP, the process it is currently going through is concerning. Right now legislation is being proposed that would allow the agreement to be fast tracked through Congress. This means that Congress votes up or down in 90 days with no amendments or debate. This takes away nearly any democratic process or opportunity for citizen’s input on the agreement.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership affects 40 percent of the world economy – over 800 million people, including all of us. So we are calling you to action.
The UMass Real Food Challenge and the Student Labor Action Project are co-hosting a teach-in about the TPP Wednesday from 6:30-10 p.m. in the Events Hall at the Commonwealth Honors College. The teach-in will give us a chance to unpack some of the confusion and controversy surrounding the TPP.
Anna Hankins is a Collegian contributor and a member of the UMass Real Food Challenge, and can be reached at [email protected].
