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Same concerns and arguments that existed over the much hated TTIP trade deal.
The partner countries to the CPTPP trade deal have dubious human rights records especially Peru which condemns women to the position of living in a country which has amongst the worst women's rights record. Sexual violence is common place and is not taken seriously or prosecuted in the courts. Below is the full list of countries which the UK Government has now aligned itself to in order to reach an agreement which offers, only after 10 years, a return to the UK economy of only 0.08% according to the Government's own figures: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) evolved from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was never ratified due to the withdrawal of the United States over the secret courts allowing countries to be sued which was rejected by the EU Parliament of which the UK was at the time; a member. The UK was a member of the World's biggest trading block called the EU Single Market which it left after the Brexit referendum which was only ever advisory and did not commit the Government to implementing the result. Yet now, the Tory Government have signed up in secret to a trade bloc which includes the much maligned and anti-democratic Investor State Disputes Settlement secret courts which means that our employment standards, food safety standards must align with that of the likes of Peru and Chile; with the ability for them to sue the UK if this country does not and makes laws which they consider to detrimentally affect the profits of those countries. The CPTPP covers virtually all sectors and aspects of trade, with its sole aim to reduce red tape, take down trade barriers, and facilitate trade business between member countries. This includes animal welfare, food safety, pharmaceuticals, and labeling of food sources and country of origin rules. Commenting on the UK joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: He added: In reminding the Government that Trade Deals must be for the benefit of our country as opposed to a toll to promote the Tory Government and party, Paul added: The TTIP trade talks failed after the European parliament refused to ratify any deals that included the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, which provides foreign investors with the right to access an international tribunal to resolve disputes in camera. The UK parliament is expected to ratify the deal later this year, despite the secrecy in which the deal was negotiated. However, secret courts being allowed to govern trade disputes between CPTPP members and the UK is expected to spark protests similar to those that helped to end trade talks between the EU and Washington over the TTIP trade deal in 2016. Whilst all those who supported Brexit argue that we should be allowed to make our own laws without interference from another state, are quite clearly happy for our law makers to be controlled by this CPTPP deal which includes the threat of being sued if we make laws they don't like! Unlike being in the EU were the UK had a voice, the ISDS mechanism and secret courts; ensures that multi-nationals and big business can veto UK laws they don't like through the courts and cost the UK billions! Source: TUC / The Guardian / The Evening Standard / UK Gov website See also: Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) - Investment Chapter Leaked UN Expert Calls For Abolition Of Investor-State Dispute Settlement Arbitrations
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“Time and time again, ministers have turned a blind eye to egregious rights abuses in the pursuit of trade deals. This Pacific trade pact is just the latest example. Workplace exploitation is widespread in the countries involved in this agreement – from Vietnam and Brunei where independent unions are banned, to Malaysia where migrant workers are subject to forced labour."