Eyes on Trade

Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch blog on globalization and trade

What's New -
Global Trade Watch

January 20 - Press Release: Public Citizen Applauds Obama Administration's Appeal of Trade Ruling Against U.S. Dolphin Protection Measures
January 06 -Press Release: Public Citizen Applauds Obama Administration's Continued Efforts to Reduce Teen Smoking
January 04 - Listen to Lori Wallach talk about the WTO rulings' attack on consumer policies on The Kojo Nnamdi Show
December 22 - Read the Teamsters, Sierra Club and Public Citizen's legal brief on the NAFTA Cross-border Trucking Case

2011 WTO Financial Deregulation

Check out the discussion: The future of trade in financial services: Safeguarding stability at the 2011 WTO Public Forum.

Official Summary

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Public Citizen | Expanding Investor Rights - Expanding Investor Rights

Expanding Investor Rights

The core chapter of the MAI actually is entitled "Investor Rights." These include the absolute right to establish an investment (this includes purchase of land, natural resources, telecommunications and other services, and currency) under deregulated terms set forth in the treaty. Governments are given the obligation to ensure "effective enjoyment" of such investments. Under the MAI investment policy would:

Grant foreign investors the right to sue U.S. government for any action they claim undermines profits;
Provide NO accountability for investors in treaty, only new obligations for governments;
Undercut local, small business development programs;
Forbid local, state and federal government to set terms under which foreign investors may operate;
Disarm U.S. government of effective enforcement of arms control, human rights, and other international objectives;
Assure powerful enforcement by foreign corporation for foreign corporations.

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