(18.5.2016) The Seattle to Brussels Network strongly condemns the outrageous attack by Austria, Finland, France, Germany and The Netherlands on the European domestic legal system as yet another example of sacrificing democracy and the rights of citizens to please corporate interests.

The governments of Austria, France, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands propose to institutionalise the infamous “investor-state dispute settlement” (ISDS) – rejected by millions of European citizens in online petitions and in an official TTIP consultation by the European Commission throughout the EU.

The proposal was tabled on 7 April by representatives of the 5 countries (Austria, France, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands, referred to here as the AFFGN) in the EU’s Trade Policy Committee, which deals with the EU’s external trade policy. In what seems to be a concerted effort the proposal was followed by the publication of a similar call by the EU business association Business Europe on 14 April.