Ceclilia Malmström, who is responsible for the trade agreements CETA, TTIP and TiSA at the European Commission, arrived in Hungary on 26 September to negotiate with Hungarian decision-makers on Hungary’s position towards CETA.
Reacting to Malström’s visit, Greenpeace Hungary, Friends of the Earth Hungary (FoE Hungary) and Protect the Future Association erected a court gavel in front of the Parliament to draw attention to one of the greatest risks of the Agreement: if CETA comes into force, it will allow large companies to sue states that seek to protect their citizens’ health and environment in order to push forward their eonomic interests. The Investment Court System (ICS) to be established in the framework of CETA goes against European law, state the Association of European Judges and the German Association of Judges, as it creates a court outside the existing EU intituational and legislative system.
“With CETA entering into force, Hungary could lose its GMO-free status stipulated in the Fundamental Law of Hungary, as the Agreement can overwrite the principles of precaution and zero tolerance. This, for instance, would imply the legalisation of GMO contamination as a result of permitting genetically modified ingredients in food products, which have not been examined so far by the EU food safety authority”, said István Farkas, executive president of FoE Hungary.
Furthermore, CETA clashes with many aspects of Decree 11/2016 (VI. 17.) of the Hungarian Parliament [2], which sets strict conditions with respect to the treaty agreement in progress.
“Just like TTIP, CETA is a Trojan horse: it would introduce an anti-democratic conflict settlement procedure, which would grant multinational companies special rights against democratically elected governments. To highlight the importance of the matter, together with 107 non-governmental organisations we sent a letter to Foreign Minister Péter Szíjjártó a week ago, calling on him to reject CETA [3]”, said Györgyi Újszászi, secretary general of Protect the Future Association.
To demonstrate the scale of public resistance to the Agreement, green organisations launched a petition [4] today, addressed to Hungarian decision-makers responsible for forming the country’s position on CETA. The petition can be signed until the relevant parliamentary vote takes place, expected in early October.
“We demand decision makers to refrain from supporting CETA and we call on them to say no to it both in the Hungarian Parliament in October, as well as at the upcoming meeting of the European Council, and prevent also its provisional application”, Greenpeace Hungary’s campaigner, Balázs Tömöri, added.
Photos available:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/greenpeacehu/albums/72157673207402950
Notes:
[1] Background materials by Friends of the Earth Hungary on CETA (in Hungarian)
http://www.mtvsz.hu/az_eu_kanada_szabadkereskedelmi_egyezmeny_veszelyei___hatteranyag
[2] Decision of the Hungarian Parliament on requirements related to the EU’s trade and investment agreements with third countries (in Hungarian)
http://mkogy.jogtar.hu/?page=show&docid=A16H0011.OGY
[3] Open letter by 107 NGOs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Hungarian) http://www.greenpeace.org/hungary/hu/sajtokozpont/107-civil-szervezet-nyilt-levele-Magyarorszag-ne-tamogassa-a-CETA-elfogadasat/
[4] Online petition calling on Hungarian decision-makers to say no to CETA: greenpeace.hu/StopCETA