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NUPGE part of delegation in Europe expressing concerns over EU-Canada free trade agreement.
Brussels (16 July 2010) - The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and Canadian public service unions have been working together to highlight the potential negative effects of a free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada.
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| NUPGE's Larry Brown (centre) |
Concerns over 'data exclusivity' and its impact on health care costs was one of the issues raised by a delegation from the Trade Justice Network (TJN) of Canada in Brussels to meet members of parliament, political advisors and assistants in the European Parliament Trade Committee (EPTC) during the fourth EU-Canada negotiation round on a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in Brussels July 12-16.
'Data exclusivity' means, among other things, that pharmaceutical companies can delay the introduction of generic medicines, thereby pushing up costs for public budgets and for patients.
Given that a recent Eurobarometer survey highlighted growing difficulties faced by citizens in paying for health care this is extremely worrying. The rights of companies to protect profits in this way comes under what is known as 'investor protection.' The EU has new competences in this area (see link below) and is developing policy provisions.
EPSU is supporting the Canadian public service unions in highlighting the fact that a full evaluation of the social, environmental and labour impacts of the proposed agreement has never been completed and that greater transparency is needed in the negotiations process.
The EP also noted on 5 May that "no thorough impact assessment has been carried out of the social, environmental and economic effects of such a comprehensive economic trade agreement." A thorough impact assessment of 'data exclusivity' implications is needed.
EPSU produced with the PSI affiliates in Canada a joint paper (see http://www.epsu.org/a/6087 in English, French and Spanish) on the EU Canada negotiations.
Members of the Canadian delegation also met Stephen Hughes MEP (picture below centre), where discussions also covered the issues of trade in asbestos (of which Canada is a substantial exporter).
The Canadian delegation included Larry Brown, secretary-treasurer of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), Scott Sinclair, trade expert from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Stuart Trew, Brent Patterson and Meera Karunananthan of the Council of Canadians.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
More information:
• EC investment protection package see
• European Parliament resolution of 5 May 2010 on the upcoming
EU-Canada Summit on 5 May 2010