The Off Topic Topic

[crazy canuck]

Yeah from what I've read the opposition to a deal with Canada is increasing, especially in Germany (in an election year). So I wouldn't hold your breath.

What is the reason for the opposition?

[Sheilbh]

Yeah from what I've read the opposition to a deal with Canada is increasing, especially in Germany (in an election year). So I wouldn't hold your breath.

What is the reason for the opposition?

Basically the same sort of reasons as TTIP.

But the big issue is practical. My understanding is that trade agreements in general are negotiated by the Commission, the Council decide whether (and when) to agree to it and it is then put to the European Parliament for ratification. After Brexit - and I'm not sure how or why - France and Germany led successful calls for CETA to be ratified by all member state and, where constitutionally necessary, regional parliaments. So I believe there's 38 parliaments all told that have to vote.

The Commission is concerned, understandably, as trade is normally the sort of ne plus ultra of European policy. The Trade Commissioner (normally one of the most important jobs) has basically said that EU trade policy is dead if this fails. They're also worried that if this takes too long the Canadians just won't sign by the current target/deadline of late 2017. So there's proposals to provisionally apply CETA as everyone is reasonably confident it will eventually pass under QMV. They also just don't really know how to go about this practically and how to keep momentum going - as I say, my understanding, legally is that trade policy is very heavily weighted to being a European competency.

The provisional application of the deal opens new problems though. Many member states want the investment section (including the controversial arbitration bits) put on hold until its fully ratified, there are questions as to whether the Commission can provisionally apply a policy that isn't yet formally EU law if a national parliament rejects it and other member states are looking to cherry pick which bits gets brought in now, France and Austria want the transport section put on hold until it's been fully ratified.

The longer that lasts I think the more risk there is opposition grows: as I say TTIP opponents now usually link the two in the same breath, there's individual sectors like transport apparently that may further mobilise and there's always a risk of regional opposition causing issues, I believe Bavaria's had a fair amount of anti-CETA stuff going on. I read a piece which quoted a senior German civil servant saying basically nothing can be guaranteed on it anymore.

[Martinus]

TTIP has failed – but no one is admitting it, says German Vice Chancellor

Germany's Vice Chancellor said in 14 rounds of talks neither side had agreed on a single common chapter out of the 27 being deliberated




Germany's Vice Chancellor has said free trade negotiations between the European Union and the United States have failed, but "nobody is really admitting it".

Talks over the so-called Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partner, also known as TTIP, have made little progress in recent years.

The 14th round of negotiations between American and EU officials took place in Brussels in July and was the third round in six months.

At the time, the talks were thought to be in trouble with a number of leading European politicians expressing concern about TTIP's effects and the US's reluctance to accept changes to the proposed deal.

Speaking on Sunday, Sigmar Gabriel, who is also Germany's economy minister, said: "In my opinion the negotiations with the United States have de facto failed, even though nobody is really admitting it."

He said that during the talks neither side had agreed on a single common chapter out of the 27 being deliberated.

He further denounced the TTIP negotiations, saying the free trade deal proposed between the EU and Canada – the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - was fairer for all parties.

The UK was seen as one of the strongest supporters of TTIP in the EU, so its departure following the Brexit vote would remove one of the US's closest allies in the talks.

Campaigners have warned previously that the UK may end up with "TTIP on steroids" if it does leave the EU.

Campaigners against the controversial TTIP trade deal with the US fear the UK will negotiate an "even more disastrous" agreement after it leaves the European Union.

Now watch as Britain signs up to a version with all the bad stuff left in.
Well done kippers!

That would be sweet.

[Martinus]

Mercantilism is the way. It is known.

There are reasons to oppose the TTIP that go beyond mercantilism. It was a bad treaty.

[celedhring]

3 hours into my first day after vacation and, after a month of blissful silence, my inbox is already stuffed with job stuff. Sigh.

[Martinus]

3 hours into my first day after vacation and, after a month of blissful silence, my inbox is already stuffed with job stuff. Sigh.

You should be happy you weren't bothered during vacation. It's a kind of a good thing about being Spanish (the French have the same thing) - the August vacation is considered sacrosanct. Noone bothers you.

Here you are expected to be contactable even during your holidays.

[grumbler]

Mercantilism is the way. It is known.

There are reasons to oppose the TTIP that go beyond mercantilism. It was a bad treaty.

All treaties are bad, because they all contain things that one or both sides don't like.  The only real stopper that I could see was the consumer protection issue.  It would make no sense for the treaty to mandate a lowering of existing consumer protection standards.

[celedhring]

3 hours into my first day after vacation and, after a month of blissful silence, my inbox is already stuffed with job stuff. Sigh.

You should be happy you weren't bothered during vacation. It's a kind of a good thing about being Spanish (the French have the same thing) - the August vacation is considered sacrosanct. Noone bothers you.

Here you are expected to be contactable even during your holidays.

I actually got two work emails during vacation: one from a German and one from a Brit 

[Martinus]

Mercantilism is the way. It is known.

There are reasons to oppose the TTIP that go beyond mercantilism. It was a bad treaty.

All treaties are bad, because they all contain things that one or both sides don't like.  The only real stopper that I could see was the consumer protection issue.  It would make no sense for the treaty to mandate a lowering of existing consumer protection standards.

This is the biggest part that was bad in it, yes. And the trouble was that it was not in the interest of one part vs. another - it just screwed over consumers in both countries in favour of corporations in both countries.

[garbon]

3 hours into my first day after vacation and, after a month of blissful silence, my inbox is already stuffed with job stuff. Sigh.

You should be happy you weren't bothered during vacation. It's a kind of a good thing about being Spanish (the French have the same thing) - the August vacation is considered sacrosanct. Noone bothers you.

Here you are expected to be contactable even during your holidays.

I don't let anyone reach me on my holidays.

[Savonarola]

My first name is "Robert"; when I was a in college I had a girlfriend named Hazel.  I thought it was an amusing coincidence that there was a greasy spoon in Metro Detroit called "Hazel and Robert's".  I guess it didn't  work out for them either since I was up there last I saw the restaurant had been changed to "Roberto's."  I thought, "Hey at least our breakup went better than that.  I didn't change my ethnicity."

[Valmy]

Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood on Sunday screened a controversial documentary, "Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe," linking childhood vaccines to autism at a local movie theater, according to a source who received an invitation.

Elected in 2014, LaHood also was videotaped sitting at his desk in his county office making a statement on the controversial topic.

"I'm Nico LaHood," he said. "I'm the criminal district attorney in San Antonio, Texas. I'm here to tell you that vaccines can and do cause autism."

The next shot declares that "Niko's (sic) Story" is "coming" on Tuesday, followed by a plug for the Vaxxed documentary.

The "Autism Media Channel" posted the video to Facebook on Friday.

There is no scientific evidence that links vaccines to autism, a finding confirmed by numerous studies and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. LaHood's involvement has upset some advocates, including Fiona O'Leary, a mother of autistic children who posted a reaction on Facebook.

"I'm really, really outraged by this comment actually because we're used to hearing the quacks and the discredited doctors terrifying parents," O'Leary said. "But now, we have a professional, a criminal district attorney, making these statements. This man was in his office when he made this statement, presenting under his professional title as a criminal district attorney."

"It's a reckless statement, and I think he should issue a public apology," she said.

LaHood did not immediately return a call requesting comment on Monday morning.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Bexar-County-District-Attorney-Nico-LaHood-9190563.php



Though I do have to wonder why being a district attorney is relevant for medical opinions. But hey why not? He is probably more qualified than most alternative medicine quacks.

[Hamilcar]

Canada sucks.

I go to America 3-5 times per year. Never in my life set a foot in Canada. Don't see why.

[Jacob]

I go to America 3-5 times per year. Never in my life set a foot in Canada. Don't see why.

Thank you

[Valmy]

Thank you

I think we corrupted him