Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)
Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)
There are twelve countries involved in the TPPA, but the agreement it has mostly
been driven by the United States. Although initial agreement was reached between
the TPPA countries in February 2016, there is a long way to go before it comes into
force (if ever).
In a nutshell, the countries that have signed up to the TPPA have agreed to either
change or freeze national laws to suit the interests of overseas investors from the
other TPPA countries (the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan etc). This means locking in
light-handed regulation, limiting restrictions on overseas investment, and making it
harder for governments to respond to both the future needs of their citizens and the
natural environment. If the TPPA becomes final, it will be very hard for future New
Zealand governments to pull out of the agreement.
The government talks about the TPPA as if it is a free trade agreement (FTA). This
is misleading. Traditionally FTAs are about reducing tariffs (i.e. border taxes) on
goods (like cars, butter or cellphones) which are traded between countries. The
basic idea behind FTAs is that if all the countries who sign up to an FTA reduce their
tariffs, there will be more trade between those countries and their economies will
grow. Whether this is true or not is up for debate. Either way, the TPPA is about
much more than trade in goods and is very different from a traditional FTA.
What the TPPA is mostly about is trade in services (such as education, banking or
construction) and in providing new rights for overseas corporations to set up
business outside of their home countries. The TPPA also contains requirements for
countries such as New Zealand to change its laws to better suit the interests of
corporations from the other TPPA countries. What this all amounts to is
governments agreeing to limit their right to regulate so that overseas corporations
are able to make more profit. Where previous trade agreements involved countries
bargaining to drop tariffs in goods, the TPPA is an agreement by governments to
give up their rights to regulate in the hope of achieving drops in tariffs.
Whats at stake?
We would lose sovereignty. Under the TPPA overseas corporations would have the
right to directly sue the New Zealand government if new laws or regulations passed
in New Zealand hurt their profits. Not only that, but these law suits will be decided
in unaccountable international tribunals rather than in national courts. The
judgments of these international tribunals would be enforceable and would take
precedence over our decisions of our Parliament and our courts. This process is
called Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS).
Environmental protection would be undermined. Around two thirds of the 696 ISDS
cases under similar agreements have challenged environmental laws, such as
mining, fracking, oil and gas production, toxic chemicals, waste dumping and
renewable energy. Action on climate change would also be undermined. KEY FACTS:
Environment
Te Tiriti o Waitangi would be undermined. The TPPA creates new constraints on the
ways that the New Zealand govenrment can honour Te Tiriti obligations, affecting
Mori tino rangitiratanga, culture, indigenous knowledge, biodiversity and
opportunities for economic development. KEY FACTS: te Tiriti
Medicines will become more expensive as big pharmaceutical companies gain more
influence over PHARMAC, and restrictions are placed on generic (i.e. off-brand)
medicines.
Copyright laws will be extended from 50 years to 70 years and more harshly
enforced, restricting internet freedom and access to information, costing libraries,
schools, and businesses, and stifling innovation. KEY FACTS: IP and IT
Privatisation of state assets would be effectively locked in, and the formation of new
state enterprises (as we did with Kiwibank) would effectively be ruled out.
Terdapat dua belas negara yang terlibat dalam TPPA, tetapi perjanjian itu telah
kebanyakannya didorong oleh Amerika Syarikat. Walaupun persetujuan awal telah
dicapai antara negara-negara TPPA pada bulan Februari 2016, terdapat satu cara
yang lama untuk pergi sebelum ia mula berkuat kuasa (jika pernah).
Secara ringkas, negara-negara yang telah bersetuju untuk TPPA telah bersetuju
untuk sama ada perubahan atau membekukan undang-undang negara untuk
memenuhi kepentingan pelabur luar negara dari negara-negara TPPA lain (Amerika
Syarikat, Kanada, Mexico, Jepun dan lain-lain). Ini bermakna mengunci dalam
peraturan ringan tangan, menghadkan sekatan ke atas pelaburan luar negara, dan
membuat ia lebih sukar bagi kerajaan untuk bertindak balas terhadap kedua-dua
keperluan masa depan rakyat mereka dan alam semula jadi. Jika TPPA menjadi
muktamad, ia akan menjadi sangat sukar bagi kerajaan masa depan New Zealand
untuk menarik diri daripada perjanjian itu.
Kita akan kehilangan kedaulatan. Di bawah TPPA syarikat-syarikat luar negara akan
mempunyai hak untuk terus menyaman kerajaan New Zealand jika undang-undang
atau peraturan-peraturan baru yang diluluskan di New Zealand menyakiti
keuntungan mereka. Bukan itu sahaja, tetapi ini tindakan undang-undang akan
diputuskan dalam tribunal antarabangsa yg tak dpt diketahui dan bukannya di
mahkamah negara. Penghakiman ini tribunal antarabangsa akan dikuatkuasakan
dan akan diberi keutamaan daripada keputusan kita Parlimen dan mahkamah kita.
Proses ini dikenali sebagai Penyelesaian Pertikaian Pelabur Negeri (ISDS).
Negara-negara lain sebelum ini telah bersetuju untuk ISDS dalam perjanjian
antarabangsa dan terpaksa membayar pampasan kepada syarikat-syarikat di luar
negara di mana peraturan yang direka untuk melindungi alam sekitar atau kebaikan
awam telah menjejaskan keuntungan korporat. Malah di mana negara telah berjaya
mempertahankan cabaran ISDS, ia mempunyai kos mereka berpuluh-puluh juta
dolar untuk berbuat demikian dan telah ditangguhkan pelaksanaan inisiatif
kerajaan. Satu contoh yang baik ini adalah di mana kerajaan Australia telah ketara
ditangguhkan dalam memperkenalkan pembungkusan biasa rokok kerana cabaran
ISDS oleh tembakau gergasi Phillip Morris. Analisis lanjut mengenai implikasi ISDS
boleh didapati di sin
Perlindungan alam sekitar akan terjejas. Kira-kira dua pertiga daripada 696 kes ISDS
di bawah perjanjian yang sama telah mencabar undang-undang alam sekitar,
seperti pengeluaran perlombongan, fracking, minyak dan gas, bahan kimia toksik,
sisa pembuangan dan tenaga boleh diperbaharui. Tindakan ke atas perubahan iklim
juga akan terjejas. FAKTA PENTING: Alam Sekitar
Te Tiriti o Waitangi akan terjejas. TPPA mewujudkan kekangan baru mengenai cara-
cara bahawa govenrment New Zealand boleh menunaikan tanggungjawab Te Tiriti,
menjejaskan Mori tino rangitiratanga, budaya, pengetahuan asal, biodiversiti dan
peluang untuk pembangunan ekonomi. FAKTA PENTING: te Tiriti
Ubat-ubatan akan menjadi lebih mahal kerana syarikat-syarikat besar farmaseutikal
mendapatkan lebih pengaruh ke atas Pharmac, dan sekatan diletakkan pada
generik (iaitu kira-jenama) ubat-ubata
undang-undang hak cipta akan dilanjutkan daripada 50 tahun kepada 70 tahun dan
lebih keras dikuatkuasakan, menyekat kebebasan internet dan akses kepada
maklumat, kos perpustakaan, sekolah, dan perniagaan, dan menyesakkan inovasi.
FAKTA PENTING: IP dan IT
Penswastaan aset negeri akan berkesan dikunci di dalam, dan pembentukan negara
perusahaan baru (seperti yang kita lakukan dengan Kiwibank) berkesan akan
dikesampingkan.
Peraturan perniagaan akan terjejas oleh ancaman cabaran pelabur asing. Ancaman
kes undang-undang, dan kos yang tinggi kes mempertahankan
..