Baby Milk Action and IBFAN join UK NGOs in calling on the Government to guarantee time for a debate on a substantive motion regarding the UK’s accession to CPTPP before the CRaG period concludes on March 22nd 2024. The terms of the agreement must be adequately debated and a vote held.
NGOs highlight many risks in the CPTPP, including the agreement’s investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism that impinges on the UK’s right to regulate in the public interest, the lack of enforceability of CPTPP’s provisions on the environment and labour rights and animal welfare. All these risks deserve extensive parliamentary scrutiny.
Press release
UK departs Energy Charter Treaty
The UK government confirms its withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty after efforts to agree vital modernisation fail.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and The Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP. 22 February 2024
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-departs-energy-charter-treaty
NGOs* are welcoming the news that the UK government announced that it is withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty, with the decision to take effect in 12 months. The DESNZ press release is here. For more see Energy Live News, Politico, Evening Standard, Bloomberg, Reuters and The Independent.
Within this decision is an implicit admission that treaties containing ISDS carry a threat to our climate commitments so we hopewe can build on this to press for further commitments on ISDS: no new ISDS provisions, and a review of existing treaties containing ISDS. (Investor–state dispute settlement)
** Global Justice Now, War on Want, Transform Trade, Friends of the Earth, 350.org) E3G, Green Alliance, Client Earth).