Remember the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) that’s a part of TTIP and that would have allowed corporations to sue governments that introduced legislation that threatened their profits? Well now it’s part of CETA, a deal between the EU and Canada – and US corporations all have branches in Canada, so ISDS could go through as planned, just under another acronym. Talking of which, ISDS has changed to ICS (investor court system), but it’s the same old corrupt, undemocratic idea.

The Greens in the European Parliament are bringing forward a resolution on Wednesday. They’re suggesting that the European Parliament should ask the European Court of Justice for an opinion as to whether such investor arbitration mechanisms are compatible with the EU Treaties.

You can help, by demanding your MEPs do vote in favour of this resolution.

Click here to find your MEPs.

More details:

Support the Resolution seeking an Opinion of the ECJ on compatibility of ICS in CETA with EU Treaties. The European Parliament will vote in plenary on Resolution B8-1220/2016 seeking an Opinion of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposed agreement between Canada and the European Union on a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Ask MEPs to support the Greens European Parliament resolution to ask the European Court of Justice for an opinion on the legality of ICS (the CETA version of ISDS – which allows transnational corporations to sue governments).

And here’s an article with a lot more detail by French Green MEP Yannick Jadot.

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STOP PRESS: MEPS VOTE TO NOT DEBATE THE ISSUE!

MEPs voted this afternoon on whether there should be a debate on the issue of the European Parliament asking for a European Court of Justice decision on the legality of ICS (ISDS in CETA)

before the European Parliament actually votes on this,  in Strasbourg, on Wed.

The proposal for a debate was rejected by 184 votes to  170 votes.

Consequently, there will NO debate before the vote on Wednesday.

(Ain’t democracy wonderful?)

So it would be useful to contact your MEPs quickly and ask them to vote  FOR the Greens proposal that the question of the legality of ICS in CETA to be referred to the European Court of Justice.

Let’s see what we can achieve.

Below is some stuff to help, and  a list of key MEPs to contact

Tweet particularly these UK MEPs. See below for suggested tweets

@sajjadkarimMEP

@syedkamall

@jfostermep

@C_Stihler_MEP

@davidmartinMEP

@derekvaughan

@gleniswillmott

@LindaMcAvanMEP

@maryhoneyball

@richardhowitt

@JimNicholsonMEP

@juliegirling

@DavidHannanMEP

@EmmaMcClarkin

For tomorrow and Wednesday morning

Let ICS be judged : resolution on the legality of ICS

What you can do

• Use suggested tweets below, plus see twitter handles of priority MEPs above
• Highlight the fact that there is an important vote coming up, without debate, on the 23d. Resolution number : B8-1220/2016
• Keep on sending emails and calling MEPs tomorrow and on Wednesday, if possible between 9:30 am CET and 10:30 am CET. If you call, don’t forget to call their Strasbourg office

Suggested tweets (to be sent to meps by using their handles).

More than 100 law professors think #CETA might be illegal – @TheProgressives & @ALDEgroup need to make sure rule of law is upheld in Europe

.@TheProgressives will you make sure the European Court of Justice checks if #CETA is in line EU law? Support  B8-1220/2016 #RuleOfLaw

.@MEPTwitterName will you make sure the European Court of Justice checks if #CETA is in line EU law? Support  B8-1220/2016 #RuleOfLaw

.@MEPTwitterName will you listen to 100+ law professors who think #CETA could be illegal? Send #CETA to the ECJ, support  B8-1220/2016

.@MEPTwitterName With #CETA the EP could ratify a trade deal that’s illegal under EU law. Make sure it doesn’t happen, support  B8-1220/2016

@MEPTwitterName not enough debate on #CETA but there’s still a chance to get legal certainty. Support Resolution B8-1220/2016

Better safe than sorry! Send ICS in #CETA to Court and support Resolution B8-1220/2016 on Wednesday @MEPTwitterName