DUBROVNIK CONGRESS – Resolution : the European and International Public Service says NO to TiSA

 

The Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), a plan for free trade mainly between industrialised countries, conceived in utmost secrecy and currently under negotiation, is a threat to democracy. The European Commission is negotiating on behalf of the 28 Member States on the basis of a mandate issued by the Council.

Union Syndicale Fédérale does not advocate isolationism – trade between the countries and regions of the world contributes to development and peace – , but the principles on which TiSA is based are dangerous.

·         TiSA prohibits signatory countries from shielding any service from privatisation.

·         TiSA obliges signatory countries to regard all privatisation of services as irreversible.

·         Any regulation of services could be considered a restriction on free trade which may inflict losses on investors. For example, European regulation of the banking sector could lead to circumstances in which compensation must be paid out of the European budget to a foreign bank operating within European territory because the bank has suffered losses as a result of the regulatory measures taken.

·         The protection of personal data could be regarded as an obstacle to trade and could therefore no longer be guaranteed.

·         Certain provisions in the agreement would rule out any possibility of the Member States or the Union adopting any regulatory action whatsoever that might have the slightest effect on trade.

 

Union Syndicale Fédérale does not want increased deregulation and privatisation of public services. On the contrary, only a high-quality Public Service can guarantee the harmonious development of our society. Public financial institutions, for example, served as a stabilising factor during the financial crisis.

For years, Union Syndicale Fédérale has been calling for privatised services to be reincorporated into the Public Service : security, catering, information technology, social insurance, crèches, etc. Under TiSA, this would be impossible.

Union Syndicale Fédérale is against the privatisation of European public services. Eurocontrol, the Patent Office, etc. should remain public services. TiSA is a threat to them.

For these reasons, Union Syndicale Fédérale, with the support of the EPSU, PSI and the ETUC, says NO to TiSA.

Union Syndicale Fédérale asks the Council of the European Union to withdraw the negotiating mandate issued to the European Commission and asks the European Parliament to refuse to ratify TiSA.

The Congress instructs the Federal Committee and recommends that member organisations actively support the global campaign against TiSA.