Why can corporate interests trump sovereign rights?

posted 14-February-2013

The Real News Network | 10 Feb 2013

Why can corporate interests trump sovereign rights?

Chakravarthi Raghavan Pt2: International trade agreements have given corporations the rights colonial powers used to wield

Watch full multipart Chakravarthi Raghavan on International Trade

PAUL JAY, SENIOR EDITOR, TRNN: Welcome to The Real News Network. I’m Paul Jay in Baltimore.

In Canada, the Quebec government passed a law restricting, prohibiting the use of fracking to get natural gas. Well, now a company that is based in Calgary, owned in the United States, is now suing the Quebec government under the NAFTA treaty for millions of dollars because they say their right to exploit this gas has been taken away. And this type of lawsuit, this threat of lawsuit against sovereign countries and governments who try to enact certain public policy is taking place all over the world.

Now joining us to talk about this from Geneva is Raghavan. He’s an international trade and investment expert. He served as chief editor of South North Development Monitor (SUNS) from 1980 to 2005. He now serves as editor emeritus. He served as the editor of the Third World Economics and as Geneva representative of Third World Network. And, as I said, he joins us from Geneva.

Read the rest of the transcript here or watch the vide below

TRNN | February 7, 2013

International Trade Panel Undermines National Systems of the Rule of Law
Chakravarthi Raghavan: The International Convention on Settlement on Investment Disputes has become a mechanism that reinforces multinational corporate property rights over a countries ability to create public policy in its people interest

source : TRNN

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