DANGEROUS LIAISONS: THE NEW TRADE TRIO

The report analyzes the 'new generation' of mega-regional trade agreements—TTIP, TPP, and TiSA—characterizing them as a corporate blueprint to shift decision-making power from governments to transnational corporations. It highlights how these agreements use 'invitation only' negotiations to sidestep the WTO and counteract the influence of China and BRICS nations. The author details specific threats to public health, food safety, and environmental protections, including the use of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms that allow corporations to sue states over public interest laws. The document concludes by calling for a transition toward a trade regime based on human rights, food sovereignty, and sustainable local economies.

• The TTIP, TPP, and TiSA are described as a 'corporate blueprint for the global economy' designed to lock in rules that privatise public services and dismantle social and environmental regulations.
• These 'new generation' agreements are 'invitation only' and are used by the US and EU to bypass the World Trade Organization (WTO) and counteract the growing economic influence of China and the BRICS countries.
• The agreements aim to shift power from governments to corporations through deregulation and 'necessity tests' that force states to prove that public interest standards are necessary to trade departments.
• TTIP and TPP utilize Investor-State arbitration mechanisms (such as ISDS or the Investment Court System) that allow corporations to sue governments in private tribunals over policy changes affecting profits.
• The agreements threaten food safety and agriculture by increasing the scientific evidence burden for standards, potentially facilitating the import of GMOs and chemical meat rinses.
• TiSA specifically threatens climate efforts through the principle of 'technological neutrality', which could prevent governments from prioritising renewable energy over fossil fuels.
• The agreements restrict public procurement, making it difficult for governments to use 'buy local' provisions to support sustainable local food systems or clean energy production.

APA

Hall, R., Cossar, S., Cingotti, N., Villarreal, A., Flues, F., Warren, W., & Sangaralingam, M. (n.d.). DANGEROUS LIAISONS: THE NEW TRADE TRIO. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/foe-trade-bookletWEB.pdf

Chicago

Hall, Ronnie, Sam Cossar, Natacha Cingotti, Alberto Villarreal, Fabian Flues, William Warren, and Mageswari Sangaralingam. DANGEROUS LIAISONS: THE NEW TRADE TRIO. Friends of the Earth International, n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/foe-trade-bookletWEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hall |first1=Ronnie |last2=Cossar |first2=Sam |last3=Cingotti |first3=Natacha |last4=Villarreal |first4=Alberto |last5=Flues |first5=Fabian |last6=Warren |first6=William |last7=Sangaralingam |first7=Mageswari |title=DANGEROUS LIAISONS: THE NEW TRADE TRIO |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/foe-trade-bookletWEB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hallnddangerous, author = {Hall, Ronnie and Cossar, Sam and Cingotti, Natacha and Villarreal, Alberto and Flues, Fabian and Warren, William and Sangaralingam, Mageswari}, title = {{DANGEROUS LIAISONS: THE NEW TRADE TRIO}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/foe-trade-bookletWEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }