Friends of the Earth International positions on key trade and investment issues

Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) argues that modern 'new generation' trade agreements and the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism empower multinational corporations at the expense of public interest, democratic regulation, and environmental protection. FOEI calls for the immediate halt of treaties such as TTIP, CETA, TPP, and TiSA, and advocates for the complete dismantling of ISDS. The organization proposes a transition toward sustainable trade regimes that prioritize local economies, food sovereignty, and binding social and environmental regulations, while specifically calling for the removal of agriculture from the World Trade Organization (WTO) to protect food security in developing countries.

• Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) opposes 'new generation' free trade treaties—specifically TTIP, CETA, TPP, TiSA, and various BITs and FTAs—arguing they transfer excessive power to corporations and cannot be reformed. FOEI urges governments to stop the negotiation and ratification of these agreements.
• The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism is viewed by FOEI as fundamentally flawed and unjust because it allows corporations to sue governments in private tribunals over policy changes that affect profits, thereby undermining national judicial systems and democratic processes.
• FOEI advocates for a sustainable trade regime characterized by fair trade networks, strong binding social and environmental regulations, and the ability for governments to control investment flows and regulate the production and consumption of goods to support food sovereignty and local economies.
• Regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO), FOEI argues that agricultural rules are unjust, penalizing developing countries' food security programs while allowing subsidies in the EU and USA. FOEI calls for the complete removal of agriculture from the WTO.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2016). Friends of the Earth International positions on key trade and investment issues. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foe-trade-doc.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Friends of the Earth International positions on key trade and investment issues. 2016. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foe-trade-doc.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Friends of the Earth International positions on key trade and investment issues |date=March 2016 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foe-trade-doc.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2016friends, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Friends of the Earth International positions on key trade and investment issues}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2016}, month = mar, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foe-trade-doc.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }