Demonstrators took to the streets across Germany on Saturday to protest against the controversial new transatlantic trade agreement that would create the world’s biggest free market of 850 million consumers. A smaller version of TTIP is also in the works with Canada, and that deal, called Ceta, is due to be signed in October. “Ceta and TTIP threaten environmental and consumer protection for millions of people in Europe and North America,” said Jennifer Morgan, the executive director Greenpeace International. The country’s vice-chancellor and economy minister, Sigmar Gabriel, declared that the TTIP talks had “de facto failed” last month, and insisted that “Europeans must not give in to [US] demands”. A recent survey in Germany found that about 28% of respondents doubted free trade would really bring benefits.

Source: The Guardian September 17, 2016 12:33 UTC