Fewer than one in five Irish adults aware of trade agreement that may harm public health

Fewer than one in five Irish adults are aware of a potential trade agreement between the European Union and the United States that may have negative consequences for public health in Ireland, according to research commissioned by the Irish Cancer Society. 
 
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, aims to increase regulatory cooperation and stimulate economic growth. It could allow multinational companies to sue countries for introducing public health policies that will reduce the cancer rate and save lives but hit the commercial bottom line. 
 
The survey of 1,001 Irish adults was carried out by Coyne Research on behalf of the Irish Cancer Society in December 2015. 
 
While just under half of those surveyed (46%) agreed in principle with a deal that sought to boost trade, 47% were concerned it could prevent Ireland from introducing new public health measures when informed that under a similar trade agreement, Australia was sued by a tobacco company for introducing plain packaging,. This figure rose to 70% among those who were aware of TTIP. 
We outlined our concerns on TTIP to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation today. 
 
The global tobacco giant Philip Morris International used a trade agreement between Australia and Hong Kong to sue the Australian government for introducing plain packaging of tobacco in December 2012.1 To date the case has cost Australia over €30 million. 
 
The Investor State Dispute Settlement, or ISDS, which is part of the TTIP negotiations, allows companies to bypass the domestic courts system and sue countries for introducing polices they believe would be damaging to their business. Tobacco companies have been using ISDS to block, amend and delay laws which are being introduced around the world designed to reduce the harm from smoking.

A recent trade agreement between the United States and Pacific countries included a ‘carve-out’ that banned tobacco companies from suing countries that introduced tobacco control laws.2 We have told Oireachtas Members that we want to see the same stance taken in TTIP at a minimum. 
 
“Our 2015 report into the implications on Irish public health policy recommended that the final agreement proceed without ISDS,” says Eoin Bradley, Advocacy Officer.

“The European Union have sought to introduce an Investment Court System as an alternative to ISDS and have vowed to protect anti-tobacco initiatives. While these positive sounds are welcome, we still need to ensure the final agreement cannot lead to Ireland being sued for introducing laws that will save lives. 
 
“The agreement between the United States and Pacific countries sets a precedent. If the Investment Court System is to proceed we want health law protected.”
 
One in three people surveyed believe that TTIP ‘definitely needs to be reformed’ to limit the opportunities for multinational companies to sue the Irish Government, after being informed of this Australian example, and this rises to 55% among those initially aware of TTIP. 
 
“Up to now the Irish government have been one of the leading supporters of TTIP and ISDS”, says Mr Bradley. “We want to see the government recognise the danger of passing an agreement that will have huge implications for policymaking and to seek a ‘carve-out’ that will eliminate the risk of legal action outside of the domestic courts.
“Ireland has been a leader in anti-tobacco initiatives and this year will see plain packaging arrive on our shelves. To offer on a plate the opportunity to sue the Irish government for introducing such policies in the future is extremely short-sighted. 
 
“The Government should adopt a proactive stance on TTIP that will protect public health and save lives.”

Download the executive summary of our report: ‘TTIP, ISDS and the implications for Irish public health policy or read the final report.