Change EU Investment Policy Now! http://www.bilaterals.org/spip.php?article19180

On 28 February 2011, a letter signed by 120 NGOs was sent to the members of the Committee on International Trade. With this letter, the undersigned organizations call upon the European Parliament to support a more balanced investment policy. The letter was sent on behalf of 91 Civil Society Organizations from the EU, and 29 from outside of Europe. In it, the organizations share their concern about currently existing international investment agreements which grant far reaching rights to foreign investors.

One of the main concerns is that these agreements give Multinational Corporations, Hedge funds and other foreign investors the right to sue sovereign states before international arbitration tribunals. Investors and law firms are increasingly making use of this possibility. They do not hesitate to challenge governments’ social, environmental and economic regulations if these seem to reduce the profitability of their investments.