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No Trade in Public Services

The recent wave of trade agreements are direct threats to the provision of Quality Public Services. These new agreements encourage privatisation, restrict governments’ ability to regulate in the public interest and create new and powerful rights for large multinational corporations. They are also a threat to democracy and accountability of government. They are being negotiated in secret, without proper consultation and will bind future governments, often regardless of the decisions of national elections, parliaments and courts. PSI urges all affiliates to understand the implications and join our allies to oppose the harmful effects of these agreements.

NO to RCEP - Stop trading workers’ rights over profits

09 May 2017

The 18th round of RCEP negotiations began yesterday in Manila as civil society organisations express deep concern about the mega trade agreement being negotiated secretly by 16 nations, including the 10 ASEAN members plus Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, China and India, spanning 50% of the world population and 29% of the world’s GDP.

Trade unions and farmer groups reject RCEP

13 April 2017

At a meeting organised by PSI, the Forum Against FTAs, La via Campesina and others, more than 100 representatives of people’s movements from southern Indian states discussed the implications of the proposed mega free trade agreement - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

CETA: backward step for the environment, global inequalities and workers' rights

15 February 2017

The EU-Canada trade deal ratified by the European Parliament today is a step backward for tackling some of the world's biggest crises and will do nothing to improve the lives of the majority of citizens in either region, according to organisations representing civil society, workers and the environment.

Stop TiSA demonstration in Geneva

06 December 2016

On 4 December 2016 about 1000 people marched through Geneva calling citizens to mobilize against the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). Public Services International and its affiliate SSP/VPOD together with approximately 20 organisations, including solidaritéS, Les Verts and ATTAC GE participated in the protest.

PSI supports the release of ICRICT's second declaration

16 November 2016

"Four Ways to Tackle International Tax Competition" was launched on 15 November in Brussels by the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT).

TiSA: Trade in Services Agreement is Bad News for Workers and Communities

14 November 2016

As trade negotiators representing 50 countries meet behind closed doors to try and finalise the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) before the end of the year, the ITUC has released a new analysis of leaked information about the deal "All about TiSA: Everything you didn't know about the Trade in Services Agreement".

CETA steamrolls on but unions & civil society will continue the fight

27 October 2016

Under immense pressure from the EU and corporate lobby groups, the Belgian region of Wallonia has given in to the CETA deal.

No means no! Civil society and unions stand with Wallonia in rejecting CETA

24 October 2016

The Belgian region of Wallonia is standing strong against attempts by the EU and Canada to push through the signing of the CETA deal, despite mass mobilization and strong public opposition to the regressive trade pact.

Public sector unions to oppose Asia Pacific mega trade deal RCEP

20 October 2016

On 12 October, the closing day of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference (APRECON) in Fukuoka, around 250 delegates representing more than 70 PSI affiliates from 18 countries resolved to intensify the struggle against the ambitious Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) under negotiation among 16 countries in the region.

Belgian region of Wallonia blocks EU-Canada trade deal

15 October 2016

PSI commends the President of the Walloon Government's decision not to give full powers to the Belgian federal governement to sign the CETA trade agreement between the EU and Canada on 18th October 2016.

Leaked EU TiSA demands reveal “do as we say, not as we do” doctrine

14 October 2016

Today’s release of the EU’s demands of developing countries in the TISA negotiations highlights the double standards within the EU, says Public Services International. While the European Commission tries to convince the European public that its approach to trade agreements safeguards European public services it simultaneously demands that developing countries public services are undermined.

Canada must not ratify ‘fundamentally flawed’ European trade pact

19 September 2016
Photo: Friends of the Earth

In solidarity with mass demonstrations taking place in Europe, the undersigned Canadian trade unions, wish to echo the recent message of the 3.3 million member-strong Canadian Labour Congress that there are many questionable aspects to the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. We are therefore calling on our Federal Liberal government not to ratify the CETA.

PSI allies release new brief on TiSA threats

01 September 2016
Photo: Annette Dubois

On the very same day the French government asked the EU to withdraw from the TTIP negotiations, two PSI partners in the struggle against TiSA, Attac Norway and Global Justice Now, launched the campaign briefing “A blueprint for global privatisation – Why we need to stop the Trade in Services Agreement".

EU Apple Tax Ruling shows austerity is a political decision, says Pavanelli

31 August 2016
Protesting Against Apple's Tax Policy - Dublin Street Art (William Murphy/Flickr)

The EU’s tax ruling on Apple announced on 30 August shows that finally the European Commission (EC) is acknowledging that austerity is a political, not economic, choice. That's the main message behind the striking decision, according to PSI General Secretary who congratulated the EC for showing the political will to chase large multinationals like Amazon and McDonald's (also currently under investigation).

PSI welcomes French call to halt TTIP negotiations and asks ‘what about CETA’?

30 August 2016
Rosa Pavanelli

PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, welcomed the decision of the French government to ask the EU to withdraw from the TTIP negotiations. The French position follows a recent statement by the German Vice-Chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, affirming that “TTIP has failed – but no one is admitting it”.

Global Unions Statement of Priorities for the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference

28 November 2013

In the wake of the on-going economic crisis brought on in no small measure by the same de-regulatory forces that champion trade liberalisation, there is a real opportunity for the global community to re-think existing trade rules and arrangements. World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) accords have adversely impacted farmers and workers and they have reduced policy and regulatory space needed to actively promote decent jobs and quality public services.

PSI Statement on the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference

27 November 2013

The results of decades of corporate-led globalisation are clear for the majority of the world. Unemployment continues to afflict millions and is especially acute for the world’s youth. Inequality is growing and quality public services and labour rights are being undermined. Liberalisation of and financial speculation in commodities markets has produced ruinous price fluctuations for food and shortages that create untold harm and avoidable loss of life. The global economic crisis caused by the reckless and unregulated actions of the private financial markets has created untold suffering for workers and is now being used as the reason to implement punitive and misguided austerity programmes.

Presentation: Trade and Services Agreement and Public Services

17 October 2013

Trade presentation given by Daniel Bertossa, PSI Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, at the PSI Asia Pacific Quality Public Services Forum in Bangkok, Thailand - October 2013

Presentation: Multinational Tax Avoidance

17 October 2013

Multinational Tax Avoidance and the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting (BEPs) process

Trade presentation given by Daniel Bertossa, PSI Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, at the PSI Asia Pacific Quality Public Services Forum in Bangkok, Thailand - October 2013

Presentation: How ‘free trade’ & investment treaties attack public services & why we have to fight them

17 October 2013

Trade presentation given by Professor Jane Kelsey, from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, at the PSI Asia Pacific Quality Public Services Forum in Bangkok, Thailand - October 2013

Presentation: The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and health

17 October 2013

A New Zealand perspective

Trade presentation given by Marilyn Head, New Zealand Nurses Organisation, at the PSI Asia Pacific Quality Public Services Forum in Bangkok, Thailand - October 2013

Presentation: Is fracking a trade question?

16 October 2013

Presentation by Geert Decock, Policy Officer, Food & Water Europe. This document was presented at the PSI workship on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held during the WTO Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

Presentation: Public Services and Trade Rules: Preserving Policy Space for Innovation

16 October 2013

Presentation by Scott Sinclair, Senior Research Fellow, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives This document was presented at the PSI workship on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held during the WTO Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

Presentation: How do trade agreements alter education quality?

16 October 2013

Presentation by Antoni Verger, Globalisation, Education and Socil Policies (GEPS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (on behalf of Education International). This document was presented at the PSI workship on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held during the WTO Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

First BRICS Cycle of debates

04 September 2013

Statement from the trade union organizations of public sector workers affiliated to Public Services International (PSI), from Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa – BRICS.

PSI brief on Trade in Services Agreement (TISA)

02 August 2013

This briefing note, written in July 2013, explains the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA).

PSI policy on International Trade Agreements

31 May 2013

PSI’s Executive Board (EB–145) endorsed in May 2013 a proposal to increase PSI’s work on trade agreements. This work will focus on the most prominent threats to our affiliates, including ensuring that trade agreements are not used to open public services to private commercial activities but are used to contribute to the application of international labour standards to protect workers’ rights.

Working for the alternative: Implementing PSI's mandate in 2013 and beyond

19 March 2013

The 2012 PSI World Congress provided a framework for Public Services International's discussions and decisions. However, it is necessary to focus priorities. This document presents a detailed implementation plan for PSI's mandate in 2013 and beyond.

PSI Congress Resolutions

12 March 2013

Resolutions adopted at the 29th World Congress of Public Services International, held in Durban, South Africa, 27-30 November 2012. The resolutions are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Japanese and Russian.

Resolution 22: Trade

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012