TTIP: Might is Right (2015)

In 2015, the proposed free trade agreement between the United States and Europe, known as TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership), stirred significant concern about the European right to self-determination. The heart of this controversy lies in a specific aspect of TTIP: ISDS (investor-state dispute settlement).

ISDS enables companies to sue governments if they believe their investments have been harmed. But the real question is whether this arbitration system, where a handful of investment lawyers decide over billions of taxpayers’ money, truly protects business interests or poses a threat to democracy.

In October 2015, tens of thousands of European citizens took to the streets, and more than 2.5 million signatures were presented to the European Commission. Their concern and protest centered around the free trade agreement TTIP, which aimed to create the world’s largest free-trade zone between the US and the EU.

The most contentious part of TTIP, ISDS, allows multinational corporations to challenge a country’s laws and regulations if they feel unfairly treated. By doing so, they can bypass democratic decisions and existing national jurisdiction. The critical question emerges: Whose interests will TTIP and ISDS ultimately serve? Is it the powerful few or the broader public? And when it comes to international investment arbitration, does might indeed make right?

This thought-provoking documentary dives into the complexities of trade agreements, legal systems, and the delicate balance between corporate power and democratic principles. It challenges viewers to consider the implications of such agreements on our societies and economies.