By Patrick Gower
The legal threat from tobacco companies over the Government's proposal for plain packaging has raised fears about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) - a free trade deal involving the United States - and opponents say it could make legal clashes even more common.
Because of the fears it will get sued under existing international trade laws the Government could back down over its plain-packaging plan for tobacco and the trade deal could mean even tighter trade rules could be on the way too.
Opponents to the deal are calling tighter rules a threat to New Zealand sovereignty.
“It’s designed to take power from Governments and give it to large multinational corporations,” says Green Party co-leader Russel Norman.
The TPP will bring New Zealand and the United States together in an 11-country free trade deal but leaked documents have raised concern it will make it even easier for companies like Big Tobacco to sue countries for unfavourable laws.
“Obviously when you go into a free trade agreement it’s a bit like a marriage,” says Prime Minister John Key.
“There's give and take and you do it because the overall net benefits are greater than what you give away.”
The fear of commitment to the TPP is gripping many, like librarians, who are worried the costs of books could rise if a ban on parallel importing is re-introduced, while others fear it could see copyright codes enforced so DVD players here can't read discs from the United States.
But John Key says free access to the United States market would mean boom-times for the agricultural sector and he used Kim Dotcom as an example of how America will protect its interests in Intellectual Property - no matter what.
“As you can see with or without the TPP the Americans and others will look to protect their rights as they see them,” says Mr Key.
The TPP has just been through its 13th round of negotiations.
There's plenty to gain in the deal- but as to what New Zealand may or may not be giving away, it's hard to tell. One of its opponents' main criticisms is how the deal and its consequences are shrouded in secrecy.
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