MEP warns of ‘toxic’ legacy for UK if government signs EU-Canada trade deal

7 February 2017

As MEPs prepare to vote on whether or not to ratify a controversial trade deal next week, Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for the South West, has warned the UK could find itself in the ‘worst of all possible worlds’ if the UK sign up to the deal.

The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) [1] between Canada and the EU has always been opposed by Greens as it seeks to give more power to corporations while putting public services and workers’ and consumer rights at risk and threaten environmental regulations.

But now Dr Scott Cato says that a new House of Commons briefing [2] confirms that when the UK leaves the EU, it could be forced to renegotiate its trade agreements with Canada yet still be bound by the treaty for 20 years. She said:

“One of the key reasons Greens have opposed CETA is because of the power this treaty gives to corporations to sue governments over legislation that threatens their profits. If CETA is ratified before the UK exits the EU, we will need to renegotiate our trade agreements with Canada but still be bound by the investor protection provision aspect of this treaty for 20 years. This would mean foreign investors would still have the right to sue the UK government if they feel their businesses have been impacted by new laws or regulations.

“Signing up to CETA is the worst of all possible worlds for the UK. It will take us back to square one on trade negotiations with Canada but trap us in a most toxic element of this treaty. With Brexit looming it is even more critical that all British MEPs vote this dodgy deal down next week in the European Parliament.”

[1] http://ttip2017.eu/blog/id-12-reasons-the-greenefa-group-are-opposed-to-ceta.html

[2] http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7492

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Press release: Gloucestershire Man ordered to pay £675 for illegally fishing for elvers.

Yesterday (6 February 2017) Paul Ridler, of Betjeman Close, Gloucester pleaded guilty at Gloucestershire Magistrates’ Court to one charge of fishing for elvers without the appropriate authorisation.

Mr Ridler was fined £250 and ordered to pay £400 in costs, along with a £25 victim surcharge.

The charge was brought by the Environment Agency contrary to section 27B (1) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

On April 7 2016, Environment Agency officers were patrolling the River Severn at Ashleworth. Officers spoke to two males, Mr Anthony Ridler and Mr Paul Ridler. Anthony Ridler confirmed he had the required authorisation to fish for elvers but Mr Paul Ridler did not have authorisation and would not be fishing.

Later that evening officers returned to find Paul Ridler in wet, muddy waterproofs and gloves with an elver net and empty bucket. Paul Ridler stated he was looking after the net for his brother who was further downstream, and this was the only net they had with them.

Officers located Anthony Ridler who was in the river further downstream with a dip net immersed in water, and confirmed he was fishing alone and indicated he was not aware his brother was using the spare net.

Paul Ridler stated to one of the officers that he was not elvering and it was a “silly mistake, which would not happen again.”

Speaking after the case, Carl Salisbury, the Environment Agency officer in charge of the investigation, said:

We will continue to target those who decide to fish illegally without a licence or the correct authorisation and will work with other enforcement bodies to deal with the theft of fish.

Anyone witnessing illegal fishing incidents in progress can report it directly to the Environment Agency hotline, 0800 80 70 60. Information on illegal fishing and environmental crime can also be reported anonymously to Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.



Smuggled trash, coal targeted in customs crackdown

China’s customs authorities will launch a year-long smuggling crackdown prioritizing in imported garbage and natural products.

Industrial waste, electronic scrap and plastics will be in the cross hairs of the watchdogs, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Tuesday.

Those convicted of smuggling could face a maximum penalty of the death sentence, according to China’s Criminal Law.

The counter-smuggling efforts will target gangs and well-organized operations acting illegally, GAC said.

Customs investigated 2,633 smuggling cases in 2016, up 17 percent year on year, according to the GAC.

In December 2016, Shanghai customs authorities seized 3.1 tonnes of pangolin scales in the biggest smuggling case of its kind to date.

The scales, worth over 10 million yuan (1.45 million U.S. dollars), were reportedly bought from Nigeria. The trade in pangolin is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.



Top court pledges non-interference in judges’ work

China’s top court promises to ensure judges properly exert their judicial power without interference.

The Supreme People’s Court on Tuesday published a document on improving the mechanism to protect judges and their associates in fulfilling their legal duties.

The measures stipulate that when handling cases, judges should not be subject to interference from other government organs, social organizations or individuals.

Judges have the right to refuse to follow any requests by any organization or individual that are without legal mandate or due process, the document said.

They are also entitled to refuse to comment on cases which are not in a judicial process or trials that they do not participate in, the document said.

Moreover, they are entitled to make complaints against nine types of action by governmental agencies or staff, including intervention in judicial process, obstruction of justice and restraint or suppression of the judges’ independent expression of opinion.

As cases of disturbance in courts and harassment of judges have increased, the document said all courts should have committees to protect judges’ safety, rights and interests.

Judges and their associates should also be provided with recording devices at their workplace.

The document pledged protection of personal information of judges and their families.

In January, Fu Mingsheng, who worked at a court of Luchuan County in Guangxi, was reportedly killed at his residence by suspect Long Jiancai, a defendant in a divorce case that Fu heard in 1994.



BHSEA Meeting: CDM: Is It Doing the Job? – West Midlands, 13 Mar 2017

Date and Location

Monday 13th March 2017
National Metalforming Centre, 49 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 6PY

Event overview

Afternoon meeting (beginning at 13.30) of BHSEA.

  • Presentation: ‘CDM: Is it Doing the Job?’, Tony Mitchell, HM Principal Inspector of Health and Safety.
  • Presentation: ‘Safety By Design’, Ray Gold, RDG Engineering.
  • Presentation: ‘Use of CCTV in Manufacturing’, Nicky Ayers, Ecl-ips

Further information and booking

Visit www.bhsea.org.uk and to reserve your place, please contact the secretary secretary@bhsea.org.uk