European Activists to Protest Against US-EU Free Trade Agreement Saturday

Activists from all over Europe will take to the streets on Saturday in the framework of the Global Day of Action against Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a proposed agreement on free trade between the United States and the European Union.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — TTIP and CETA are the ambitious initiatives aiming to open markets between the European Union and the United States and the European Union and Canada, respectively, to allow the easier flow of goods and services across the Atlantic.

"We, civil society organizations, trade unions, farmers, youth, women, indigenous movements and grassroots activists from across the world, are calling for a Global Day of Action on 18 April 2015 to stop free trade and investment deals and promote an economy that works for people and the planet," the statement on globaltradeday.org read.

The Stop TTIP movement, acting against TTIP and EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) urged the visitors of its official webpage to join the events or organize own campaigns, including GMO-free picnics, to raise awareness about the dangers the free trade deal could pose.

While the advocates of the agreement claim CETA could be mutually beneficial for economic growth, the opponents believe it will make it harder for the European states to regulate markets and, in particular, undermine the EU's right to label genetically modified (GMO) food.

TOMORROW is the global day of action against TTIP. Will you be there? https://t.co/u5dFJgWEwx pic.twitter.com/4pKcyXB7X5

— People's NHS (@PeoplesNHS) 17 апреля 2015

The previous European Day of Action against TTIP and CETA took place on October 11. According to the Stop TTIP statement, the event was a success, as "hundreds of activities all over Europe took place, several hundred thousand signatures for Stop TTIP were collected and dozens of media articles helped us to tell people about the threats posed by TTIP and CETA."

Our MEPs take part in global action day against #TTIP #CETA #TISA tomorrow Join in https://t.co/lqSRq9E7UK #A18DoA pic.twitter.com/IFpDpcpFkm

— Greens in the EP (@GreensEP) 17 апреля 2015

CETA was signed in September and is currently pending approval by the European Parliament, while the TTIP deal, negotiated in January, is still under debate.

Global protests on April 18 will see thousands take to the streets. Find your event at http://t.co/6gNef6XKfL #TTIP pic.twitter.com/p4w8yILVy2

— TTIP of the Iceberg (@TTIPBeware) 17 апреля 2015

Look how many new actions were added within the last 24 hours to the protestmap https://t.co/9zBlUDfsQh #A18DoA #TPP pic.twitter.com/vP38n8pzWP

— stopTTIP (@stopTTIPprotest) 15 апреля 2015