Austria Chancellor says TTIP free trade deal between US and Europe would be a massive shift in power toward multinational companies and against democratic rule-Eurointelligence, 9/2/16

9/2/16, "Et tu Austria," Eurointelligence.com 

"In our coverage on the slow death of TTIP we focused on Germany and France. We are now hearing that the Austrian SPÖ, the majority partner in the governing grand coalition, is also opposed - and not only to TTIP but also to the CETA deal with Canada. Der Standard quotes Chancellor Christian Kern as questioning CETA just after vice-chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner from the ÖVP, the centre right coalition partner, questioned TTIP.

Kern is planning to consult his party base before taking a formal decision but this procedure is certain to lead to the rejection of the project. He said TTIP constitutes a massive shift in power towards multinational companies and against democratic rule- and this is a fundamental design flaw of both TTIP and CETA. Mitterlehner was more nuanced than Kern, saying that it was a shame that the otherwise decent CETA deal was discredited by TTIP. He said if Austria rejected CETA it would most likely be outvoted in the council, where decisions on these matters are taken with a qualified majority vote."...

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