Transparency and the Democratic Process in Trade Negotiations
May 20, 2014 | 12:00 – 2:00pm
Room 402, American University Washington College of Law
As the United States and the European Union prepare to conduct round five of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) negotiations in Arlington, it is the right time to consider the issue of what, if any, role the public should play in crafting trade agreements. Given the secrecy that has been the hallmark of trade negotiations like the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), the question of public access to negotiating positions and documents remains unsettled.
This panel, made up of experts in international trade and diplomacy, will consider the roles of access to information, strategic narratives and public input in the crafting of international trade agreements. Because getting the right answers to these procedural questions is critical to the future of intellectual property and technology law — including issues like access to medicine and who gets called a “pirate” — we will take a deep dive into this complex and challenging issue: How do you successfully negotiate a trade agreement while ensuring public accountability and input?
Panelists will include:
- Laura Roselle, Elon University
- Susan Sell, George Washington University
- Peter Maybarduk, Global Access to Medicine Program, Public Citizen
- Sean Flynn, American University Washington College of Law
- David Levine, Elon University School of Law
