The negotiations between the European Union and United States to approve the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is one of the hot themes in contemporary international affairs to be debated during the coming edition of the Social Forum.

The lawyer, economist and member of ATTAC France Frédéric Viale will analyse the details of this agreement, which aims to liberalize commerce between the U.S.A and Europe, as well as considering the consequences of its approval. While the promoters of the treaty see it as a bid for growth, its detractors point out that the document, apart from allowing the free entry of transgenic products to Europe, also leaves the social and democratic rights of citizens in the hands of multinationals.

Viale, who was one of the first people to sound the alarm regarding these secret negotiations that were taking place to try and get the deal approved, is also a spokesperson for ATTAC in Europe for the TTIP and a specialist in the commercial policies of the EU and free trade agreements. Regarding ATTAC, the organization was created in France in 1998 as a pressure group against economic globalization processes.