Social Europe - the front against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (comprising of a number of small political parties and movements) were not allowed to use Dar l-Ewropa for a press conference.

The groups said that certain rules regarding political press conferences were endorsed however previously, the organisations were allowed to use the building for similar events.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) revolves around talks between the EU and US for free trade between the two. Critics fear that such a deal could weaken the EU standards in certain areas, and among these critics are members of the Front.

The Front against TTIP Maltese members are; Zminijietna - Voice of the Left, Anti Poverty Alliance, Moviment Grafiti, Association of Federative Socialists, GWU Youth, ADZ - Green Youth, Friends of the Earth, Malta Communist Party and Garden of Knowledge (Malta).

Spokesman for the Front Joe Bartolo said that the TTIP threatens' workers' rights, environmental protection, consumer rights and public services. "Multinational corporations will have the right to take action against democratically-elected national governments through the bypassing of national and European courts," he said.

Public health is another area of concern as one of the aims of TTIP is to open up this sector in Europe to US companies.

Dr Michael Briguglio, also present, said that, for example, in Europe Genetically modified organisms are regulated differently in the EU and in the US, with the US being more liberal on the subject. Discussing collective agreements, multinational companies would be able to bring in workers who are not part of them, he said.

In addition, Dr Briguglio also mentioned schools. The European Students Union said that TTIP could result in schools becoming seen as commercial institutions, not educational products, he argued. "This could result in private schools taking action against the government for unfair competition," he added.

The Front is supporting the self-organised European Citizens' initiative on the matter, through which signatures will be collected all over the EU to protest against the TTIP. http://stop-ttip.org/sign/