Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty

I share concerns about the potential detrimental impact these mechanisms can have on democracy, human rights, and environmental standards. My Liberal Democrat parliamentary colleagues and I have consistently called for ISDS to be replaced with a multilateral judicial process; one that is transparent, grounded in precedent, and capable of resolving disputes fairly and openly.

The previous Conservative Government’s approach to trade negotiations, driven by an impatient desire to secure deals, and with little consideration for ethical standards, resulted in weak agreements that avoided parliamentary scrutiny and compromised essential standards. This has left the UK vulnerable to disadvantageous treaty terms while sacrificing human rights and environmental protections without securing meaningful concessions in return.

To address these issues, the Liberal Democrats have proposed reforms to ensure future trade agreements uphold the values of fairness and accountability. These include extending full parliamentary sovereignty over trade agreements, transparent public consultations, and establishing minimum standards to benchmark agreements—covering human rights, environmental, and safety standards. Strengthening the Trade and Agriculture Commission’s role is also vital to ensure thorough review before parliamentary approval.