An eight-metre high Trojan horse model will be erected at City Gate in Valletta today to protest against “the dangerous impacts of the secret EU-US trade agreement”, known as the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

Friends of the Earth Malta and their allies in the Front Against TTIP (Malta) are behind the initiative. The groups will highlight what they believe are the hidden dangers included in the trade agreement currently being negotiated by the EU and US.

A statement by both organisations said these dangers include “secret corporate courts” that could fine our government for introducing laws to protect health, the environment or citizens’ rights; increased use of genetically modified crops; increased drilling for oil, shale gas and dirty energies and lowering food and work standards.

The symbol of the Trojan horse was used to highlight the “hidden dangers” for people and the environment contained in the trade deal.

Martin Galea de Giovanni, director of Friends of the Earth said: “We have to stop this Trojan horse trade deal from undoing decades of progress [in the EU] to protect consumers, our environment, and human rights.”

The Trojan horse will visit from today to Saturday as part of a tour including cities in more than 10 European countries over the next six months.

Friends of the Earth Malta and the Front Against TTIP Malta are calling on citizens to sign the petition against TTIP and CETA (a similar agreement with Canada) at https://stop-ttip.org/ .