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Cast as “trade agreements”, a momentous re-writing and consolidation of the basic rules governing the global economy is being pursued across the globe.  At play is much more than “trade.”  Driven by commercial interest and industry associations, the rules in these agreements – like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – cover core elements of politics and economics, including investment, dispute resolution, intellectual property, public procurement policy and much more. As such, they can both re-shape and lock-in the reach and power of multinational corporations, the lines between public and private, the role and efficacy of governance globally and nationally, and the enormous power imbalances among classes, regions and countries. Done in secrecy, these agreements threaten to undermine hard-won basic citizen rights – to open government, access to justice, livelihoods and a stable and healthy environment.