Over 70 European organisations today (Friday 4 July) demanded that European trade ministers, meeting in Italy this weekend, drop plans to launch a raft of new free trade agreements at September's World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
The organisations say the EU's priorities in trade negotiations are being driven by the demands of business lobby groups rather than the needs of developing countries or the wishes of EU citizens.
In Palermo ministers will finalise their negotiating position for the crucial forthcoming WTO Ministerial where member states will decide whether to launch negotiations on a raft of new free trade agreements covering investment, competition policy, government procurement and trade facilitation - collectively known as the 'Singapore'(after the 1996 WTO meeting where they were first discussed) or 'new' issues. On the table will also be discussions about what the EU's new position on agriculture should be following the conclusion of internal EU negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy last week.
A joint NGO statement to be presented to EU Trade Ministers says that the introduction of new agreements at the WTO will "grant multinational companies increased rights while also restricting the ability of governments to maintain and create strong regulatory frameworks and rights for citizens and communities." It points out that "there is no evidence that WTO agreements on the proposed four new issues, especially investment, will enhance development for the poorest and most marginalised countries". It condemns the European Commission for linking progress on developing countries demands for reform of the CAP to agreement on launching negotiations on the new issues
WDM's Clare Joy will join a delegation of campaigners - which includes WDM, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Corporate Europe Observatory and others - travelling to Palermo to deliver the European wide statement of opposition to the new trade agreements direct the trade ministers. She said today: "The EU's continued support for launching a free trade agreement on investment makes a mockery of its claim to be pursuing a development agenda in trade negotiations. When EU trade ministers meet in Italy this weekend they will do so in the knowledge that not only have developing countries repeatedly rejected their plans, but now Europe's citizens are united against them too. In fact the only voices raised for this agreement are those of international business lobby groups. We have to ask on whose behalf is the EU acting? It is time to put the needs of poor people and the environment back at the centre of trade negotiations and cut the corporate out at Cancun."
"If the European governments, including the UK, are serious about making trade work for the world's poor they must make an urgent u-turn and drop the new issues. The focus in Cancun must be reviewing and reforming the existing unfair and unbalanced WTO rules, not creating new ones." ENDS
Notes
A copy of the statement and the most recent list of signatory organisations is available at www.investmentwatch.org. WDM, ActionAid, RSPB, Christian Aid and Friends of the Earth Europe and Attac are among the organisations that have signed the statement.
Developing countries have consistently opposed launching new agreements on the Singapore issues, a position they have held since before the 3rd WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle in 1999. At the last WTO Ministerial in Doha in November 2001 developing countries, led by India, again held out against pressure from the EU. They succeeded in getting a decision to launch negotiations delayed until this year's meeting. Continued developing country opposition was most recently restated by Least Developed Country Trade Ministers meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 2 June, and by African Trade Ministers' meeting in Mauritius 20 June. Both meetings called for the continuation of the 'study process' rather than starting full blown negotiations.
On Friday 4 July WDM launches its summer campaign to 'Cut the Corporate out of Cancun' aimed at halting the new issues threat. WDM supporters will target Tony Blair, Patricia Hewitt, and EU President Romano Prodi as a protest against the corporate agenda they seem determind to pursue against the wishes of EU citizens and developing countries. European business leaders, such as Philip Watts (Chair of Shell) and Iain Vallance (former CEO of BT), will also be targeted for their role in corporate lobby groups such as the International Chamber of Commerce, the European Services Forum and UNICE. Visit WDM's Cut the Corporate campaign website at www.wdm.org.uk/campaign/cancun03/cancun.htm
Contact
Dave Timms, Press Officer on +44 (0)7711 875 345 or
Clare Joy, Campaigns Officer (in Palermo from 4-7
July) +44 (0)7970 795590
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