Begin forwarded message: From: Dennis Paull <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: December 30, 2005 12:39:52 PM EST To: Dave Farber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: WTO to override local land use laws Hi Dave, This is for IP if you like. It appears that there is a move afoot to use the WTO to allow major big box stores to override local control of zoning and other land use policies. Dennis Paull ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [ http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2099 ] Dec. 12, 2005 *Big Box Backlash:* *Local** * *Control* *Over** * *Land* *Use Threatened by WTO* */Public Citizen Briefing Paper Reveals Push by Big Box Retailers to Use Trade Rules to Undermine Local Zoning and O/**/ther/**/ /* */Land/**/Use Laws/* WASHINGTON, D.C. – A controversial World Trade Organization (WTO) services agreement that will be discussed at this week’s WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong poses a serious threat to state and local authority over land use policy, according to a briefing paper released today by Public Citizen. Public Citizen released the paper, /Big Box Backlash:The Stealth Campaign at the World Trade Organization to Pre-empt Local Control Over Land Use,/ as trade negotiators flew to Hong Kong in a last-ditch effort to revive stalled WTO talks. The briefing paper exposes how big box retailers such as Wal-Mart are pushing for new provisions in the WTO’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) that could further undermine local zoning and other land use and development policies. The briefing paper is available here. <http://www.citizen.org/documents/Zoning_Memo_Final.pdf> ..................(much more) http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2099 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as [email protected] To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
