>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > A letter is being distributed, asking governments to replace > the WTO process with a democratic process that serves human > needs. > > I am including a part of the letter, below. > > You can get the complete letter from > "Margrete Strand Rangnes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > or myself, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > More than 1,500 organizations around the world signed a > similar letter last year calling for a moratorium on the WTO. > > > >WTO - Shrink or Sink! >The Turn Around Agenda > >It's time to turn trade around. In November 1999, the World Trade >Organization's (WTO) Third Ministerial Meeting in Seattle collapsed in >spectacular fashion, in the face of unprecedented protest from people and >governments around the world. We believe it is essential to use this moment >as an opportunity to change course and develop an alternative, humane, >democratically accountable and sustainable system of commerce that benefits >all. This process entails rolling back the power and authority of the WTO. > >The GATT Uruguay Round Agreements and the establishment of the WTO were >proclaimed as a means of enhancing the creation of global wealth and >prosperity and promoting the well-being of all people in all member states. >In reality, however, The WTO has contributed to the concentration of wealth >in the hands of the rich few; increasing poverty for the majority of the >world's peoples, especially in third world countries; and unsustainable >patterns of production and consumption. > >The WTO and GATT Uruguay Round Agreements have functioned principally to >pry open markets for the benefit of transnational corporations at the >expense of national and local economies; workers, farmers, indigenous >peoples, women and other social groups; health and safety; the environment; >and animal welfare. In addition, the WTO system, rules and procedures are >undemocratic, un-transparent and non-accountable and have operated to >marginalize the majority of the world's people. > >All this has taken place in the context of increasing global instability, >the collapse of national economies, growing inequity both between and >within nations and increasing environmental and social degradation, as a >result of the acceleration of the process of corporate globalization. > >The governments which dominate the WTO, especially the United States, the >European Union, Japan and Canada, and the transnational corporations which >have benefitted from the WTO system have refused to recognize and address >these problems. They are still intent on further liberalization, including >through the expansion of the WTO, promoting free trade as a goal in itself. >In reality, however, free trade is anything but "free". > >The time has come to acknowledge the crises of the international trading >system and its main administering institution, the WTO. We need to replace >this old, unfair and oppressive trade system with a new, socially just and >sustainable trading framework for the 21st Century. > >We need to protect cultural, biological, economic and social diversity; >introduce progressive policies to prioritize local economies and trade; >secure internationally recognized economic, cultural, social and labor >rights; and reclaim the sovereignty of peoples and national and >sub-national democratic decision-making processes. In order to do this, we >need new rules based on the principles of democratic control of resources, >ecological sustainability, equity, cooperation and precaution. > >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > >In light of the above, we make the following demands of our governments: > >No WTO expansion > >We reiterate our opposition to continued attempts to launch a new round or >expand the WTO by bringing in new issues such as investment, competition, >government procurement, biotechnology and accelerated tariff liberalization . > > >WTO Hands off: Protect Basic Social Rights and Needs > >It is inappropriate and unacceptable for social rights and basic needs to >be constrained by WTO rules. Thus WTO Agreements must not apply to issues >critical to human or planetary welfare, such as food and water, basic >social services, health and safety, and animal protection. Inappropriate >encroachment by trade rules in such areas has already resulted in campaigns >on genetically modified organisms, old growth forests, domestically >prohibited goods and predatory tobacco marketing. > > >Gut GATS: Protect Basic Social Services > >In particular, areas such as health, education, energy and other basic >human services must not be subject to international free trade rules. In >the WTO General Agreement on Services (GATS), the principle of "progressive >liberalization" and the implications of foreign investment in service >sectors has already led to severe problems. > > >Take TRIPS Out: Restore National Patent Protection Systems > >We demand the removal of the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights >Agreement (TRIPS) from the WTO. There is no basis for inclusion of >intellectual property claims in a trade agreement. Additionally, the TRIPS >agreement promotes monopoly by transnational corporations; prevents access >to essential medicines and other goods; leads to private appropriation of >knowledge and life forms; undermines biodiversity; and keeps poorer >countries from increasing their levels of social and economic welfare and >developing their technological capacity. > > >No Patents on Life > >The patenting of life forms must be prohibited in all national and >international regimes. > > >Food is a Basic Human Right > >Measures taken to promote and protect food security and sovereignty, >subsistence farming, humane farming practices and sustainable agriculture >must be exempt from international free trade rules. There must be a >prohibition on export subsidies and other forms of dumping of agricultural >products, especially on third world countries. The trading system must not >undermine the livelihood of peasants, small farmers, artesinal fishers and >indigenous peoples. > > >No Investment Liberalization > >The WTO Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) Agreement must be >eliminated. All countries and especially third world countries must have >the right to use policy options (such as local content policy) to increase >the capacity of their own productive sectors, especially small and medium >enterprises. Obviously, the TRIMS review must not be used to extend the >investment issue in WTO. > > >Fair Trade: Special and Differential Treatment > >Special and differential rights for third world countries must be >recognized, expanded, and operationalized in the world trading system. This >is to take into account the weak position of third world countries in the >international trading system. Without the enforcement of special and >differential rights, there can be no possibility of third world countries >benefitting from world trade. > > >Prioritize Agreements on Social Rights and the Environment > >Actions taken to implement multilateral agreements dealing with the >environment, health, development, human rights, safety, indigenous peoples' >rights, food security, women's rights, workers' rights and animal welfare >cannot be challenged at or undermined by the WTO. > > >Democratize Decision-Making > >People must have the right to self-determination and the right to know and >decide on international commercial commitments. Among other things, this >requires that decision-making processes in negotiations and enforcement at >international commercial bodies be democratic, transparent and inclusive. >The WTO operates in a secretive, exclusionary manner that shuts out most >third world country Members and the public. It is dominated by a few >powerful governments acting on behalf of their corporate elites. > > >Dispute the System > >The WTO dispute settlement system is unacceptable. It enforces an >illegitimate system of unfair rules and operates with undemocratic >procedures. It also usurps the rulemaking and legislative role of sovereign >nations and local governments. > >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= snip ...... > >We are committed to a sustainable, socially just and democratically >accountable trade system. Thus, as a first step, we demand that our >governments implement the changes listed in this document in order to roll >back the power and authority of the WTO and turn trade around. > >We commit ourselves to mobilize people within our countries to fight for >these demands and to defy the unjust policies of the WTO. We will also >support other people and countries who do so with international solidarity >campaigns. > >We pledge to carry the Spirit of Seattle around the world. > >Signed by: (list deleted) > > >How an organization can sign the letter: > >1) This is an organizational sign-on letter only. We will not be adding >individuals to it. >2) In the subject line type in "Shrink or Sink signatory" >3) In the body of the e-mail list the organization and country (contact >information such as address, phone & fax is also appreciated) that you are >signing on. Those who wish should also mention how many people the >organization represents. >4) Send the e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >5) You can also sign the letter by going to www.tradewatch.org - click on >WTO on the globe. > > > >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= >In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed >without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the >included information for research and educational purposes. > >Margrete Strand Rangnes >Senior Organizer >Public Citizen Global Trade Watch >215 Pennsylvania Ave, SE >Washington DC, 20003 USA >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >+ 202-454-5106 >+ 202-547 7392 (fax) > >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > > > > > ............................................. > Bob Olsen, Toronto [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > The world is run by the people who show up. > ............................................. > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
