WTO - Shrink or Sink!" Statement (fwd)

-------- Original Message --------
Updated "WTO - Shrink or Sink!" Statement
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 12:58:11 -0400
From: "Margrete Strand Rangnes" <MSTRAND@citizen.org>
To: <mai-intl@venice.essential.org>, <mai-not@venice.essential.org>

- please circulate. Apologies for crosspostings -

Thank you all for the overwhelming response to the "WTO - Shrink or
Sink" Statement. So far we have 155 organizations signed on from 42
countries - a fantastic response given that the statement has only
been out for 5 days!

Please continue to circulate the statement, and encourage your
colleagues to sign it. We will send out regular updates with the
newest additions to the letter.

If you know of any translated versions of the letter, please e-mail
them to mstrand@citizen.org. We will post the translations to the
web-page: www.tradewatch.org and also include them in future postings.

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 mstrand@citizen.org
5) You can also sign the letter by going to www.tradewatch.org - click
on WTO on the globe.

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"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 prioritise 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.



A socially just international trade system will also require change
outside the WTO. Given the attacks by multinational corporations and
governments on basic workers rights; the reversal of the gains of
workers' struggles; the undermining of job security; and the
race-to-the-bottom in wages, workers rights must be strengthened
worldwide.

Also, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the
regional development banks must write off 100% of the debts owed to
them by poor countries.  The use of structural adjustment
conditionality to force trade liberalization in third world countries
and elsewhere must be stopped. Governments must negotiate, through the
UN system and with full democratic participation, a binding agreement
to ensure that corporate conduct is socially and environmentally
responsible and democratically accountable.

Conclusions and Consequences

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.


Signatories:

Africa
Africa Trade Network
Third World Network - Africa Secretariat

Asia
Asia Indigenous Women's Network (AIWN)

Australia
Catholics in Coalition for Justice and Peace
ECOTERRA
Friends of the Earth
Information for Action
StopMAI Campaign Coalition, Western Australia
The International Society for Human Rights Australia

Austria
Center for Encounters and Active Non-Violence Bad Ischl
ECOTERRA
Salzburg Forum against MAI and WTO

Bangladesh
UBINIG

Belgium
ATTAC-Brussels
Oxfam Solidarity

Bolivia
Armonía

Brazil
ECOTERRA

Canada
Canadian Action Party
ECOTERRA
Friends of the Escarpment (FOE)

Chile
Programa Chile Sustentable
Fundacion Sociedades Sustentables

Ethiopia
Institute for Sustainable Development

Europe
Ecoropa
Federation of Young European Greens

Finland
Finnish NGO Campaign on WTO
Friends of the Earth Finland
Finnish Association of World Shops
The Communist Party of Finland
Socialist Association

France
Droits devant!!
Ecoropa
ECOTERRA
Institut pour la relocalisation de l'économie
Observatoire de la mondialisation

Germany
cm-international
ECOTERRA e.V.
Institute of Interdisciplinary Study and Research (IFSF)
International Human Rights Association
Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) e.V.
Weltladen- Dachverband e.V., Germany  (German World Shop Association)

Ghana
Friends of the Earth

Holland
Corporate Europe Observatory
Towards a Different Europe
Transnational Institute

India
Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies
ENDEV Society for Environment and Development

Indonesia
LATIN, Lembaga Alam Tropika Indonesia/The Indonesian Tropical
Institute
The national consortium on Forest and Nature in Indonesia
(KONPHALINDO)

International
Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN)
Global Sisterhood Network

Ireland
Justice Office - Mill Hill Missionaries

Japan
Friends of the Earth
People's Forum 2001

Kenya
ECOTERRA

Korea
Korean Women Workers Association United (KWWAU)

Malaysia
Third World Network

Malta
ECO, The Malta Ecological Foundation

Nepal
Bikalpa: Community for Development Studies
SEWA NEPAL

New Zealand
FAIR NZ
Friends of the Earth
Te Kawau Maro (tkm)

Norway
Norges Naturvernforbund / Friends of the Earth

Pakistan
creed alliance
Development VISIONS

Peru
Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Network (IPBN)
Kechua-Aymara Association for Sustainable Livelihoods (ANDES)

Phillippines
Bayan-Phillippines (New Patriotic Alliance)
ECOTERRA South-East Asia
Ibon Foundation
Legal rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends
of the Earth Philippines  TEBTEBBA Foundation, Inc. (Indigenous
Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education)

Portugal
CIDAC - Centro de Informação e Documentação Amílcar Cabral

Romania
MAMA TERRA / For Mother Earth-Romania Global Network Against Weapons
and Nuclear Power in Space

Slovakia
Center for Environmental Public Advocacy/Friends of the Earth -
Slovakia

Somalia
ECOTERRA

South Africa
eThekwini Ecoparty
Green Party of South Africa

Sudan
ECOTERRA

Tanzania
ECOTERRA

Togo
LES AMIS DE LA TERRE

UK
Christian Ecology Link
Communities Against Toxics
Corporate Watch
ECOTERRA
Environment Resource and Information Centre
FORUM for STABLE CURRENCIES
Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and North Ireland)
GM-FREE
Southampton Animal Concern
Halton Friends of the Earth Group
Swindon Friends of the Earth
World Voices

U.S.
Alliance for Democracy
American Lands Alliance
Anarchist Action of Rochester
Animal Welfare Institute
Appalachian Peace and Justice Network
Bay Area Jubilee 2000 Coalition
CA Justice and Peace Committee
Cascadia Forest Alliance
Center for Balanced Development
Center for Justice and Global Awareness
Cloud Forest Institute
Columbia River Bioregional Education Project
Communist Party USA
Concerned Citizens Coalition of Roane, Calhoun and Gilmer Counties, of
West Virginia
ECO-Action
Economic Justice Now
Economic Justice Now Africa Committee
ECOTERRA
Finger Lakes Environmental Action (FLEA)
Friends of the Earth
Forest Guardians
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
Grassroots International
Humane Society, U.S
Indigenous Environmental Network
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Iowa City Green Party
Made By Hand International Cooperative
Methow Forest Watch
Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility of  the United
Church of Christ
New England Burma Roundtable
Office of the Americas
Organic Consumers Association
Park County Environmental Council
Protect All Children's Environment
Public Citizen
Rainforest Relief
Rochester Food Not Bombs
Rocky Mountain Activist Network
Rural Vermont
Santa Barbara Earth First!
Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Simple Revolution? Farm!
Sisters of the Holy Names
SEDG - Shenandoah Ecosystems Defense Group
Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE)
Society of Animal Protective Legislation
Solidarity Committee of PACE Local 2-0031
The Center for Economic Policy and Research
The Daughters Sisters Project
The ECO-Store
The Edmonds Institute
The Liberation Collective
The McDowell Mountain Monitors
Toward Freedom
TRANET
United for a Fair Economy
Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee, Olympia, WA
Wisconsin Environmental Law Society
Witness for Peace Southwest
Young Communist League USA

_________________________________

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 mstrand@citizen.org
5) You can also sign the letter by going to www.tradewatch.org - click
on WTO on the globe.

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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
mstrand@citizen.org
+ 202-454-5106
+ 202-547 7392 (fax)

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