NGO's Sign-On Letter
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.
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