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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