Weigh In for Trade Justice

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday May 29, 2003 16:07 by Conall O'Caoimh - Trade Justice conall at comhlamh dot org 10 Upper Camden St. Dublin 2 01-4783490

Campaigners 'Shout for Trade Justice' at May 14th Dail Lobby for Trade Justice

Following lobbying by constituents TDs agreed to hold a Dáil debate on the upcoming World Trade Organisation talks. Over 60 TDs took part in the Trade Justice lobby on May 14th. Next is to watch out for the Dáil debate in mid-June and to attend the Public Gallery in the Dáil. Several hundred people across Ireland 'Weighed In for Trade Justice' by contacting their TDs in the run up to the lobby day. TDs took part, meeting constituents inside the Dáil and receiving briefings on the WTO talks from campaigners. In response to the lobby, the Dáil decided to hold a debate which should occur mid-June. Another success of the lobby, was that the government is commiting to publish during the Irish EU Presidency the agendas of the secret EU Trade committee (known as the '133 Committee'). Keep a look-out for the date of the Dail debate and come along to

WHAT TRADE JUSTICE IS DEMANDING
1. No New Powers for the World Trade Organisation:
Ireland and the EU should stop pressing to extend WTO authority to four new areas. Poor countries do not have the negotiating capacity to protect their interests in the areas proposed.

2. An End to the Dumping which Destroys Livelihoods:
Ireland and the EU must agree to end the agricultural subsidies that produce surpluses that are dumped in developing countries undermining farming livelihoods and food security.

3. Fair and Transparent Trade Policy-Making:
The government must tell us where it stands on the key issues, why, and how our trade policy promotes poverty reduction and gender equality and protects the environment.

4. Trade Justice not Free Trade:
Trade policy and practice must respect human rights, gender equality, labour and environmental standards, to which both states and companies should be held accountable. Poor countries have the right to manage their economies according to their development goals - they should not be forced to open their markets.

For a full Briefing Paper on the WTO Cancun talks see http://www.tradejusticeireland.org/PolicyPaper.htmThis link goes to the policy paper 'An Agenda for Change'.