Your elected representatives speak out

The International Parliamentary Network, representing elected members of parliaments from around the world, met here yesterday and agreed on a series of demands to reform the World Trade Organization. It probably seems strange to you (it certainly does to us) that our elected representatives do not have any direct representation at the WTO meeting, and thus have to organize their own conference to have their (your) concerns heard.

It's just one more example of how far removed the World Trade Organization process is from the world of democracy.

About 100 elected representatives from every continent met at the Americana Condesa hotel in Cancun from noon yesterday until late in the evening. They assembled to put together a series of demands for reform of the WTO, to make it more accountable, open and beneficial to people all over the world, not just corporate interests.

Their statement and ten demands are included below:  .

International Parliamentary Network: Declaration on the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Cancún/México, 10- 14 September 2003
We, members of the International Parliamentary Network (IPN), founded on occasion of the World Parliamentary Forum in Porto Alegre/Brazil, are deeply committed to the idea that another economic and trade paradigm is possible, which benefits the majorities of the populations all over the world.

 We believe that the present economic world order, with the Bretton Woods organisations as the leading institutions on economic and financial questions on the one hand, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on the other, does not lead to this aim.  Since the creation of the WTO, in 1995, the gap between the rich and the poor has widened dramatically.  The Doha Development Agenda, agreed upon at the Fourth Ministerial in November 2001 in the capital of Qatar, is not worthy of its title.

In the run up to the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the WTO, which is going to take place in Cancún/México, on September 10-14, 2003, we as parliamentarians, propose the following minimum set of demands to be covered by the conference agenda.  We engage ourselves to support these demands in all parliamentarian debates and resolutions before the Ministerial and to lobby for them during the Conference itself.

 10 Demands in the run up to Cancún

1.  Ensure Democratic Scrutiny

The WTO process of negotiating, concluding and implementing binding agreements cannot only be an intergovernmental affair.  We believe that elected bodies should play their role in the whole process of the negotiating and implementing WTO agreements.  Governments' positions on trade issues should be discussed beforehand in parliaments and be co-decided by elected bodies in all WTO member states.

2.  Settle pending issues first and build consensus

The time is not ripe for the negotiation of new WTO treaties on investment, competition, public procurement or customs regulations (the so-called "Singapore Issues" or "New Issues").  It is not acceptable to enlarge the WTO's competencies in this way whilst at the same time side-stepping the settlement of issues that promote the aim of sustainable development.  A large number of issues pending since the creation of the WTO are still not being sufficiently negotiated, concluded and implemented.  The WTO has missed the deadlines on Implementation issues, Special and Differential Treatment, TRIPS and Public Health and Modalities on agriculture, amongst others.  The launch of negotiations on the "Singapore Issues" would unduly enlarge the competencies of the WTO and serve the interests of corporations in the EU and the US, against the interests of the developing world.

3.  Maintain and strengthen core public services
The present negotiations on GATS (General Agreements in Trade of Services) put into danger  affordable access to public services.  No demands should be imposed on WTO members, particularly developing countries, to privatise their public services, especially water collection, treatment and distribution, energy, education and health.  Certain service sectors, such as water and sanitation, have a special status in developing and least developed countries, impacting directly and dramatically on people’s daily lives, and therefore require special treatment. 

4.  Access to Medicines must be guaranteed - public health comes first

At the WTO Ministerial in Doha in November 2001 an agreement was reached on the issue of access to essential medicines.  We call on all WTO members to stick to the Doha commitment concerning the outstanding question of compulsory licences for imports (paragraph 6 of the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health).  In this context we remind them that to impose new constraints as part of the solution to the paragraph 6 problem would violate the spirit of that Declaration and be justifiably seen by developing countries as evidence of bad faith.  Each country must have the ability to produce or import generic medicines if needed to protect public health.

5.  No patents on life

Patenting of life forms must be prohibited in order to preserve biodiversity, food security and indigenous peoples' rights and protect them from corporate control of genetic resources.  At present, patenting is governed by the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).  Its Article 27.3b however, allows a revision of provisions dealing with patents on life forms.  We support the developing countries in their demand to implement Article 27.3b and particularly the position taken by the Africa group.  This calls for a clarification that plants, animals and micro-organisms should not be patentable; that a "sui generis" system of plant varieties protection can include systems that protect the intellectual rights of indigenous and farming communities; that TRIPS be made to harmonise with the Biodiversity Convention and the FAO Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources. 

6.  Protect the independence of Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs)

The WTO is the only international set of rules with sanctioning power.  This, however, does not mean that it is superior to any other internationally agreed set of rules.  Environmental concerns, for instance, should not be subject to the WTO.  The protection of the environment is not a trade distorting measure to be sanctioned by the WTO, but a necessary means to guarantee our common future.  Therefore we object to any moves/wording towards WTO-compliance for MEAs, as proposed by US and EU, but rejected by the majority of the participants of the WSSD in Johannesburg.

7.  Uphold perspective on "multifunctionality" in agriculture worldwide 

Consumers and producers worldwide are interested in rural development, environmental protection and animal welfare.  The right of peoples to nourish themselves, as well as the issues of food and water security are fundamental for our common future.  Trade rules can and should be consistent with these objectives.

8.  Meet the needs of Developing Countries - abolish export subsidies

Subsidies and other export support mechanisms distort the agricultural supply chain.  They mainly serve the profit aims of big agroindustrial exporters, putting into danger the survival of small peasants everywhere, in the North as in the South.  Only a sustainable practice and fair trade are able to guarantee the existence of agriculture and food security for the future.  We ask for the suppression of agricultural export subsidies of all countries, especially industrialised countries.

9.  Improve workers rights

We call on WTO members to respect the ILO Convention and its core labour standards especially freedom of association for workers.  International regulations on labour standards must remain a competence of the ILO and cannot be used as a projectionist or trade barriers mechanism.  We ask for the WTO to respect ILO decisions and to grant observatory status for the ILO in the WTO.

10.  Apply precaution and sustainability principles systematically

The one size-fits all approach cannot be applied to unequal partners.  Trade is a means, not an end in itself.  In order to avoid adverse effects - market access often turns into market displacement - impact studies concerning the sustainability of trade measures in its three aspects (social, environmental and economic) should be carried out, before negotiations start.  Each country shall be free to make its own determination of risks to the health and well-being of its citizens and its environment and to take precautionary measures accordingly.

Posted by EricS at September 9, 2003 03:04 PM