Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 17:14:02 -0400 From: Eric Fawcett <•••@••.•••> cc: a1 <•••@••.•••> Subject: WTO Information Pack available on request Towards the end of 1999, ministers from the the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) 135 member governments are to meet again in Seattle to decide on a new round of negotiations aimed at further liberalising world trade. With a view to explain in easy terms what is at stake for the environment and sustainable development in the next round of WTO negotiations, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has prepared an information / lobbying Pack for NGOs, parliamentarians, journalists, government officials and other people interested in the issue (initially in English, French and Spanish). As Claude Martin, Director of WWF-International, writes in an introductory letter to the Pack "this information pack is designed to explain the link between trade, the environment and the need to build a sustainable world economy. It also enables those of you who wish to play a part in reshaping international trade to protect all our futures." --------------------------------ORDER FORM--------------------------- WTO Information Pack: "Sustainable Trade for a Living Planet" Please fill in this form and return it by e-mail / fax to the indicated address BEFORE the 30th of AUGUST 1999. Your name: Address: Tel: Fax: Email: Number of WTO Information Packs requested: English:........... French:............ Spanish: ......... Please send this ORDER FORM back to the following e-mail address or fax number to the attention of Flo Danthine (WWF-European Policy Office): E-mail: •••@••.••• [Cc address] Fax: +32 2 743.88.19 ******************************************************** From <•••@••.•••> Nova Scotia Environamental Network Ruckus Society is Having a "Smash the WTO" Action Camp in September. Globalize This! Action Camp 1999 - To be held on September 16-22, 1999, Arlington, WA (north of Seattle) The Ruckus Society would like to help insure that the non-violent confrontation with the WTO unfolds in a safe and meaningful way that will inspire the global public. This event is co-sponsored by Rainforest Action Network. To apply or get more visit our website http://www.ruckus.org> or call The Ruckus Society at (510) 848-9565. *********************************************************************** Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:49:15 +0200 (CST) From: Andreas Rockstein <•••@••.•••> Subject: (mai) WTO Sign-on Letter (fwd) --- apols for cross postings --- (pleas sign as organization, but not as individual) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:37:28 -0500 From: Margrete Strand-Rangnes <•••@••.•••> To: Multiple recipients of list MAI-NOT <•••@••.•••> Subject: (mai) WTO Sign-on Letter -- SIGN & CIRCULATE! -- Included is a sign-on letter demanding a review of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and calling for a moratorium on any further negotiations. The international sign-on letter opposing the MAI had more than 700 signatories, and received widespread attention from elected officials, the press and the public. We need to make sure that this letter will have the same impact, so make sure to sign it and circulate it within your networks. The plan is to release the letter within the next month or so with as many sign-ons as possible, while the WTO countries are still working out their agenda for the upcoming Ministerial. All sign-ons should be sent to •••@••.•••. The name of the organisation should be written in full exactly as signatories wish it to appear. Texts with updated sign-on list will be sent to all signatories at regular intervals. If anyone wants to use an updated list for a specific event they should contact •••@••.•••. ********************************** STATEMENT FROM MEMBERS OF INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY OPPOSING A MILLENNIUM ROUND OF TRADE NEGOTIATIONS In November 1999, the governments of the world will meet in Seattle for the World Trade Organization's Third Ministerial Conference. We, the undersigned members of international civil society, oppose any effort to expand the powers of the World Trade Organization (WTO) through a new comprehensive round of trade liberalisation. Instead, governments should review and rectify the deficiencies of the system and the WTO regime itself. The 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, in the past five years 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 population; and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. The Uruguay Round Agreements have functioned principally to prise open markets for the benefit of transnational corporations at the expense of national economies; workers, farmers and other people; and the environment. In addition, the WTO system, rules and procedures are undemocratic, untransparent and non-accountable and have operated to marginalise the majority of the world's people. All this has taken place in the context of increasing global economic instability, the collapse of national economies, increasing inequity both between and within nations and increasing environmental and social degradation, as a result of the acceleration of the process of globalisation. The governments which dominate the WTO and the transnational corporations which have benefited from the WTO system have refused to recognise and address these problems. Instead, they are pushing for further liberalisation through the introduction of new issues for adoption in the WTO. This will lead to the exacerbation of the crisis associated which the process of globalisation and the WTO. We oppose any further liberalisation negotiations, especially those which will bring new areas under the WTO regime, such as investment, competition policy and government procurement. We commit ourselves to campaign to reject any such proposals. In particular we oppose the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPs). We call for a moratorium on any new issues or further negotiations that expand the scope and power of the WTO. During this moratorium there should be a comprehensive and in-depth review and assessment of the existing agreements. Effective steps should then be taken to change the agreements. Such a review should address the WTO's impact on marginalised communities, development, democracy, environment, health, human rights, labour rights and the rights of women and children. The review must be conducted with civil society's full participation. The failure of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) demonstrates broad public opposition to the deregulation of the global economy, the increasing dominance of transnational corporations and escalating resource use and environmental degradation. A review of the system will provide an opportunity for society to change course and develop an alternative, humane and sustainable international system of trade and investment relations. This statement is signed by: American Lands Alliance, United States A SEED, Europe BUKO Agro Coordination, Germany BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany Church of Sweden Aid / Lutherhjaelpen, Sweden Corporate Europe Observatory Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland Friends of the Earth Finland Friends of the Earth United States Komitee Widerstandgegen das MAI, Germany MAI niet gezien! anti-MAI campaign, the Netherlands Oxfam-Solidarity, Belgium Oxfam-Wereldwinkels (Belgium) People's Forum 2001, Japan Play Fair Europe!, European Union PRESS, Save the Children youth, Norway Public Citizen, USA Rainforest Action Network Red Green Alliance, Denmark Third World Network Towards a Different Europe Weltladen-Dachverband, Germany Working Group Against the MAI and Globalisation - Turkey last updated 30 March 1999 ********************************** 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 MAI Project Coordinator Public Citizen Global Trade Watch 215 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Washington DC, 20003 USA •••@••.••• 202-546 4996, ext. 306 202-547 7392 (fax) To subscribe to our MAI Listserv send an e-mail to •••@••.•••, or subscribe directly by going to our website, www.tradewatch.org Search the MAI-NOT & MAI-INTL archives at http://lists.essential.org/ ************************************************** *SUMMER READING: The Growth Illusion - Review REPLY TO: •••@••.••• THE GROWTH ILLUSION How economic growth has enriched the few, impoverished the many, and endangered the planet http://www.cyberus.ca/choose.sustain/growth.html "The growth ideology is extremely attractive politically because it offers a solution to poverty without requiring the moral disciplines of sharing and population control." Herman Daly stainability Project - Inviting Debate P.O. Box 374, Merrickville, Ontario K0G 1N0 (613) 269-3500 e-mail: •••@••.••• http://www.cyberus.ca/choose.sustain
