Grant trade justice, aid and church groups tell Peter Mandelson
-08/06/06
European tra
Grant trade justice, aid and church groups tell Peter Mandelson
-08/06/06
European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, a key ally of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has received a public rebuke for his stance on trade and development from 70 leading development NGOs, including SCIAF (the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund), CAFOD, Christian Aid, Tearfund and Traidcraft.
The message to Mr Mandelson in an ëopen letterí supporting trade justice, published last week in the influential Financial Times newspaper, is: ìYou do not speak in our nameî on EU policies carried out in ways that do not benefit the poorest.
Declares the letter: ìThe World Trade Organisation (WTO) is fast approaching its deadline to agree a world trade deal. Over the past five years, millions of [European Union] citizens have called for an outcome to the trade talks which puts the needs of developing countries and the environment first. You have responded to this call with the claim that the EU is pursuing a ëdevelopment agendaí at the WTO.î
But the NGOs say that, in spite of this, ìthe EU has pursued an anti-development agenda in the WTO trade talks. The EU has pressed aggressively for developing countries to open up their industrial and services markets, while refusing to make the necessary changes to stop the damage caused by its own agricultural subsidies regime.î
Declare the signatories: ìThis agenda threatens to cause immense harm through increased poverty, job losses and environmental destruction across the world. We, the undersigned European organisations, have consistently opposed this agenda. At this crucial stage in the WTO negotiations, we wish to make it known that you do not represent us in pursuing it any further. You do not act in our name.î
Among the other UK-based groups backing the statement, the latest in a series of tense exchanges between rigorously pro-market Mandelson and aid agencies, are the Trade Justice Movement, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the World Development Movement and War on Want.
Paul Chitnis, the chief executive of SCIAF, commented: ìThe European Union can and should prioritise development, especially at this crucial stage with the deadline of the Doha Round of trade talks fast approaching.î
He continued: ìCurrent negotiations represent the last chance for a consensus to be reached that will benefit the 1.2 billion who live on less than one US dollar per day. Until the EU addresses the imbalances in the current trade system, its destructive policies will increase poverty and environmental destruction across the world.î
SCIAF (the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund) is the official overseas aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. It supports programmes for change in Africa, Asia and Latin America, responds to emergency appeals, and campaigns for a more just world. SCIAF supports poor people regardless of race, religion or creed.
The full list of signatories for the Financial Times letter to Peter Mandelson is: ActionAid International, Europe; Africa-Europe Faith and Justice Network; Afrika-Europa Network, Netherlands; AGEZ, Austria; Agir ici, France; ATTAC Denmark; ATTAC France; ATTAC Germany; Both ENDS, Netherlands; BUND, Germany; BUNDjugend, Germany; CAFOD, UK; CARE Denmark; Changemaker, Finland; Christian Aid, UK; CNCD, Belgium; Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement ñ 11.11.11, Belgium; Comhlamh, Ireland; Coordinadora Andaluza de ONGD, Spain; Corporate Europe Observatory, Netherlands; CRBM, Italy; Diakonia, Sweden; Difam, Germany; Ecological Council, Denmark; Engineers Against Poverty, UK; EQUIVITA, Italy; EVS, Austria; Fair, Italy; FinnChurchAid, Finland; Forum Syd, Sweden; Foundation for Gaia, UK; Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Friends of the Earth Europe; Gerechtigkeit jetzt, Germany; Greenpeace EU Unit; IBIS, Denmark; ICDA, Denmark; KARAT Coalition, Poland; KULU Women in Development, Denmark; Les Amis de la Terre, France; Mani Tese, Italy; Missionaries of Africa, Netherlands; MS Danish Association for International Co-operation, Denmark; Netzwerk Afrika Deutschland, Germany; NOAH, Denmark; OIKOS, Portugal; Peuples Solidaires, France; Platforma MVRO, Slovak Republic; Public and Commercial Services Union, UK; Red Africa-Europa, Antena de Barcelona; Red Africa-Europa, Antena de Madrid; Reseau Foi et Justice Afrique-Europe, Antenne de France; Reseau Foi et Justice Afrique-Europe; Pole de Strasbourg; SCIAF, UK; SOMO, Netherlands; Sydafrika Contakt, Denmark. Tearfund, UK; Trade Justice Movement, UK; Tradewatch, Italy; Traidcraft, UK; Transnational Institute, Netherlands ;UNISON, UK Vedegylet, Hungary; War on Want, UK; WEED, Germany; Wemos, Netherlands; Womenís International League for Peace and Freedom in Europe, France, Sweden and the UK; Women in Development Europe; World Development Movement, UK; and XminusY Solidarity Fund, Netherlands.
Grant trade justice, aid and church groups tell Peter Mandelson
-08/06/06
European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, a key ally of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has received a public rebuke for his stance on trade and development from 70 leading development NGOs, including SCIAF (the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund), CAFOD, Christian Aid, Tearfund and Traidcraft.
The message to Mr Mandelson in an ëopen letterí supporting trade justice, published last week in the influential Financial Times newspaper, is: ìYou do not speak in our nameî on EU policies carried out in ways that do not benefit the poorest.
Declares the letter: ìThe World Trade Organisation (WTO) is fast approaching its deadline to agree a world trade deal. Over the past five years, millions of [European Union] citizens have called for an outcome to the trade talks which puts the needs of developing countries and the environment first. You have responded to this call with the claim that the EU is pursuing a ëdevelopment agendaí at the WTO.î
But the NGOs say that, in spite of this, ìthe EU has pursued an anti-development agenda in the WTO trade talks. The EU has pressed aggressively for developing countries to open up their industrial and services markets, while refusing to make the necessary changes to stop the damage caused by its own agricultural subsidies regime.î
Declare the signatories: ìThis agenda threatens to cause immense harm through increased poverty, job losses and environmental destruction across the world. We, the undersigned European organisations, have consistently opposed this agenda. At this crucial stage in the WTO negotiations, we wish to make it known that you do not represent us in pursuing it any further. You do not act in our name.î
Among the other UK-based groups backing the statement, the latest in a series of tense exchanges between rigorously pro-market Mandelson and aid agencies, are the Trade Justice Movement, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the World Development Movement and War on Want.
Paul Chitnis, the chief executive of SCIAF, commented: ìThe European Union can and should prioritise development, especially at this crucial stage with the deadline of the Doha Round of trade talks fast approaching.î
He continued: ìCurrent negotiations represent the last chance for a consensus to be reached that will benefit the 1.2 billion who live on less than one US dollar per day. Until the EU addresses the imbalances in the current trade system, its destructive policies will increase poverty and environmental destruction across the world.î
SCIAF (the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund) is the official overseas aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. It supports programmes for change in Africa, Asia and Latin America, responds to emergency appeals, and campaigns for a more just world. SCIAF supports poor people regardless of race, religion or creed.
The full list of signatories for the Financial Times letter to Peter Mandelson is: ActionAid International, Europe; Africa-Europe Faith and Justice Network; Afrika-Europa Network, Netherlands; AGEZ, Austria; Agir ici, France; ATTAC Denmark; ATTAC France; ATTAC Germany; Both ENDS, Netherlands; BUND, Germany; BUNDjugend, Germany; CAFOD, UK; CARE Denmark; Changemaker, Finland; Christian Aid, UK; CNCD, Belgium; Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement ñ 11.11.11, Belgium; Comhlamh, Ireland; Coordinadora Andaluza de ONGD, Spain; Corporate Europe Observatory, Netherlands; CRBM, Italy; Diakonia, Sweden; Difam, Germany; Ecological Council, Denmark; Engineers Against Poverty, UK; EQUIVITA, Italy; EVS, Austria; Fair, Italy; FinnChurchAid, Finland; Forum Syd, Sweden; Foundation for Gaia, UK; Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Friends of the Earth Europe; Gerechtigkeit jetzt, Germany; Greenpeace EU Unit; IBIS, Denmark; ICDA, Denmark; KARAT Coalition, Poland; KULU Women in Development, Denmark; Les Amis de la Terre, France; Mani Tese, Italy; Missionaries of Africa, Netherlands; MS Danish Association for International Co-operation, Denmark; Netzwerk Afrika Deutschland, Germany; NOAH, Denmark; OIKOS, Portugal; Peuples Solidaires, France; Platforma MVRO, Slovak Republic; Public and Commercial Services Union, UK; Red Africa-Europa, Antena de Barcelona; Red Africa-Europa, Antena de Madrid; Reseau Foi et Justice Afrique-Europe, Antenne de France; Reseau Foi et Justice Afrique-Europe; Pole de Strasbourg; SCIAF, UK; SOMO, Netherlands; Sydafrika Contakt, Denmark. Tearfund, UK; Trade Justice Movement, UK; Tradewatch, Italy; Traidcraft, UK; Transnational Institute, Netherlands ;UNISON, UK Vedegylet, Hungary; War on Want, UK; WEED, Germany; Wemos, Netherlands; Womenís International League for Peace and Freedom in Europe, France, Sweden and the UK; Women in Development Europe; World Development Movement, UK; and XminusY Solidarity Fund, Netherlands.