Unfair trade deals could reverse ‘Make Poverty History’ progress

-25/09/06

Europeís


Unfair trade deals could reverse ‘Make Poverty History’ progress

-25/09/06

Europeís new unfair trade deals are in danger of reversing progress to make poverty history for the poorest nations, a Christian aid agency has said.

According to Tearfund many of the poorest countries in the world will face deeper poverty and inequality unless the UK government takes urgent action to stop Europe pushing unfair trade deals on its former colonies.

With world trade talks at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) suspended in July, Tearfund alongside other members of the Trade Justice Movement is focusing its trade campaign on the dangers of another wave of trade deals called Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries.

Campaigners highlight that Europeís push to have many of the poorest nations sign up to unfair trade deals is putting 750 million peopleís livelihoods at risk. They will result in the widespread devastation of local industries and farming communities and a massive fall in revenue that developing countries rely on for health care, education and other essential services.

Last year, the UK Government pledged to do all it can to ‘make poverty history’ and make trade work for the poor. In response to public action in spring 2005, the UK Government published a new position on EPAs stating that poor countries across Africa and elsewhere should not be forced to open their markets before they are ready and that alternatives to the partnership agreements be developed.

Tearfund welcomed the UK Governmentís position, but since then has become increasingly concerned that the UK has not done enough to actively prevent the European Commission from forging ahead with damaging negotiations, including over issues that have been ruled out at the WTO, such as investment and competition policy.

Ben Niblett, Head of Campaigns at Tearfund, said: ìIf these deals go ahead they could have a devastating effect on her life and undermine progress developing countries are making towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals.

“The UK Government must now put its words into actions and deliver on its promise to make trade work for development. Having a position that is more progressive than other European countries on EPAs will mean nothing if other countries across Europe are not brought on board to confront the European Commission so it drops its harmful demands in these talks.î

Alongside other members of the Trade Justice Movement, Tearfund is calling on the UK Government to stand by its promises on trade and poverty by using its full influence to stop EPAs in their current form and work with poor countries to develop alternative deals that will help bring about trade justice.

Tearfund is asking supporters to write to Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, urging the UK Government not to make poverty in poor countries worse and take urgent action to stop these new trade deals, which threaten to undermine the promises of more aid and debt cancellation which the UK helped deliver last year.


Unfair trade deals could reverse ‘Make Poverty History’ progress

-25/09/06

Europeís new unfair trade deals are in danger of reversing progress to make poverty history for the poorest nations, a Christian aid agency has said.

According to Tearfund many of the poorest countries in the world will face deeper poverty and inequality unless the UK government takes urgent action to stop Europe pushing unfair trade deals on its former colonies.

With world trade talks at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) suspended in July, Tearfund alongside other members of the Trade Justice Movement is focusing its trade campaign on the dangers of another wave of trade deals called Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries.

Campaigners highlight that Europeís push to have many of the poorest nations sign up to unfair trade deals is putting 750 million peopleís livelihoods at risk. They will result in the widespread devastation of local industries and farming communities and a massive fall in revenue that developing countries rely on for health care, education and other essential services.

Last year, the UK Government pledged to do all it can to ‘make poverty history’ and make trade work for the poor. In response to public action in spring 2005, the UK Government published a new position on EPAs stating that poor countries across Africa and elsewhere should not be forced to open their markets before they are ready and that alternatives to the partnership agreements be developed.

Tearfund welcomed the UK Governmentís position, but since then has become increasingly concerned that the UK has not done enough to actively prevent the European Commission from forging ahead with damaging negotiations, including over issues that have been ruled out at the WTO, such as investment and competition policy.

Ben Niblett, Head of Campaigns at Tearfund, said: ìIf these deals go ahead they could have a devastating effect on her life and undermine progress developing countries are making towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals.

“The UK Government must now put its words into actions and deliver on its promise to make trade work for development. Having a position that is more progressive than other European countries on EPAs will mean nothing if other countries across Europe are not brought on board to confront the European Commission so it drops its harmful demands in these talks.î

Alongside other members of the Trade Justice Movement, Tearfund is calling on the UK Government to stand by its promises on trade and poverty by using its full influence to stop EPAs in their current form and work with poor countries to develop alternative deals that will help bring about trade justice.

Tearfund is asking supporters to write to Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, urging the UK Government not to make poverty in poor countries worse and take urgent action to stop these new trade deals, which threaten to undermine the promises of more aid and debt cancellation which the UK helped deliver last year.