TRADE JUSTICE NOT FREE TRADE

Activists marched outside a European Union (EU) trade and foreign ministers meeting Monday in Brussels, calling for negotiators to put people ahead of business at world trade talks next month.

Many demonstrators wore white plastic wristbands as a symbol of their support for a trade deal that is fair to poor countries. Demonstrators built a papier-mâché effigy of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, fastened to a leash and kneeling before two bowler-hatted activists representing Big Business

"This (trade deal) is economic rape of the developing world," said Sylvia Borren from the Global Call to Action against Poverty. More free trade would not help developing countries move out of poverty, she said. Rich countries had more to gain from liberalization because they had time to build up and secure their industry and trade but were not allowing others do the same, she said. "Free liberalization does not mean that the developing countries will be free. We want the European Union to be more responsible and let the developing world decide for themselves," she said.

Her words were echoed by a report released in Brussels on Monday by the Seattle to Brussels Network, an umbrella group for anti-globalization environmental and development groups. "The overall objective of EU trade policy is to open up markets and secure property rights for transnational corporations," said report author Christina Deckwirth.

She said Brussels was awash in business lobbyists who had managed to push their goals to the top of the political agenda. Her report calls for stricter rules to regulate the estimated 15,000 lobbyists in Brussels and more open decision-making.

Forbes admits a deal such as that demanded by the protesters appeared unlikely as global trade negotiations entered the final stretch ahead of the mid-December talks in Hong Kong.

The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) have played significant roles in the opposition to "trade liberalization." They are demanding:

•Respect poor countries’ right to decide on trade policies that will help them end poverty, respect worker’s rights and protect their environment.

•Stop pushing developing countries to open up their economies to free trade

•Allow developing countries and poor people to protect their public services

•End dumping of rich country products in poor country markets

In other words they say, “the European Union must deliver Trade Justice not Free Trade.” Sources: EUpolitic, European Trade Union Confederation, Forbes