Noticias

Harper turns his back on development at WTO with divisive “pledge against protectionism” and unhelpful Government Procurement Agreement

16 December, 2011

MEDIA RELEASE
December 16, 2011

Ottawa – The Council of Canadians is saddened by efforts from the Harper government to yet again undermine multilateralism and the demands of developing countries, this time at the WTO with a harmful “pledge against protectionism.” The social justice organization also regrets that Canada continues to expand the WTO’s Government Procurement Agreement, which unnecessarily restricts public options for supporting local, sustainable development at home and in other countries.

Pledge Against Protectionism: Statement of Civil Society Organizations from Latin America

16 December, 2011

In the face of the Pledge Against Protectionism, promoted by Australia, Canada, United States, Japan and the European Union on December 15, 2011, during the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference, and supported by 18 more countries including Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica, we, undersigned, organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru, united with over 50 civil society representatives from 30 countries attending the 8th WTO Ministerial in Geneva, Switzerland, raise our voice to denounce the Pledge Against Protectionism promoted by

Survivance des mesures protectionnistes: les pays africains en souffrent

16 December, 2011

Les pays les plus développés mettent en place un nombre d’obstacles toujours plus grand aux échanges commerciaux. En plus de cela, ces grandes puissances campent sur leurs positions, arrêtées depuis longtemps.

Quotes from a variety of civil society experts

16 December, 2011

Aksel Naerstad, chair of the Norwegian Trade Campaign (network organizations of labour unions, farmers’ organizations, environmental organizations, solidarity organizations and other NGOs):

WTO Turnaround: Food, Jobs and Sustainable Development First

16 December, 2011

We Demand Jobs and Industrial Development Policy Space
We Demand the Right to Protect the Policy Space for Development
WTO Rules Must Facilitate Financial Stability Rather than Financial Deregulation
Access to Health and Affordable Medicines before Patent Monopolies
We Demand Trade Rules that Support Food Security and Sovereignty
Protecting Biodiversity and the Banning the Patenting of Life
The WTO Is Not the Venue to Establish Climate Change Policy

Public Event on Dec. 16: Accession: What Price for What Benefit?

15 December, 2011
Any country undergoing accession faces tough questions about the price paid for the benefit received.
While accessions are being promoted as a highlight of this Ministerial meeting, it is noteworthy that these are the first since the onset of the global economic crisis.

Press Release: International Experts Joined Occupy WTO in Critique, Offered Path Forward

15 December, 2011

Over 50 civil society experts – trade unionists, farmers, development advocates, and consumer activists – from 30 countries have traveled to Geneva for the 8th Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), working through the global Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) network and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Today they joined local Geneva activists at the “Occupy WTO” tent across from the CICG conference center, where they presented critiques of the current negotiations within the WTO, and offered a path forward for the transformation of the current trading system to provide solutions to the current crises of unemployment, poverty, and the under-regulated financial services sector.

Public Event on Dec. 16 / The Future of Trade in Financial Services: Safeguarding Stability / an Invitation by the Mission of Ecuador to WTO

15 December, 2011

Friday, December 16 10:00-11:30 am CET
Centre de Conférences de Varembé (CCV), Room B, 9-11 rue de Varembé, Geneva

WTO’s MC8: Some Critical Issues for Developing Countries

14 December, 2011
Analytical Note, December 2011

This Analytical Note provides an overview of the following: issues at stake in MC8 for developing countries and key messages for Ministers; the state of play including the main events that took place in the production of the ‘Elements for Political Guidance’ text; the legal status of the Chairman’s Statement as the outcome document of the Ministerial; important process issues to be mindful of during the Ministerial; a detailed look at the issues in the ‘Elements for Political Guidance’ text; and a paragraph by paragraph analysis of the ‘Elements’ text.

Public Event on Dec. 15: Key Aspects of the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference and Beyond

14 December, 2011
What are the key issues that will be determined at the 8th Ministerial Conference (MC8) of the WTO? How do these decisions relate to the development mandate of the Doha Round, and the global crisis of unemployment? How is the WTO responding to international demands for increased international and national oversight over financial services? What impact are WTO accessions having on the populations of the acceding countries?

El comercio al servicio del desarrollo sustentable

2 December, 2009

El sindicalismo de las Américas reafirma a gobiernos y negociadores reunidos en Ginebra que asuman los compromisos del Pacto Mundial para el Empleo
Víctor Báez Mosqueira*

Rodada Doha: Todos os motivos para continuar dizendo não

30 November, 2009


Nos dias 30 de novembro e 1 e 2 de dezembro, a OMC faz mais uma de suas reuniões ministeriais. Apesar de, até o momento, não estar formalmente pautado nada sobre a conclusão da Rodada Doha na agenda, os ministros não vão deixar passar o encontro para mais um debate em torno dos temas que até aqui têm travado as discussões, tentando resolvê-los.
 

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA OWINFS: La OMC es la causa de las crisis globales, no la solución

30 November, 2009
Miembros de la red global Nuestro Mundo No Está en Venta (OWINFS) organizaron una reunión de prensa hoy en la que se destacaron los vínculos entre las políticas de libre comercio y las múltiples crises que enfrenta el mundo actualmente. Representantes de cuatro continentes mostraron cómo el modelo de liberalización de comercio que la OMC sigue promoviendo ha tenido efectos devastadores sobre comunidades en el mundo entero y cómo contribuyó a empeorar dramáticamente la explotación de mujeres, la falta de acceso a alimentos, desempleo y la crisis financiera.

Genova: Lovely Planet Tour

29 November, 2009
At the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/45107258@N06/sets/72157622773196743/ a photo from Genova about the Lovely Planet Tour, the format we adopted to raise awareness of media and citizen about how our cities are changing due to the liberalizations pushed by WTO and how we are applying concrete solutions to address those violations around the country with organic agriculture, critical consumption, reduction of emissions in productions, fair trade and so on.

OWINFS PRESS RELEASE: 10 years after Seattle, WTO protests worldwide, no WTO expansion, Korean activists detained

28 November, 2009
Members of the global network Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) held a press briefing this morning to object the undemocratic detention of Korean activists coming to Geneva, and to demand their immediate release. OWINFS also introduced the objectives of mobilizations around the WTO ministerial in Geneva and around the world, including the mobilizations in India, Indonesia, Korea, Europe, and the United States.

Movilización civil contra OMC en Ginebra, 10 años después protestas Seattle

28 November, 2009
Entre 5.000 y 6.000 personas se espera participen hoy en una manifestación contra la reunión ministerial de la Organización Mundial de Comercio (OMC), que empieza mañana en Ginebra, diez años después de que una impresionante movilización social hiciese fracasar una reunión equivalente en Seattle (EEUU).

Comunicado de prensa: El Comercio mundial acelera la crisis climática

27 November, 2009
Ecologistas en Acción denuncia con el informe “Cambiemos el Comercio, no el Clima” los impactos del llamado “libre” comercio en el Cambio Climático.

Cambiemos el comercio, no el clima!

13 October, 2009
En un sentido o en otro el cambio avanza: si no imponemos un cambio de reglas en la economía mundial, no podremos frenar el cambio climático.

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA Amigos de la Tierra Internacional: La Unión Europea debe replantear su papel en Centroamérica

1 July, 2009
Bruselas, Bélgica, 1 de Julio 2009 – Mientras la Unión Europea anuncia la suspensión de su nueva ronda de negociaciones comerciales con los países centroamericanos, Amigos de la Tierra Internacional llama a detener todo el proceso de negociaciones de libre comercio que la UE impulsa en América Central, y recomienda un replanteo total por parte de la UE acerca del papel que está jugando en la región.