Friends of the Earth: Campaigns: Global Trade: Case studies: General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)

GATS

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Image of protesters at the Trade Justice Parade Protesters at the Trade Justice Parade

World Trade Organisation (WTO) members are negotiating in secret a General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). This would extend WTO rules to include areas such as education, health, environmental services and tourism.

GATS aims to remove 'barriers to trade' in these services, which could involve removing laws protecting our planet, health and local communities.

Fat cats love GATS

Multinational companies see GATS as a massive opportunity to get more control over service markets across the world. In the words of the head of Suez Lyonnaise (one of the world's biggest water companies):

[water] is a product which would normally be free, and our job is to sell it.

Gerard Mestrallet
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Suez Lyonnaise www.polarisinstitute.org

Hands off our services

But GATS is a big threat to our ability to make decisions about these services at local and national level. It could mean that environmental protection is illegal under the WTO. Or that services currently provided across the country - like post offices - might not be profitable enough to keep in some areas.

GATS could mean that Local Authorities are not involved in these decisions - the WTO could dictate them all. And all these decisions are being taken in secret talks.

Friends of the Earth says

Stop talks on GATS until its impacts are properly reviewed.
GATS talks must be open, transparent and democratic and all documents should be available to the public.

Resource

GATS Gotta Go
(PDF†) November 2002
This briefing gives essential background information about GATS and suggests more ways individuals and groups can help halt this latest push in the WTO's expansion.

GATS Primer - Understanding the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services
(PDF†) November 2002
This primer looks at GATS and how it relates to social and environmental concerns. The issues and obligations that make up GATS and the possible implications of GATS on local communities and the environment are discussed.

Stealing our Water - Implications of GATS for Global Water Resources
(PDF†) October 2001
GATS is part of the WTO and liberalises trade in services, including water which means more water privatisation. Water companies already have bad track records. This briefing details why they shouldn't be handed further control of the world's water.

Liberalising trade in services - consultation response
(PDF† format 245K) January 2003
Friends of the Earth's response to the DTI
consultation condemns the limited timeframe the DTI
gave for responses and the lack of transparency in
negotiations. Our response reflects on examples of
previous liberalisation in the UK (eg. the privatisation
of rail, the recent maritime oil disasters) to highlight
the problems with this agreement.

Stop the GATSastrophe - World Development Movement's GATS campaign.

Defend Education - Stop GATS! People and Planet's campaign on impacts of GATS on education.

GATS Watch - supplying news and information on corporate lobbying regarding GATS. Joint project from Corporate Europe Observatory and Transnational Institute.

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

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Content: March 2003