World Economic Forum 200420 January 2004
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from Davos
from Davos
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a meeting of big business leaders and politicians to discuss world social and economic policy. Previous WEFs have led to the creation of the bodies like the World Trade Organisation.
- Key dates
What to watch for - Background information
Everything you need to know
Latest WEF news
Craig Bennett and Eve Mitchell, our Corporates Campaigners are sending daily updates direct from the WEF in Switzerland.
24th January: Secrets uncovered
Day 4: The top secret list of WEF attendees is leaked to us.
Read more
23rd January: Nothing to declare
Day 3: WTO meeting and WEF not linked says Swiss President.
Read more
Key dates
These are the events to watch out for:
- 21st January
Opening Day of the WEF and Public Eye on Davos. - 22nd January
Workshops include "Is Global Warming Mother Nature's Weapon of Mass Destruction?" and
Is there a Multi-Billion Dollar law suit in your future? - 23rd January
Joint Friends of the Earth/Berne Declaration press conference on corporate influence and lack of democracy at the WEF and WTO. - 24th January
Workshops include "Jump starting Latin America!" and "Do CEOs earn their keep?" - 25th January
Final day of the gathering workshops include "Globalisation or Deglobalisation for the benefit
of the poor?" and "Profits in Space?
Background information
Friends of the Earth believes that big business isn't using the enormous power it wields responsibly. We are campaigning for new laws to make companies accountable for the damage they cause.
The Public Eye on Davos is a coalition of organisations - including Friends of the Earth International - that will be providing an alternative commentary on the WEF.
You can also find out what happened at the WEF last year. Or visit the World Economic Forum.
Finally, you can read this year's World Social Forum diary from Mumbai, India.
Resource
Briefings
Global rights for people, global rules for big business
(PDF†) May 2002
Why Friends of the Earth was calling for rules for binding corporate accountability to be agreed at the Johannesburg Earth Summit.
UKplc in Latin America
(PDF† 766K) September 2003
The EU, backed heavily by the UK, continues to push hard for a new WTO investment agreement while British multinationals plough on with the kind of investment such an agreement would promote. Friends of the Earth exposes the plans, demands the accountability of those responsible, and shows up the WTO investment agreement myth.
Open wide, this won't hurt a bit
(PDF† 162K) July 2003
This briefing explains what a WTO investment agreement would look like and why we don't need it.
GM trade war looms
(PDF† 241K) May 2003
The WTO's Dispute Resolution Mechanism decides who wins and who loses in international trade wars. This briefing exposes how it works, and explores what may happen following the US complaint against the EU over GM food.
Press releases
Trade talks behind closed doors in Davos
23 Jan
Secret Agenda at Davos Meeting
20 Jan
Reports
Towards sustainable economies: challenging neoliberal economic globalisation
(PDF† 59K) December 2000
Friends of the Earth International paper setting out guidelines for developing fair and sustainable economics.
†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.
Images: © Friends of the Earth, Public Eye on Davos
