Archived press release

"Leave Doha in cold storage" say campaigners as trade talks prioritized at WEF

18 January 2007

World leaders should not to rush into reviving world trade talks when they meet at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on 24 - 28 January 2007, warned Friends of the Earth today (19 January). The environmental organisation called on world leaders to consider an alternative approach to the current trading system that is better for people and the planet. [1]

A key concern is that rushing the so-called Doha 'development' round of trade negotiations through by March will be used by rich countries to put pressure on developing countries to secure a deal for market-access and natural resources on behalf of their transnational corporations.

Friends of the Earth Trade Campaigner Joe Zacune said:

"Instead of using the World Economic Forum to revive world trade talks for corporate gain, the EU and the US should develop an alternative approach to trade that is better for people and the planet. The claim that the current trade negotiations are pro-development is ludicrous - all the evidence suggests that the current proposals would cause lasting damage to developing country economies and environment. Any attempt to take Doha out of cold storage at Davos would constitute a major threat to the livelihoods, welfare and natural resources of communities worldwide."

Recent statements from the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, the European Commission's own impact assessment report and other studies [2] highlight that the current trade agenda is working against the needs of poor communities, many of whom depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. However the proposals on the table will provide a real boost to the interests of business who will gain greater access to natural resources in the developing world - and easier access to markets worldwide.

The proposals on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) would increase market access on non-agricultural goods such as forest and fish products that would have devastating impacts on these precious natural resources. In agriculture, a schedule to end subsidies that causes dumping has not been set and a new agreement would open up agricultural sectors and limit the ability of developing countries to protect their farmers and agriculture. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Services (GATS) could impact on biodiversity and land rights of local communities through the extraction of fuels, minerals, timber and water. [3]

Notes

Friends of the Earths Director, Tony Juniper, will available for interview in Davos. He is speaking at the Public Eye event on Jan 25.

[1] US 'fast-track' authority expires at the end of June 2007 and any request for an extension has to be made to Congress by March 2007. The recently elected Congress will ultimately decide whether any extension is granted.

[2] Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester, "EU Sustainability Impact Assessment of Proposed WTO Negotiations: Final Report", July 2006
www.sia-trade.org/wto/FinalPhase/FINAL_OVERALL%20PROJECTJul06.pdf
(PDF)

UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, "New focus needed for Doha Round: Trade talks failed to address developing country problems", August 2006
www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000375/index.html

K. Gallagher, Boston University and T. Wise, Tufts University, "Doha Round and Developing Countries: Will the Doha deal do more harm than good?", April 2006

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, "Winners and Losers: Impact of the Doha Round on Developing Countries", Sandra Polaski, 2006
www.carnegieendowment.org/files/BWfinal.pdf (PDF†)

A study by the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) from March 2006 concluded that the World Bank's strategies on trade have not delivered on employment and poverty reduction.
www.worldbank.org/ieg/trade/docs/press_release_trade_evaluation.pdf (PDF†)

The European Commission-financed sustainability impact assessment on the forest sector, for example, demonstrates that there are likely to be significant and irreversible impacts on forests and biodiversity in 'biodiversity hotspot' countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, countries in the Congo Basin and Papua New Guinea. In addition, countries that currently protect their forest industries using trade measures can expect those industries to shrink and possibly collapse. Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester, "Sustainability Impact Assessment of Proposed WTO Negotiations: Final Report for the Forest Sector Study", June 2005
www.sia-trade.org/wto/final%20report%20page.shtml

Friends of the Earth International, "WTO: Hands off our Natural Environment", November 2005
www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/wtohandsoff.pdf (PDF†)

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust