Govt. Trade Policy Undermines Poor Countries

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday May 14, 2003 11:28 by Green Party Press Release

Greens Support Trade Justice Campaign for trade Rules which benefit poor

Speaking to members of the Trade Justice Campaign at their public lobby of the Dáil today, Eamon Ryan TD, said that the Green Party fully supported calls by the group of NGOs for a radical reassessment of the way the World Trade Organisation (WTO) works."

" Our government is helping to set the EU negotiation position for the WTO Cancun, Mexico summit in September. The Irish Government are among the most vocal defenders of EU export subsidies which undermines farming livelihoods in developing countries. At the same time our government is a strong advocate for the extention of WTO authority to new areas which will again make it difficult for poorer countries to develop their own economies."

The Government's position was outlined by the Tánaiste at Dáil question time last week when she said, "We are living in an environment where there will be an increasing liberalisation of trade from which the overall economy here will
benefit. It is something to which I strongly subscribe."

Mr. Ryan said that the main problem with this position is that while there are rigid rules to enforce the liberalisation of trade, there is no international authority to enforce the environmental and social regulations which could make such trade fair and sustainable.

The Green Party are calling on the Government to have a full debate on the issue in the Dáil. The decisions made in Mexico in Septemberr will have a crucial role, not only for the development of our own economy, but also on whether our
world develops in a just and sustainable manner.