"The declaration is a contemptible face-saving exercise by the
WTO,"said Daniel Mittler, Trade Policy Advisor at Greenpeace
International,"Although it is full of development rhetoric, the
final compromise ishighly imbalanced in favour of rich countries.
True, an agreement hasbeen reached, but governments have agreed on
little more than how tocontinue talking in 2006. Many of the most
difficult issues have beenconveniently shifted to future
negotiations."
Greenpeace rejects the adoption of the so-called 'Swiss formula'
underthe non-agricultural market access (NAMA) negotiations.
Developingcountries have been given some warm words on development
in the NAMAtext - but will still have to drastically lower tariffs
onnon-agricultural goods.
Greenpeace is particularly concerned that the NAMA deal pushes
forincreasing liberalisation in sectors such as electronic
goods,fisheries and forests. As Greenpeace has repeatedly
warned,liberalisation in these sectors will inevitably result in
furthernegative social and environmental impacts - more discarded
electronicgoods will be dumped on developing countries, more trees
will bedestroyed in the world's forests, and even more fish will be
pillagedfrom the oceans.
The WTO has failed to adequately address demands by
developingcountries to prevent the legitimisation of an assault on
theirbiological resources for the benefit of developed country
corporations,once again replacing real action on development with
more negotiations.
Rich countries claim, nonetheless, that they have made
majorconcessions. However, even the much fought-over phasing out
ofagricultural export subsidies by 2013 is too little, too
late.
"It is scandalous that the rich countries have gained
concessions inreturn for merely promising, for the third time over,
to end exportsubsidies which imperil the livelihood of millions.
These subsidiesshould have stopped long ago!" exclaimed Mittler,
"Instead of sellingthe Hong Kong compromise as a step forward,
governments should be boldenough to initiate a complete social and
environmental review of theglobal trade system and admit that
sustainable, fair trade is the onlyway ahead."
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation that
usesnon-violent creative confrontation to expose global
environmentalproblems to force solutions that are essential to a
green and peacefulfuture.
Other contacts: For further information, please contact: www.greenpeace.org Daniel Mittler, Trade Policy Advisor, Greenpeace International+852 97646990 daniel.mittler@int.greenpeace.orgTo schedule interviews with Greenpeace delegates to the WTO in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German and Hindi, contact:Namrata Chowdhary, Greenpeace International Communications+852 109 9062 namrata.chowdhary@dialb.greenpeace.org
VVPR info: For images of Greenpeace activities during the WTO Ministerial, email tradeinfo@int.greenpeace.org
Exp. contact date: 2005-12-21 00:00:00