Trade Justice

We believe everyone has the right to feed their families, make a decent living and protect their environment.

But the rich and powerful are pursuing trade policies that put profits before the needs of people and the planet.

To end poverty and protect the environment we need Trade Justice not free trade.

The UK Government should:

• Fight to ensure that governments, particularly in poor countries, can choose the best solutions to end poverty and protect the environment.
• End export subsidies that damage the livelihoods of poor communities around the world.
• Make laws that stop big business profiting at the expense of people and the environment.

What would Trade Justice look like? Our priority policy demands 

We are campaigning for Trade Justice. Our founding statement 'For Whose Benefit?' Making trade work for people and the planet' (June 2002) sets out our positive agenda for change. 

Our priority for 2004/5 is to achieve the following eight policy changes we believe are both politically possible and would make a significant step towards Trade Justice:

1. The EU should unilaterally end agricultural export subsidies now

2. The EU should support changes to trade rules to enshrine the right of
developing countries to protect their domestic agricultural sectors on the
grounds of food security, livelihood security and sustainable rural
development. As a first step at the WTO, the EU should ensure developing
countries are able to self-select products on these grounds to be exempt
from any further liberalisation

3. The UK Government to demand that the IMF and World Bank stop imposing
trade conditions on poor countries

4. The EU to withdraw its demand that water is included in GATS

5. The UK Government (and EU) should oppose any restrictions on the ability
of governments to regulate foreign investment in accordance with their
development and environmental needs

6. The EU to ensure that global trade policies and practices do not
undercut internationally agreed social and environmental standards, in
particular core labour standards and as a first step to ensure that the ILO
is granted full observer status at the WTO

7. The UK Government (and EU) to enact legislation to ensure that companies
are held accountable for their social and environmental impacts at home and
abroad

8. The EU to withdraw the following demands from its Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA) negotiating mandate:.

• reciprocal trade liberalisation
• negotiations on competition policy, investment and public procurement

Where we need change at an EU level the Trade Justice Movement is calling
upon the UK Government to take the positions outlined above and ensure the
demand is met.

A number of internationally agreed rules for businesses already exist, and these would be a good basis for going further and agreeing binding regulations. In particular, the 'UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights' set out the key human rights responsibilities of companies. Our government should back the adoption of these norms into law. 

All Trade Justice Movement member organisations support the policy positions outlined in our founding statement 'For Whose Benefit?: Making trade work for people and the planet'. 

September 2004 This page will be revised with any updates on the demands listed above.