We are facing multiple crises: economic, food, energy, environment and a more general crisis of democracy. The EU bears considerable responsibility for causing these crises. Its trade and investment policy, driven essentially by the logic of competitiveness, exacerbates inequality and exploitation and deprives countries and communities of the opportunity to realise social, cultural and political human rights. It prevents them from regulating their economies in the interest of development, the environment and social justice. One primary reason for this is that European trade and investment policy has become dominated by a narrow set of interests. At present, there is no meaningful involvement of Parliamentarians, even less participation by ordinary people and no significant public debate. All too often the main lines of policy reflect the interests of corporate business. EU trade policy needs to be fundamentally democratised, as part of a wider democratisation of Europe. There are alternatives to the current trade and investment regime and they are gaining support around the world. At a local level, alliances between producers and consumers are supporting organic, environmentally-friendly and ethical means of production and trading. Public authorities source goods and services that are produced in a fair and sustainable way. Progressive governments in the South are trying to bring about trade and investmentpolicies that are based on mutual support and public need, rather than competition and the accumulation of profit. This text is an invitation to debate and to work for change. It sketches a popular, progressive, yet realistic vision for an alternative trade and investment policy in Europe. It is neither exhaustive nor does it provide a ready-made solution, but is meant as a starting point for a broad debate about an Alternative Trade Mandate for the EU. The present unprecedented global crises and the threat to the planet make this debate more urgent than ever. alternativetrademandate.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ATM-Vision-Paper.pdf
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 22:05:39 +0000
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