Nov. 19 Nl: Workshop on Global Europe and strategies on European Free Trade Agreements
Thursday November 19 2009
3-6 pm
XminY Office, De Wittenstraat 43-45 Amsterdam Netherlands
Activists from different countries with which the EU tries to sign (free) trade agreements will tel us about their campaigns. The meeting will start with a short overview of the different negotiations, including that of the EPA’s (agreements the EU is trying to reach with former colonies).
The second part of the meeting will consist of exchange of knowledge on the building of campaigns on this often complicated theme. How do activists in the global south often succeed in building mass movements? How can initiatives on both sides support each other? And what is to be done once an agreement is signed?
The workshop will also function to decide about some of the form and content of a larger conference on the European Free trade agenda next spring.
Experts that will give information are amongst others:
– Sebastian Valdomir (REDES) Uruguay
– Grace García, Friends of the Earth, Costa Rica
– Karen Lang, Transnational Institute, Brazil
De workshop is part of the campaign ’Global Europe, Voor Wie?’, and is organized with the support of XminusY Solidarity Fund, TNI, SOMO and Both Ends. More information on http://www.voorwie.eu or email: info@voorwie.eu
The workshop is free and for anyone interested in this theme. Registration (at info@voorwie.eu) is appreciated and you will be sent a definitive program for the event.
Also we would appreciate if you help spread this announcement.
Background information:
The EU is negotiating about trade agreements with: countries of the Andes-region (in fact only Colombia and Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador stepped out), Central-America, Mercosur, ASEAN, GCC (countries in the region of the Gulf), India, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and countries of the Mediterranean region.
With many other countries — including Mexico and South-Korea that have massive social resistance against the signing of the agreements — agreements have meanwhile been signed.
In many countries active movements exist — or at least ngo’s — that deal with the theme and oppose the agreement. This is much less the case in Europe, and certainly in the Netherlands. The movements on the other side ask for active solidarity with their struggle.
The effects of the agreements are severe and imply a deterioration of rights and possibility for governing in the poor countries, and also imply a deterioration of the possibilities to protect nature and resources.
One example is the ’association agreement’ that the EU tries to reach with Central America and that has a clear free trade predomination: (see a report on a meeting about that (in Dutch) here: http://www.globalinfo.nl/Achtergrond/verslag-bijeenkomst-over-associatieverdrag-eu-midden-amerika.html
Another example of a movement resisting these kind of agreements is the South Indian Farmers Convention (http://bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=16042)
– For more information on the European free trade strategy Global Europe (in Dutch mostly): www.voorwie.eu
– For more information on bilateral trade agreements: www.bilaterals.org
