Stop all trade and investment treaty negotiations during COVID-19 crisis and focus on access to medical supplies and saving lives
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Friends of the Earth International | 21 April 2020
Dear World Trade Organization Members,
A new coronavirus has caused a COVID-19 pandemic that has spread across nearly all countries. It is currently predicted to infect millions and cause hundreds of thousands of deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for governments to take a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach to address this pandemic and refocus their attention on suppressing and controlling COVID-19.
Many governments at the national and subnational level are already doing so. Governments are working around the clock to deal with the health aspects including life-threatening shortages of medical supplies, including medicines, and healthcare workers and preparing for a global economic shock that is more severe than the 2008 global financial crisis. Government officials are being diverted to working on the pandemic, and trade negotiators and key decision makers have already fallen sick with the coronavirus.
Countries do not have enough staff and other resources to deal with just the health aspects of the pandemic. These pressures are especially intense for developing countries. Governments everywhere are facing shortages of essential test kits and other medical supplies, such as personal protective equipment including masks, ventilators, vaccines and medicines. Vaccines and potential medicines to treat COVID-19 are under clinical trial and development and it is not clear whether intellectual property will be a barrier to their supply, access and affordability due to currently applicable obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and free trade agreements.
Given this clear and urgent priority, we are shocked that some trade negotiations are still continuing in the WTO, as well as bilaterally and regionally, using virtual technologies. It is not feasible for many developing and least developed countries to participate, given the digital divide and the need to focus all governmental resources on this public health emergency. Nor should countries be diverting their resources into negotiating rules for a world that will be unimaginably different once the pandemic subsides.
The first and only priority for trade negotiators at this time should be to remove all obstacles, including intellectual property rules, in existing agreements that hinder timely and affordable access to medical supplies, such as lifesaving medicines, devices, diagnostics and vaccines, and the ability of governments to take whatever steps are necessary to address this crisis.
Unilateral sanctions that prevent countries from obtaining essential medical supplies must end.
We call on WTO Members to ensure that all countries have the flexibilities to set aside trade rules that constrain their ability to resolve the pandemic crisis, without fear of repercussions, and to cease other negotiations and activities that divert their energy and resources from that goal.
We further call on you to recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic necessitates a fundamental re-think of the types of rules that are negotiated in trade agreements, including those that can encourage monopolies and reduce affordable access to all forms of medical supplies, and put at risk the lives of people in every country of the world.
Sincerely,
Endorsers as of April 17, 2020 :
International and Regional Networks :
- ActionAid International
- African Center for Tax and Governance
- All Win Network
- Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe-ATALC
- Arab Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND)
- Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law & Development (APWLD)
- Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN)
- Association of World Citizens
- Banana Link
- BRICS Feminist Watch
- Central latinoamericana y caribeña de trabajadores del estado (CLATE)
- Columban Missionaries
- Confederación Sindical de trabajadores/as de las Américas (CSA)
- DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era)
- Disabled People’s International
- Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality
- Dynamique des Organisations de la Société Civile d’Afrique Francophone (OSCAF)
- EANNASO
- Eastern Himalayan Network on Climate Change
- Education International
- ESAFF - Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale farmers Forum
- FEMNET - African Women’s Development and Communication Network
- Focus on the Global South
- Friends of the Earth Europe
- Friends of the Earth International
- Global Alliance for Tax Justice (GATJ)
- Global Policy Forum
- GRAIN
- Greenpeace
- Groupe de recherche et d’initiative pour la liberation de l’Afrique (GRILA)
- Hakimadini
- IBON International
- Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy (IATP)
- Institute for Planetary Syntheisis
- Institute for Social Democracy
- Internacional de Servicios Públicos, paises andinos
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- International Transport Workers’ Federation - ITF
- International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF)
- International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific)
- Lumiere Synergie pour le Developpement
- Masifundise/WFFP
- Médecins Sans Frontières Access Campaign
- Missionary Society of St. Columban
- Moana Nui Action Alliance Pacific regional trade and globalization campaigner.
- New South Wales Teachers Federation
- Oxfam International
- Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG)
- Peoples Health Movement
- Public Services International (PSI)
- Red de Género y Comercio-América Latina
- Red Latinoamericana Mujeres Transformando la Economía - REMTE
- Regions Refocus
- Réseau Foi & Justice Afrique Europe antenne France
- RIPESS-Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy
- Sisters of Charity Federation
- Social Watch
- Society for International Development (SID)
- Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries
- TCHAPE, Tchad Agir Pour l’Environnement
- Third World Network
- Third World Network TWN-AFRICA
- Transnational Institute (TNI)
- UNI Global Union
- UNICOM
- Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA
- National Organisations :
- Amigos de la Tierra Argentina, Argentina
- Fundación Vía Libre, Argentina
- IMT-UNTREF, Argentina
- Instituto de Estudios Sobre Estado y Participación IDEP-ATE ,Argentina
- Unión del Personal Civil de la Nación (UPCN), Argentina
- AID/WATCH, Australia
- Australian Arts Trust, Australia
- Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET), Australia
- Australian Manufacturing Workers Union NSW Branch, Australia
- Catholics in Coalition for Justice and Peace, Australia
- Community and Public Sector Union (SPSF), Australia
- Data Stream Pty Limited, Australia
- Gene Ethics, Australia
- GetUp, Australia
- Grail Women for Justice, Australia
- International Grail Justice in Trade Agreements Network, Australia
- Maritime Union of Australia, Victoria Branch, Australia
- Missionary Society of St Columban, Australia
- NSW Nurses & Midwives’ Association, Australia
- Public Health Association of Australia, Australia
- Society of Presentation Sisters of Australia and PNG, Australia
- United Workers Union, Australia
- Australian Council of Trade Unions, Australia
- Anders Handeln, Austria
- Attac Austria, Austria
- Center for Encounter and Active Non-Violence, Austria
- ÖBV-Via Campesina Austria, Austria
- Bahrain Transparency Society, Bahrain
- COAST Trust, Bangladesh
- Food Security Network (KHANI), Bangladesh
- Participatory Research Action Network- PRAN, Bangladesh
- Women Development Program, Bangladesh
- ISDE Bangladesh, Bangladesh
- 11.11.11, Belgium, Belgium
- CETRI - Centre tricontinental, Belgium
- Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), Belgium
- REJEB Benin, Benin
- Social Watch, Bénin
- Fundación InternetBolivia.org, Bolivia
- Reacción Climática, Bolivia
- Solidarité Bosnie, Bosnia
- Jubileu Sul, Brazil
- Gestos, Brazil
- Rede Brasileira Pela Integração dos Povos (REBRIP), Brazil
- RESOCIDE, Burkina Faso
- DUKINGIRE ISI YACU, Burundi
- Associação Comercial Agrícola Industrial e de Serviços de Santiago (ACAISA), Cabo Verde
- Jeudis de Cotonou, Cameroon
- Council of Canadians/Conseil des Canadiens, Canada
- Northumberland Chapter of the Council of Canadians, Canada
- TCHAPE, Tchad Agir Pour l’Environnement, Chad
- Fundación Constituyente XXI, Chile
- Plataforma Chile Mejor sin Tratados de Libre Comercio, Chile
- CENSAT Amigos de la Tierra Colombia, Colombia
- Observatorio de victimas, Colombia
- Sindicato de trabajadores de acuavalle, Colombia
- Asociación Nacional de Profesionales en Enfermería A.N.P.E., Costa Rica
- Ekumenická akademie (Ecumenical Academy), Czech Republic
- Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, Dominican Republic
- Acción Ecológica, Ecuador
- Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo SJ" (CSMM), Ecuador
- FEDAEPS, Ecuador
- Red Ecuador Decide Mejor sin TLC, Ecuador
- New Wind Association, Finland
- Aitec, France
- Amis de la Terre France, France
- Attac France, France
- Collectif stop TAFTA, France
- Comité pour l’abolition des dettes illégitimes France (CADTM), France
- Commerce Equitable France, France
- Confédération paysanne, France
- Coordination EAU bien commun France, France
- France Nature Environnement, France
- Notre Affaire à Tous, France
- Reseau ROOSEVELT.IDF, France
- Bio consom’acteurs, France
- Bread for the World, Germany
- Alliance for Development, Ghana
- The Centre for the Advancement of Marginalized Persons, Ghana
- Naturefriends Greece, Greece
- PAPDA, Haiti
- ATTAC Hungary, Hungary
- Action for Women and Child Advancement (AWCA), India
- All India Drug Action Network, India
- Ansar-un-Nissa, India
- Association For Promotion Sustainable Development, India
- Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME), India
- Indian Social Action Forum, India
- Initiative for health & equity in society, India
- IT for Change, India
- Nivedita Foundation Trust, India
- Research Foundation for Science Technology and Ecology, India
- United NGOs Mission Manipur, India
- Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ), Indonesia
- Climate Change Ireland, Ireland
- Fís Nua, Ireland
- Keep Ireland Fracking Free, Ireland
- Fairwatch, Italy
- Stop TTIP/CETA Italia Campaign, Italy
- Tripla Difesa Onlus Internazional No Violence, Italy
- Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers, Jamaica
- Jamaica Civil Service Association, Jamaica
- Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, Jamaica
- Globalization Watch Hiroshima, Japan
- Pacific Asia Resource Center(PARC), Japan
- People’s Action against TPP, Japan
- Kenya Human Rights Commission, Kenya
- Kenya Freedom From Hunger Council, Kenya
- Lebanese Union of Persons with Physical Disabilities, Lebanon
- Policy Analysis and Research Institute of Lesotho (PARIL), Lesotho
- CELL, Luxembourg
- Malaysian Women’s Action on Tobacco Control & Health (MyWATCH), Malaysia
- Badan Bertindak Selamatkan Industri Padi dan Beras (Padi Rescue), Malaysia
- Consumers’ Association of Penang, Malaysia
- Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group (MTAAG+), Malaysia
- Sustainable Development Network Malaysia, Malaysia
- Treat Every Environment Special, Malaysia
- Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia), Malaysia
- Le Réseau Euromed maroc, Marocco
- Government Services Employees Association, Mauritius
- Equidad de Género : Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia, México
- Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiara, AC MEXFAM, México
- Asociación Nacional de Industriales de Transformación (ANIT), México
- DECA, EQUIPO PUEBLO, México
- Iniciativas para El Desarrollo de la Mujer Oaxaqueña AC (IDEMO), México
- GEFONT-Nepal, Nepal
- Rural Area Development Programme (RADP), Nepal
- Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation), Nepal
- Both ENDS, Netherlands
- Handel Anders ! coalitie, Netherlands
- Platform Aarde Boer Consument, Netherlands
- Its Our Future, New Zealand
- Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS), New Zealand
- Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa, New Zealand
- Doctors For Healthy Trade, New Zealand
- New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, New Zealand
- New Zealand Public Service Association, New Zealand
- Tax Justice Aotearoa, New Zealand
- FIRST Union, New Zealand
- CAFSO-WRAG for Development, Nigeria
- Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development, Nigeria
- NIGERIA PRIVATE SECTOR ALLIANCE (NiPSA), Nigeria
- Norwegian Trade Campaign, Norway
- Spire, Norway
- Attac Norway, Norway
- Dharti Development Foundation, Pakistan
- NOOR PAKISTAN, Pakistan
- Roots for Equity, Pakistan
- Sukaar Welfare Organization, Pakistan
- Centre du Commerce International pour le Développement (CECIDE), Papua New Guinea
- PNG YOUTH ALLIANCE ON HIV/AIDS, Papua New Guinea
- Decidamos, Paraguay
- Central Unitaria de Trabajadores del Perú, CUT PERÚ, Perú
- Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), Philippines
- Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER), Philippines
- Karapatan Alliance, Philippines
- Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisang Manggagawa (SENTRO), Philippines
- Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth Philippines, Philippines
- TROCA-Plataforma por um Comércio Internacional Justo, Portugal
- Africaine de Recherche et de Coopération Pour l’Appui au Développement Endogène ARCADE, Senegal
- Ongd AFRICANDO, Senegal
- African Futures Institute, South Africa
- SEATINI South Africa, South Africa
- People’s Health Institute, South Korea
- Unión Latina de Economía Política de la Información, la Comunicación y la Cultura (ULEPICC), Spain
- Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), Sri Lanka
- Center for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND), Switzerland
- Nord Sud XXI, Switzerland
- ADETRA, Switzerland
- Association for Proper Internet Governance, Switzerland
- Solidarité Suisse-Guinée, Switzerland
- Humanitaire Plus, Togo
- Forum Tunisien pour les Droits Economiques et Sociaux, Tunisia
- Observatoire Tunisien de l’Economie, Tunisia
- Alofa Tuvalu, Tuvalu
- Southern and Eastern Africa Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute SEATINI- Uganda, Uganda
- Keep Our NHS Public, United Kingdom
- Global Justice Now, UK, United Kingdom
- Just Treatment, United Kingdom
- War on Want, United Kingdom
- Women’s Budget Group, United Kingdom
- Citizens Trade Campaign, United States
- Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach, United States
- Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project, United States
- Public Citizen, United States
- The Oakland Institute, United States
- National Family Farm Coalition, United States
- REDES-Amigos de la Tierra Uruguay, Uruguay
- Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition, Vanuatu
- Asoc. cooperativa eps textil m ribas, Venezuela
- Coalición de tendencias Clasista (CTC-VZLA), Venezuela
