The new EU’s 2020 trade strategy will reinforce the policies responsible for the economic, social and environmental crises
Seattle to Brussels Network | 9 November 2010
After the failure of the “Global Europe Strategy” , the new EU’s 2020
trade strategy will reinforce the policies responsible for the economic,
social and environmental crises
Today the European Commission launched its new trade policy as a core component of
the EU’s 2020 strategy, which will replace the 2006 Trade Strategy ‘Global Europe –
competing in the world’ but has nothing new to add. "The policy proposals embedded in
the EU’s 2020 strategy show that the EU has not changed course in response to the crises
and is still in complete denial of the fact that liberalisation of trade and investment, and
deregulation of financial services in particular have contributed greatly to the crises’’, says
Bruno Ciccaglione, Coordinator of the Seattle to Brussels Network (S2B).
S2B, representing more than 70 trade activist groups, civil society organisations and
networks from all over Europe, has repeatedly exposed how the corporate-driven trade
and investment strategy of the EU (the Global Europe strategy) undermined the European
social model, exacerbated inequality and exploitation and deprived countries and
communities of the opportunity to realise social, cultural and political human rights. It
prevented them from regulating their economies in the interest of development, the
environment and social justice.
Only EU corporations have benefited from the current model, at the expense of people and
the environment. So, it is clear that the competitiveness agenda of the EU promoted in the
new Trade Policy of the EU 2020 strategy will not only fail to deliver on the targets set in
the Growth and Jobs strategy, but will further deepen the effects of the economic, social
and environmental crisis in Europe and the Global South.
Instead, the EC should promote trade and investment policies that are coherent with the
overall EU external policy under the Lisbon Treaty, Art. 208 TFEU, which defines the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and poverty reduction as over-arching
foreign policy goals for the whole Union.
The “Trade, Growth and World Affairs” Strategy is presented as an important element of
the EU’s response to the global crises. The EC argues that further liberalization of trade
and investment is needed to face the economic crisis. A cornerstone of the EU 2020
strategy, and the motto of the new trade policy, is the strengthening of EU’s
competitiveness (at home and abroad). At home, strengthening competitiveness could be
translated as: further deregulation and labour market flexibility, promotion of public-private
partnerships (PPPs), privatisation of services provision, dismantling of social protection
and the removal or relaxation of business regulations under the concept of “better” or “smart” regulation. Abroad, it means increased access to the global markets’ vital natural
resources and to step up the efforts to enhance the already favourable environment for
European companies abroad.
An Urgent U-turn in EU trade and investment policy is needed
European trade and investment policy has become dominated by a narrow set of interests.
The EU needs to critically examine the developments over the past decade in the area of
trade and investment policy. Now is the time to re-think the trade and investment model of
the EU and promote policies that foster co-operation, solidarity and sustainable
development and which are based on mutual support and public need, rather than
competition and accumulation of profit.
The functioning of European trade and investment policy is not just a technical question
reserved for experts. It is a political question that concerns all citizens. Europe’s trade and
investment policy should therefore be opened up to public scrutiny and be based on
democratic structures that facilitate meaningful citizens’ participation.
An alternative European trade and investment policy should be integral part of an
alternative European economic and social model.
Contacts:
Bruno Ciccaglione, Coordinator S2B-Network
Phone : +436641475502
E-mail : bruno.ciccaglione@alice.it
