Trade action

Yes! Please keep me informed about Trócaire's campaigns

Ireland

Ms. Avril Doyle, Mr. Brian Crowley, Mr. Colm Burke, Mr. Eoin Ryan, Mr. Gay Mitchell, Mr. Jim Higgins, Ms. Kathy Sinnott, Mr. Liam Aylward, Ms. Mairead McGuinness, Ms. Marian Harkin, Mr. Proinsias De Rossa, Mr. Sean O'Neachtain,

I'm deeply concerned about the impact that Europe's unfair trade deals called Economic
Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are likely to have on some of the poorest people in the
world.
The European Commission (EC) has used its negotiating powers to push through interim and
comprehensive trade deals at the end of last year with 35 African, Caribbean and Pacific
countries (ACP). These deals risk harming jobs, livelihoods and the environment. It will make
it far harder for ACP countries to transform their economies and break away from commodity
dependence. They go well beyond the requirements from the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) for such agreements and set a damaging precedent for future negotiations.
Despite huge opposition from civil society, trade unions and parliamentarians across ACP
countries and Europe , the EC remains intent on seeing the remaining African and Pacific
countries sign up to full trade deals by the end of 2008. This includes pursuing negotiations
on services and investment to the benefit of European companies, and at the expense of
development. The Commission refuses to listen to requests from African trade ministers for
substantial revisions to the deals and to convene a high level meeting between Europe and
Africa .
I am concerned that these trade agreements will hurt poor people in developing countries if
re-negotiations do not take place. Given that MEPs will have a role to play in the ratification
process of these deals, I urge you to take the following steps:
- Request President Barroso to follow up on the commitment he made at the EU-AU
summit in December 2007 to re-open negotiations on the contentious clauses.
- Seek an undertaking from President Barroso that the European Commission will
stop pushing aggressive trade interests in negotiations e.g on services and
investment, unless ACP countries specifically request it and their needs are
paramount.
- Hold a full debate in the European Parliament and closely scrutinise the deals in
order to hold the European Commission to account.
- Ensure that the concerns of African countries have been addressed and that
renegotiations have taken place where necessary, before any assent is given on the
final agreements through the European Parliament".

United Kingdom

Ms. Bairbre de Brun, Mr. James Nicholson, Mr. Jim Allister,

I'm deeply concerned about the impact that Europe's unfair trade deals called Economic
Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are likely to have on some of the poorest people in the
world.
The European Commission (EC) has used its negotiating powers to push through interim and
comprehensive trade deals at the end of last year with 35 African, Caribbean and Pacific
countries (ACP). These deals risk harming jobs, livelihoods and the environment. It will make
it far harder for ACP countries to transform their economies and break away from commodity
dependence. They go well beyond the requirements from the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) for such agreements and set a damaging precedent for future negotiations.
Despite huge opposition from civil society, trade unions and parliamentarians across ACP
countries and Europe , the EC remains intent on seeing the remaining African and Pacific
countries sign up to full trade deals by the end of 2008. This includes pursuing negotiations
on services and investment to the benefit of European companies, and at the expense of
development. The Commission refuses to listen to requests from African trade ministers for
substantial revisions to the deals and to convene a high level meeting between Europe and
Africa .
I am concerned that these trade agreements will hurt poor people in developing countries if
re-negotiations do not take place. Given that MEPs will have a role to play in the ratification
process of these deals, I urge you to take the following steps:
- Request President Barroso to follow up on the commitment he made at the EU-AU
summit in December 2007 to re-open negotiations on the contentious clauses.
- Seek an undertaking from President Barroso that the European Commission will
stop pushing aggressive trade interests in negotiations e.g on services and
investment, unless ACP countries specifically request it and their needs are
paramount.
- Hold a full debate in the European Parliament and closely scrutinise the deals in
order to hold the European Commission to account.
- Ensure that the concerns of African countries have been addressed and that
renegotiations have taken place where necessary, before any assent is given on the
final agreements through the European Parliament".