Trade agreements
International trade agreements often have far-reaching consequences not only for the economy of a country, but also for people and the environment. It is primarily the most vulnerable groups who suffer most from these agreements.
Countries have traded with each other for many centuries, but international trade as we now know it did not start to develop until the twentieth century. Modern transport and the internet have made it increasingly easy for companies and people all over the word to do business together; distance is becoming less and less important. To make free, fair and equal international trade even easier, various kinds of trade agreements have been created since the middle of the last century, such as the North American Free Trade agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, the US and Canada, or Mercosur, the customs union between a number of South American countries. In the past three or four decades, however, trade seems to have become an end in itself and not only ignores the interests of people in poorer countries but also actually harms them. How has that happened and what can we do about it?
Free trade in a nutshell
In 1948, 23 countries signed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which contained agreements on free trade and open borders. Over the years, more and more countries joined the initiative. Later, it was decided that global trade should be liberalised even further and, in 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) was set up with sufficient powers to supervise that process. All trade agreements now have to comply with the WTO rules.
World Trade Organization (WTO)
The WTO is one of the world’s most powerful organisations and has the single aim of furthering free international trade. Its secretariat is in Geneva and it currently has 161 member states, mainly developing countries, meaning that it represents almost 100% of all global trade. The WTO is run by the member states themselves and its legislative body is the Ministerial Conference, which meets every two years.
The bigger the market share, the greater the power in the WTO
Decisions are officially made in the WTO is on the basis of consensus – all member states must be in agreement – and in theory all member states have the power of veto. In practice, however, the negotiating power of the member states is closely related to the size of their share in the world market. Moreover, developing countries often have fewer financial resources to represent themselves within the WTO and are sometimes literally denied a place at the negotiating table. The EU and a number of member states find the processes within the WTO too laborious, and conclude bilateral agreements. While the existing WTO rules already cause developing countries great problems, the bilateral agreements are even more damaging.
Free trade is more important than people and the environment
Free-trade agreements and the WTO rules often make it difficult for national governments to implement or improve laws and rules, because they overrule such national decisions. Member states that violate WTO rules can face serious penalties and sanctions. To date, some 500 such cases have been brought before the WTO.
At the moment, there are several charges under consideration against countries wishing to make their energy sectors more sustainable. One of these is a complaint from the US against India. India wants to strengthen its solar energy sector, but the US is trying to stop it from doing so. WTO rules on intellectual property are also restricting the access of local populations to affordable medicines.
A level playing field is not favourable for everyone
The ‘level playing field’ that the WTO advocates is often unfavourable for developing countries. Small-scale producers in these countries run a serious risk of losing out because they cannot compete with large foreign companies that can produce more cheaply. The economies of developing countries are often not sufficiently developed to stand up to this unfair international competition.
Poorer countries cannot afford to pay penalties or compensate for sanctions
The WTO rules can impact differently on rich and poor countries. Rich countries that violate the rules can ‘simply’ pay the penalty because they have plenty of money, while this is often more of a problem for developing countries. The same applies to sanctions: if, for example, Burkina Faso threatens the US with an economic sanction, it will have little impact on the US. If the US were to impose sanctions on Burkina Faso, however, it would have disastrous consequences for the latter’s economy. Poorer countries are therefore much more likely to avoid penalties and sanctions than richer countries by not introducing legislation that may contravene WTO rules. Consequently, people and the environment in developing countries are more likely to suffer from the negative effects of WTO rules.
Too little transparency and democracy
Negotiating processes within the WTO are not transparent and national parliaments have little influence on the decisions made within the organisation. Negotiations often take place behind closed doors and at informal ‘mini-summits’ to which not all member states are invited.
What Both ENDS is doing
Together with other civil society organisations, Both ENDS exerts pressure on the Dutch government and the European Commission to take their responsibilities within the WTO and defend the interests of developing countries.
In 2013, 2015 and 2017, Both ENDS attended the WTO Ministerial Conference as official civil society adviser to the Dutch government. A representative from Both Ends travelled with the Dutch delegation to inform the government from the inside on the standpoints and concerns of civil society organisations worldwide.
Besides directly influencing the Dutch government and the EU, Both ENDS also works continually with civil society organisations in developing countries. We provide these organisations with information so that they can represent their interests and persuade their own governments to defend people and the environment in negotiations on trade and investment agreements in and outside the WTO.
For more information
Read more about this subject
-
Dossier
Investment treaties
Investment treaties must be inclusive, sustainable and fair. That means that they must not put the interests of companies before those of people and their living environment.
-
Dossier
Fair Green and Global Alliance (FGG)
Together with civil society organisations from all over the world, the Fair Green and Global (FGG) Alliance aims for socially just, inclusive and environmentally sustainable societies in the Netherlands and the Global South.
-
Press release / 29 June 2020
Press release – Call by 265 organisations to the EU: “Do not sign the EU-Mercosur trade agreement”
Germany must use its influence as president of the EU in the second half of this year to ensure that the controversial EU-Mercosur free trade agreement is not signed. This is the message in a letter presented to German chancellor Angela Merkel today by 265 civil society and environmental organisations from the EU and Mercosur countries. The deal between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay will stimulate destruction of the natural environment and the violation of human rights in vulnerable areas in South America. The agreement will also give European farmers an unfair competitive advantage. Dutch signatories to the letter include Greenpeace and Both ENDS and various organisations united in the Handel Anders! coalition.
-
Blog / 14 April 2020
Stop WTO talks until everyone can take full part in them again
By Burghard Ilge and Daniëlle HirschThe World Trade Organization (WTO) is often seen as an institution in crisis, powerless and no longer relevant, and especially after US president Donald Trump decided in 2019 to pull the plug on one of the WTO’s most important bodies (the one dealing with trade disputes). Now, more than 150 civil society organisations, networks and interest groups from around the world have signed an urgent letter to WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo, because they are seriously concerned about the state of affairs within the organization.
-
News / 18 June 2019
Open letter from more than 340 organisations: EU must stop negotiating treaty with South American countries.
Today, more than 340 organisations from both South America and Europe, including Both ENDS, have sent a joint open letter to European Union leaders calling for the EU to cease negotiations on the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement. The organisations and their constituencies are seriously concerned about increasing violations of indigenous human rights and damage to nature and the environment in Brazil.
-
Publication / 7 November 2018
-
News / 14 September 2017
What to think of the EU’s Multilateral Investment Court
Remember the widespread protests against trade agreements TTIP and CETA? One of the main worries was the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism these treaties contain. Now the European Commission has proposed to set up a Multilateral Investment Court. Is that good news?
-
Publication / 10 March 2016
-
News / 11 December 2015
What are we going to do at the WTO-conference in Nairobi?
Nairobi, Kenya's capital city, will be the epicenter of international trade from 15 to 18 December 2015. The representatives of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which currently has 162 member countries, will come together to negotiate. The different countries tend to have very different and often conflicting interests, which makes it difficult to reach agreements. Burghard Ilge of Both ENDS travels with Minister Ploumen as an official adviser and mediator from civil society. His role is to inform the Minister about the views and interests of civil society organisations around the world, in order for her to take these positions into consideration during the negotiations. We asked Ilge some clarifying questions.