Civil society groups call for an immediate halt to the India-EU trade negotiations
We, signatories to this letter, are deeply concerned that the ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) will fuel poverty, inequality and environmental destruction, and call for an immediate halt to the trade talks.
On 10 December 2010, the EU-India summit will take place in Brussels. It is supposed to give a political push to the negotiations, which are expected to be concluded in early 2011. The time to act is now. So far, negotiators on both sides of the talks have persistently ignored and sidelined analyses and protests by civil society, pointing out the detrimental impacts of the proposed FTA on people’s livelihoods and on the lack of social, ecological or gender- just economic development. Instead, the negotiating agenda generally reflects big business interests and demands.
On 10 December 2010, the EU-India summit will take place in Brussels. It is supposed to give a political push to the negotiations, which are expected to be concluded in early 2011. The time to act is now. So far, negotiators on both sides of the talks have persistently ignored and sidelined analyses and protests by civil society, pointing out the detrimental impacts of the proposed FTA on people’s livelihoods and on the lack of social, ecological or gender- just economic development. Instead, the negotiating agenda generally reflects big business interests and demands.
Research suggests that just about every aspect of the negotiations, including the liberalisation of trade in goods and services, the extension and strict enforcement of intellectual property rights and the liberalisation of government procurement and investment will destroy people’s livelihoods and undermine their rights. The proposed FTA will also erode government policy space that is essential to manage trade and investment in the interest of pro-development, social and gender-just and environmentally sustainable outcomes.
Our key concerns are:
• Extension and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights through provisions that go beyond what is required under World Trade Organisation agreements. TRIPS+ provisions such as data exclusivity, patent extension, and border protection measures would severely affect India’s ability to provide affordable medicines for the treatment of AIDS, malaria and cancer, not only for Indian patients but worldwide; they would contribute to hunger and malnutrition by denying small scale and subsistence farmers’ rights to seeds and sharing of knowledge. This would undermine people’s basic rights to livelihoods, to food and access to healthcare, education and research.
• Increased market access for European businesses would expose farmers, fisherfolk, street vendors and small businesses to crushing competition and lead to massive job and livelihood losses. In addition, tariff reductions would create a major loss of import duty income for the Indian government, with a potentially higher risk of further cuts in social spending including for education, health and food security.
• Further liberalisation of investment would incapacitate governments, removing policy tools that protect and build domestic industries; that foster domestic value-addition and shield vulnerable sectors of society specifically in times of crisis. For example, Indian street vendors and small shop owners would be pushed out of the market if European supermarket giants are allowed to enter the Indian retail sector. Liberalising foreign direct investment in land, fisheries and other natural resources will deprive millions of people of access to the resources they depend on for their livelihoods. Provisions on investor protection and on investor-to-state dispute settlement would grant corporations the right to challenge the Indian government and the EU over any regulatory measures that diminishes their returns.
• Further liberalisation of financial services would have a detrimental effect on lending to socially disadvantaged sectors like small farmers and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and would lead to a dramatic decline in rural credit and services. Financial sector liberalisation would reduce government policy space to respond to financial crises and would further destabilise the financial system.
• Opening government procurement markets would undermine the role and scope of the government to advance equity and social justice by boosting domestic production, supporting SMEs and marginalised regions and groups.
• Seeking reckless access to raw materials, including a ban on export taxes and other export restrictions, would undermine governments' rights to regulate the use of raw materials and natural resources in favour of their people; it would exacerbate ongoing land displacement struggles and undermine people’s rights for their habitats and produce.
• The lack of transparency, public debate and democratic process surrounding the negotiations and the privileged access granted to business interests must be resolved. Up until now, the trade talks have been conducted behind closed doors, with no negotiating text or position made available to the public. Requests for access to meaningful information by parliamentarians, state governments and civil society in India and the EU have repeatedly been turned down. Instead, business interests have been granted privileged access to policy makers on both sides, allowing them to effectively set the FTA agenda.
Both the EU’s and India's current corporate-driven, export-oriented trade strategies are fundamentally flawed. These strategies prioritise the interests of global capital and profit maximisation over people’s right and livelihoods.
WE THEREFORE CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO THE FTA NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND THE EU UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DEMANDS ARE FULLY ADDRESSED:
• The deal must not infringe on the policy space and regulatory capacity of governments to shape economic and social policies that serve the most vulnerable of their people and enable governments to intervene in markets for the public interest.
• The deal must desist from accelerating de-regulation of the kind that would increase market concentration while undermining access to essential services and public goods.
• Negotiators must end the privileged access of big business to trade policy-making in India and the EU.
• Negotiators must ensure transparency, public debate and a democratic process in relation to EU and India trade policy-making. They must release all existing information, including negotiating texts, and conduct broad consultations with the most affected groups in India and Europe such as workers farmers, street vendors, women, dalit, adivasi and people's organisations, including, cooperatives and trade unions.
• Ensure pro-development alternatives to corporate–driven FTAs that put sustainable livelihoods, food sovereignty, environmental, social and gender justice at the core. Such alternative approaches support sustainable, fair and peaceful relations between the countries and the regions instead of promoting competitiveness and a race-to-the-bottom in terms of working conditions, standards and wages.
Signatories to this letter (as of 8 November 2010):
1. Action Aid, Bangalore, India
2. Action Aid International
3. AEFJN (African Europe Faith and Justice Network), Belgium
4. Adivasi Aikya Vedika, Andhra Pradesh, India
5. AIDS Access Foundation, Thailand
6. Aitec, France
7. Akriti, Ranchi, India
8. All Orissa Roadside Vendors Association, Bhuvneshwar, India
9. Alternative Agriculture Network , Thailand
10. Anthra, India
11. Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft, Germany
12. Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
13. Attac Austria
14. Attac Denmark
15. Attac Finland
16. Attac France
17. Attac Germany, working group on world trade and WTO
18. Attac Liege
19. Attac Spain
20. Attac Vlaanderen
21. “AUR” – The National Association of Human Resources Specialists, Romania
22. Aware Trust, Tumkur, India
23. Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Bangladesh
24. Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag (BER), Germany
25. Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, India
26. Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Delhi, India
27. Biodiversity and Community Right Action Thailand, (Biothai), Thailand
28. BLUE 21 (Berlin Working Group on Environment and Development), Germany
29. Bokaro Jila Dukandar Sangh, Bokaro, India
30. Both ENDS, the Netherlands
31. Campaign for Reform of the World Bank (CRBM), Italy
32. Cancer Patient Network, Thailand
33. Caucasus Development Group, Georgia
34. CECI (Centre for Education, Counseling and Research), Zagreb, Croatia
35. CECOEDECON, Jaipur, India
36. Central America Women's Network (CAWN), UK
37. Centre for Education and Communication (CEC), India
38. Centre for Health Policy and Innovation, International
39. Centre National de Coopération au Développement (CNCD), Belgium
40. Chennai Hawker Federation, Chennai, India
41. Church Development Service (EED), Germany
42. Colibri e.V., Germany
43. Comhlámh, Dublin, Ireland
44. Consumers’ Guidance Society, Vijayawada, India
45. Corporate Europe Observatory, Brussels, Belgium
46. Corporate Frauds Watch, Vijayawada, India
47. CIVIDEP, Bangalore, India
48. CRTD.A, Lebanon
49. DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era)
50. Deep Welfare, New Delhi, India
51. Delhi Hawkers Federation, Delhi, India
52. Delhi Hawkers Welfare Association, Delhi, India
53. Delhi Vegetable Oil Traders Association, Delhi, India
54. Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh, New Delhi, India
55. Drug Study Group, Thailand
56. Drug System Monitoring and Development Program, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
57. Ecological Alert and Recovery, Thailand
58. Ecologistas en Acción, Madrid, Spain
59. Eco Ruralis Association, Romania
60. ECVC (European Coordination Via Campesina)
61. EATGs, international
62. Entally Market Stall Holder Association, Kolkata, India
63. Environmental Study Center, Shivamogga, India
64. EU-ASEAN FTA Campaign Network
65. EQUATIONS, India
66. Fair, Italy
67. FDI Watch India, New Delhi, India
68. Fédération Artisans du Monde - Fair Trade Network, France
69. Federation of Associations of Maharashtra, Mumbai, India
70. Federation of Madras Merchants & Manufacturers Association, Chennai, India
71. Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, Delhi, India
72. Federation of Trader’s Organization (F.T.O.), West Bengal, India
73. FEDINA, Bangalore, India
74. FIAN Germany
75. FIAN India
76. FIAN Sweden
77. FinnWID, Finland
78. Focus on the Global South, India
79. Food & Water Europe
80. Föreningen Svalorna Indien Bangladesh/The Swallows India Bangladesh
81. Foundation for AIDS Rights, Thailand
82. Foundation for Consumers, Thailand
83. Foundation for Social Research and Dynamic Action, New Delhi, India
84. FRAUENSOLIDARITÄT, Vienna, Austria
85. Friends of Kidney-failure Patients Club, Thailand
86. FTA Watch, Thailand
87. GADIP, Sweden
88. Gender For Social-Economic Development, Georgia
89. Globale Verantwortung; Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Entwicklung und Humanitäre Hilfe, Austria
90. Haryana Pradesh Hawkers Samiti, Palwal, India
91. Hawker Sangram Committee, Kolkata, India
92. Hazard Centre, New Delhi, India
93. Health Consumer Protection program, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
94. Heinrich Böll Foundation India, New Delhi, India
95. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policies (IATP)
96. Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF), New Delhi, India
97. INKOTA-Netzwerk, Berlin, Germany
98. Intercultural Resources, New Delhi, India
99. International Federation of Hawker and Urban Poor, Kolkata, India
100. International Presentation Association, USA
101. Janpahal, Delhi, India
102. Kanpur Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Kanpur, India
103. KARAT Coalition, Poland
104. Kirchliche Arbeitsstelle Südliches Afrika (KASA), Germany
105. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Bangalore, India
106. Kerala Swathantra Matsyathozhilali Federation, India
107. KIDS, Shimoga, India
108. KULU-Women and Development, Denmark
109. La Via Campesina South Asia
110. Maharashtra Jan Jagran Manch, Nagpur, India
111. Madras Broadway Bustand Small Merchants Association, Chennai, India
112. Mekkala Gorella Pempakadharala Sangham,Medak, India
113. Mhila Brathukuderuvu Sangham, Andhra Pradesh, India
114. Minchu Ideas, Bangalore, India
115. MISEREOR, the German Catholic Bishops' Organisation for Development Cooperation
116. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN) - Malaysia
117. National Hawker Federation, Kolkata, India
118. National Justice and Peace Network, UK
119. NOIDA Market Association, Uttar Pradesh, India
120. Norwegian Trade Campaign
121. ÖBV-Via Campesina Austria
122. One World Action, UK
123. Oxfam Belgium
124. Paschimi Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Dehradoon, India
125. Pawanputra Rehri-Patri Khomcha Sangh, Delhi, India
126. Peoples First, Delhi, India
127. Philipine Misereor Partnership, Inc, Philippines
128. Philipinenbuero e.V. Im Asienhaus, Germany
129. Poorvi Delhi Vyapar Bachao Morcha, Delhi, India
130. PowerShift, Berlin, Germany
131. Public Interest Research Centre, New Delhi, India
132. PWESCR (Programme on Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), New Delhi, India
133. Ranchi Footpath Dookandaar Sangh, Ranchi, India
134. Rashtriya Vyapar Mandal, Lucknow, India
135. Redi Patri Mahasangh, Gaya, India
136. Sagar, Delhi, India
137. Sahar, Delhi, India
138. Shanti Ranjan Behera, Lively Democracy, Kolkata, India
139. Shardhanand Oil Traders Association, Delhi, India
140. Siddhant, West Singhbhum, India
141. Social Pharmacy Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
142. Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland
143. Swathi Mahila Samsthe, Nanjangudu, India
144. Terra Nuova, Italy
145. Timarpur Shopkeepers Association, Delhi, India
146. Thai Holistic Health Foundation, Thailand
147. Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Thailand
148. Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS, Thailand
149. Terre des hommes Deutschland e.V, Germany
150. The Rural Pharmacist Foundation, Thailand
151. The Rural Doctor Foundation, Thailand
152. Third World Network
153. Tractors & Agricultural Parts Merchants Welfare Association, New Delhi, India
154. Traders Federation of Kolkata Municipal Market, Kolkata, India
155. Trade Justice Movement, UK
156. Traidcraft Exchange UK
157. Transnational Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
158. UNI, Bangalore, India
159. Udaan Trust, Mumbai, India
160. Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Gaziabad, India
161. Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal, Lucknow, India
162. Vegetables & Fruits Wholesale Merchants Association, Bangalore, India
163. Vidarbha Hawkers Welfare Association, Nagpur, India
164. VIP Market Association, Kolkata, India
165. War on Want, London, UK
166. WEED, Berlin, Germany
167. Weltladen-Dachverband, Germany
168. Working Group on Trade - Forum Environment & Development, Germany
169. World Development Movement, London, UK
170. WIDE Austria, Vienna Austria
171. WIDE network, Brussels, Belgium
172. World Development Movement, UK
173. X minus Y Solidarity Fund, the Netherlands
174. Yakshi, Andhra Pradesh, India
175. 11.11.11- Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement, Belgium
Individual endorsements:
1. Achim Vanaih, TNI India
2. Ajitha George OMON Mahila Sangathan
3. Anna Cavazzini, Germany
4. Anna Ockkina, IGSO, Russia
5. Anna Ridehalgh, Southampton, UK
6. Annie Raja, NFIW, India
7. Ashim Roy, General Secretary, New Trade Union Initiative, India
8. Ashok Bharti, National Confederation of Dalit Organisations, India
9. Astrid Escrig, Spain
10. Belinda Funmaner CCCP, Philippines
11. Bonnie Setiawan, Resistance and Alternatives to Globalisation (RAG), Indonesia
12. Boris Kagorlitsky, IGSO, Russia
13. Brita Neuhold, Vienna, Austria
14. Carlos Ruiz, ATTAC Spain
15. Charles Hector, NAMM, Malaysia
16. Cecilia Olivet, TNI, The Netherlands
17. Christa Wichterich (Dr.), University of Vienna
18. Dang Linh Tran, Vietnam Times, Vietnam
19. Dayaamani Barla, AMARM, India
20. David Preed, BABC
21. Diego Cardona - Brazil
22. Dorothea Haerlin, ATTAC Germany
23. Emma Thanme, health workers
24. Eva Lachkovics, member of the City Council of Vienna, Austria
25. Éva Dessewffy, Vienna, Austria
26. Fachru Noqrian, Institute for global Justice
27. Franziska Keller, Member of the European Parliament from the Alliance '90/The Greens.
28. Frederik Landshöft, assistant to the Green party, German Parliament, Germany
29. Gerard Karlshausen, CNCD/11.11.11.
30. Greet Goverde, Platform ABC, The Netherlands
31. Gunasegaran Kandaswamy, Hindu Youth organisation, Malaysia
32. Hassania Chalbi-Drissi, IGTN-Afrique, Forum Mondial des Alternatives (Afrique du Nord)
33. H. Mahadeven, Deputy General Secretary, World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), Asia Pacific Region, New Delhi, India
34. Ho Thuy Linh, Vietnam
35. Huynh cong, Consultant on development
36. Induk Lee, FKTU, Korea
37. Ingrid Bischofs, Cologne
38. James Pochury, Action Aid (India)
39. Jayce Naar, ACP civil society Forum
40. Jaybee Garganera, ATM, Philippines
41. Jean Grossholtz, Emeritus Professor of Women's Studies and Politics, Mount Holyoke College
42. Joe Higgins, Socialist Party MEP for Dublin and member of the GUE/NGL group, member of INTA and on the delegation for relations with South Asia
43. Joshua Mata, Allinace of progressive Labour, Philippines
44. Kalyani Menon-Sen, independent researcher and feminist activist, India
45. Kannikar Kijtinatchakul, FTA watch, Thailand
46. Letchumanan Aseerpatham, Socialist party of Malaysia
47. Morgane Retiere, France
48. Magline, National coastal women’s movement, India
49. Mariano Gonzalez, Ecologistas en Accion, Spain
50. Marioe Maderazo
51. Marzema Kisielewswa, EESC
52. Melissa Wilson, TNI
53. Nisha, Gurgaon, India
54. Pauilna Novo, TNI,
55. Paul-Emile Dupret, Belgium
56. Philip Kujur Coordinator BIRSA MMC
57. Pete Pinlac, Chairperson Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya, Philippines
58. Peter Waterman (Dr); Institute of Social Studies (Retired); The Hague; The Netherlands
59. Pham Hai Nam, Vietnam
60. P.K. Murthy, WFA/FMA, India
61. Prabir Purkayastha, All India Peoples Science Network, India
62. Prajeena Karmacharya, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague; The Netherlands
63. Rahul Goswami, agriculture systems researcher, associate at Centre for Communication and Development Studies, India
64. Renate Siart, Erzhausen, Germany
65. Renato B. Magtubo, National Chairperson PM, Philippines
66. Ritu Dewan (Dr), Professor, Centre for Women's Studies/Gender Economics, Mumbai, India
67. Ryu Mikyung, KCTU, South Korea
68. Sisaliao Svengsuksa, Laos
69. Song Sokheng, community peace building network, Cambodia
70. Spencer J. Pack, Professor of Economics; Connecticut College
71. Subodh Raj Pyakhel, INSEC, Nepal
72. Surender Tirkey Gen Sec JMACC
73. Tianle Chang, IATP, China
74. Thi Chung Than, CSEED, Vietnam
75. Thomas Lines, independent consultant, Brighton , UK
76. Thorsten Schulz, FDCL e.V., Berlin, Germany
77. Tony Salvador, Ideals, Philipines
78. Uwe Hoering, journalist, Germany
79. Varsha Rajan, Focus on the Global South, India
80. Wim Vandevelde, Chair European Community Advisory Board (ECAB), Brussels Belgium
81. Xavier Dias Editor Khan Kaneej aur ADHIKAR
82. Zhang Tan, Lin Xiyao, Beijing NGO, China
