US Corporate Interests Threaten Rural Poor and the Environment

Media Advisory
Friends of the Earth International
Geneva (Switzerland)
May 15, 2006

Civil society groups from around the world, including Friends of the Earth International, gathering in Geneva this week to protest against the US, EU and other exporting countries’ aggressive attempts to open developing country markets, are calling on a group of developing countries (known as the G33) to strengthen their stance at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on protecting small farmers and the poor around the world.

A furious row erupted ahead of today’s WTO General Council meeting, between the United States administration and developing countries over the future of millions of small farmers and the rural poor in the developing world.

The G33 has consistently called for exemptions for ‘special products’ (SP) in agriculture, and special safeguard measures (SSM) to ward off import surges, in order to ensure food security and to protect millions of people dependent upon small-scale farming from the impacts of cheap subsidized food imports. Previous controversial and disputed WTO agreements have depended on and only moved forward because of agreement on this specific issue.

Yet during detailed discussions over the past few months pressure from the US and supporting countries has forced the G33 to scale back its original ambition. The G33 is now only proposing protection for 20% of developing countries’ agricultural tariff lines . Yet on 24 April, the US administration tabled a paper attacking even this reduced level of ambition and it appears to have the support of the New Zealand Chair of the Committee on Agriculture . One outraged WTO
ambassador has commented that this type of approach would ‘decimate the entire rural populations of the poor developing countries’.

The US and New Zealand are also leading a group of countries insisting on complete or sharp liberalization in natural resource sectors including forest products and fish and fish products . Diverting natural resources to exports could lead to further severe economic impacts for poor communities directly dependent upon these resources for their livelihoods . 350 million people living in, or next to dense forests relying on them for subsistence or income and 60 million indigenous people are directly dependent upon forest resources for all their needs – for food and fuel, medicines and materials. Some 36 million people are directly employed in small-scale artisanal fishing.

Ronnie Hall of friends of the earth international said: “It’s a complete joke that many of the same people who originally branded the current negotiations the ‘Doha Development Agenda’, to entice developing countries into participating, are now blatantly trying to use them to stop any attempts at fair and sustainable development.

The G33 must make sure poor peoples’ livelihoods and their environment are protected from the WTO.”

All agricultural products should be considered as special products and therefore exempt from trade liberalization. Food and agriculture should be taken out of the WTO and the liberalization of natural resources should be stopped.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Ronnie Hall, friends of the earth international (in Geneva 15-17 May)
Tel: + 44 7967 017281, or e-mail ronnieh@foe.co.uk
Sonja Meister, friends of the earth europe (in Geneva 15-17 May)
Tel: +32 48 49 75 107, or e-mail sonja.meister@foeeurope.org
Alberto Villareal, Friends of the Earth Uruguay/REDES (in Uruguay)
+59899 523 382 , or e-mail: comercioredes@gmail.com
David Waskow, friends of the earth US (in Washington)
Tel: 202 492-4660 (cell phone in Washington)
Carlos Santos, Friends of the Earth Uruguay/REDES
Tel: +32-498 492563 (Belgian cell phone 15-17 May in Geneva only) or
email corporaciones@redes.org.uy