1. Draft AFTINET submission to DFAT on WTO negotiations: comments by August 11
2. Draft Cancun Ministerial text released: NGOs critical
3. Sydney: volunteers needed for AFTINET mailout Wednesday 6 August
4. Reminder: AFTINET training Sydney 27 August
5. New book on the politics of the WTO

1. Draft AFTINET submission to DFAT on WTO negotiations: comments by August 11

As mentioned in earlier bulletins, DFAT has called for submissions on the WTO negotiations. The draft AFTINET submission to DFAT is available from Louise Southalan (contact details above). It covers only the general issues in the government's discussion paper. If you have any comments, please send them to Louise Southalan at AFTINET by close of business on Monday 11 August. Submissions are due at DFAT on Friday 15 August.

We encourage you to make your own submission if you can. The DFAT discussion paper is available at www.dfat.gov.au/trade/consultations.html or by writing to:  Trade Policy Section, DFAT, R.G. Casey Building, John McEwen Crescent, Barton, ACT 0221.

Submissions can be lodged electronically at trade.consult@dfat.gov.au or in writing to: Trade Policy Section, DFAT, R.G. Casey Building, John McEwen Crescent, BARTON  ACT   0221 by Friday 15 August.

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2. Draft Cancun Ministerial text released: NGOs critical

In preparation for the September WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico, the first draft of the ‘operational text’ has been released. This will form the basis of decisions to be taken by trade ministers when they meet in Cancun. The text contains 25 relatively short paragraphs. A second draft will be issued on 22 August. The draft text with some commentary can be found at www.tradeobservatory.org.

A number of NGOs have been critical of the draft text and the processes surrounding its development. This is a summary of some of these criticisms, made in ‘A Skeleton Inside An Untransparent Process: An analysis of the Draft Cancun Ministerial Text and its process’ by Tetteh Hormeku, Third World Network (Africa) and Africa Trade Network. The full critique is available at: www.twnside.org.sg

On the face of it, the draft Ministerial Text appears open, with nothing decided, and with the crucial issues still subject to further discussions and negotiations. For example, in the opening paragraph, Ministers would re-affirm the declarations made and the decisions taken at Doha, take note of the "progress that has been made towards carrying out the Work Programme agreed at Doha, and recommit ourselves to completing it fully, and renew their "determination to conclude the negotiations launched at Doha successfully by the agreed date of 1 January 2005." To this end, in the second paragraph the text states that Ministers agree to adopt a number of decisions in the various areas of the Doha work programme, listed in the subsequent paragraphs Each area of work is listed and next to it, a formulation to the effect that Ministers agree to proceed in the manner outlined some other document Those documents are not attached, but represented by a space in a square bracket.

The draft text and process are criticised on a number of grounds for being contrary to the interests of developing countries. The chief areas of concern are:

• The documents proposed to be used to fill in the gaps do not reflect the position of developing countries . WTO officials have stated that reports by the Chairs of some of the negotiating groups, in particular agriculture and non agricultural products, should be annexed to the intended text. However these negotiations are the subject of much controversy, and many developing countries have objected to this suggestion.

• In areas where no such reports exist, the draft Ministerial Text states the particular issue in a way that does not properly reflect the viewpoints of developing countries. This criticism is particularly relevant to the ‘Singapore issues’ (proposed negotiations for new agreements on investment, competition policy and government procurement). The draft text does not reflect the option preferred by most developing countries that the process of clarification of the Singapore Issues must continue, rather than a decision being made at Cancun about commencing negotiations.

• The nature of the negotiating and drafting process disadvantages developing countries. There is a great deal of pressure to "consult" on so many documents simultaneously, in order to fill in the skeleton of the Ministerial Text, in a short time period. Developing countries and their small, sometimes one-member delegations, are at a disadvantage. The actual Ministerial Conferences are conducted in a very pressurised and non transparent process.

A broader criticism relates to the different outcomes envisaged for issues of interest to developing countries versus those of interest to the industrialised countries. On issues of interest to developing countries, the text envisages only the continuation of further work and for report at a subsequent, sixth WTO Ministerial. On issues like agriculture and non-market access where existing texts favour the rich countries, as well on the Singapore issues, the draft Ministerial Text envisages that concrete decisions will be taken at Cancun.

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3. Sydney: volunteers needed for AFTINET mailout Wednesday 6 August

On Wednesday 6 August we will be mailing out copies of our new leaflet, which is an update on the GATS negotiations and a brief explanation of the ‘new issues’. All volunteers most welcome!

Where: PIAC office, Level 1, 46-48 York Street, Sydney

When: Wednesday 6 August, 10 am to 1 pm

If you are able to help out, please contact Louise Southalan on (02) 9299 7833 or email lsouthalan@piac.asn.au

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4. Reminder: AFTINET training Sydney 27 August

Get in soon if you still intend to register for AFTINET training on 27 August.

• Update on the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and impacts on essential services like health, education and water

• Latest on the proposals for new WTO agreements on investment, competition policy and government procurement and why these are opposed by both developing country governments and community organisations

• Latest developments on the US Free Trade Agreement Negotiations and possible impacts on Australian social policies

• Effective advocacy skills to present the issues to community groups, politicians and the media

• Union and community trainers

• Activists/campaigners

• Community workers

COURSE DETAILS:

The course is free, including light refreshments, but you MUST register in advance. The course is limited to 25 participants. All participants will receive a comprehensive set of course materials. To register contact Sarah Mitchell at PIAC on smitchell@piac.asn.au or phone (02) 9299 7833.

Organised by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET). Thanks to the Uniting Church (NSW Synod) 2% for Development Fund for funding the development of materials and the running of the first course. Thanks to the Public Service Association for the venue.

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5. New book on the politics of the WTO

Fatoumata Jawara and Aileen Kwa: "Behind the Scenes at the WTO: the Real World of International Trade Negotiations". Zed Books, London. Due out: August 2003.

This book exposes how the WTO really works, and what really happened before, at, and after the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha in 2001, on the basis of interviews with 33 Geneva-based delegates to the WTO and 10 Secretariat staff members. It examines the systematic subversion of an ostensibly democratic system to ensure that the "agreements" that are reached are those the major powers – primarily the US and the European Union – want, irrespective of the views of interests of most developing countries, who form the great majority of the membership.

More information is available from Zed Books: http://www.zedbooks.demon.co.uk

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