J. NGO views and activities on the WTO, MAI and others

The Multilateral Trading System:
A Development Perspective
A Third World Network Report produced for the UNDP

The Third World Network has recently produced a detailed report on the WTO and the multilateral trading system, which was commissioned by the UN Development Programme, as one of three papers that will input into the UNDP's own trade policy paper (which is under preparation).

The TWN report has 8 parts: an executive summary, six chapters (describing trade policy, evolution of the system, its operations, problems facing developing countries, proposals on specific issues, and proposals for the longer term), and a Postcript on the Doha Ministerial Conference.

Read this assessment of the WTO from a development perspective:

• Contents
• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1:Trade, the Trading System and Development
• Chapter 2:History and Evolution of the Trading System
• Chapter 3:The Current Trading System: Instruments, Opportunities and Problems
• Chapter 4:The Impact of the WTO on Developing Countries
• Chapter 5:Proposals for Improving the Global Trading System
• Chapter 6:Towards a Trading System for Human Development
• Postscript:The Doha Ministerial Conference and After
• References and Acronyms
• NOTE: This report can also be downloaded as a PDF file on the UNDP website at www.undp.org/mainundp/propoor/

• 10 NGOs SEND MEMO TO WTO: "DEMOCRATISE YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS"
  Ten NGOs (including TWN) have sent a joint memorandum to the WTO members on The Need to Improve Internal Transparency and Participation in the WTO. The Memo highlights many things wrong with the decision-making system and gives concrete proposals. This issue is looms large as the Cancun Ministerial approaches. If not changed, the untransparent process will result in an anti-development outcome in Cancun.
  We also encourage NGOs and CSOs to endorse the joint Memo to add to the public voicing of this issue. Please send an email message with your name and that of your organisation and a simple endorsement message to TWN at twngeneva@bluewin.ch.
  
  Click below to see 3 documents (all are MS-Word docs):
  
  The Executive Summary
  The full Memo
  The letter addressed to WTO members
  
  
  
• Harbinson vs NGOs - whoever wins, WTO may lose (C.Raghavan)
• Rethinking TRIPS in the WTO - NGO statement
• Open letter to EU Trade Commissioner Lamy
• NGOs urge governments to call off 'new round' proposal
• TWN Report: The situation at the WTO a year since Seattle (M.Khor) Dec 2000
• Joint NGO statement on the review of Art.27.3b of the TRIPS agreement
• NGOs call for changes in TRIPS agreement (Lean Ka Min) 16 Oct 2000
• NGOs oppose another WTO round (G.Mutume) 12 Oct 2000
• Africa's civil society gangs up against trade act (L.Machipisa) 11 Oct 2000
• Implementation problems must be resolved first (M.Khor) (14 Sept 00)
• Developing countries need to hold firm in WTO (S.Singh) (14 Sept 00)
• NGOs launch 'shrink or sink' campaign against WTO (C.Raghavan) (6 Apr 00)
• WTO - Shrink or sink! The Turn Around Agenda
• Rethinking liberalisation and reforming the WTO: Martin Khor's Presentation at Davos (28 Jan 00)
• WTO steals a march on international NGOs (Binu Thomas) (9 Oct 99)
• Third World NGOs fight against WTO new Round( (TWN)
• Joint NGO statement of support for Africa Group proposals on reviewing the WTO TRIPS agreement (Art. 27.3b)
  Also available are the French version and Spanish version  of the statement.
• No new round; turn around existing agreements! - African civil society statement on the 3rd WTO Ministerial
• Sign-on statement against a Millennium Round in the WTO
• Sign-on letter against the MAI in the WTO