Civil Society Organizations Call for Additional Public Participation in FTAA Negotiations: Existing Forums Are Inadequate and Exclude Many

Posted: 19 November 2003

The undersigned civil society organizations today said that current gestures to open the trade negotiating process are inadequate. While many civil society groups chose to pay the fee and go behind the security perimeter to participate in the America's Trade and Sustainable Development Forum on November 17 & 18, many others did not. Groups both inside and outside criticized the process as inadequate and unrepresentative of broader civil society.

Among our concerns:

The forum was conducted "behind the fence"—within the restrictive security perimeter which prohibited participation by the general public.
A limited number of ATSDF participants have been invited to a brief meeting with ministers for Wednesday afternoon. Input for this meeting was restricted to those who participated in the ATSDF, which does not represent the breadth and diversity of civil society.
The interaction with trade ministers will be unfortunately abbreviated, and therefore more a symbolic interaction than an effective engagement with broad sectors of civil society.
The $80 registration fee was a significant obstacle for individuals and organizations, particularly for those from developing countries.

Each civil society organization made individual choices about how to influence the FTAA process. But, we wish to emphasize that the ATSDF event should not be described as meaningful civil society participation, as required by FTAA ministerial declarations. Many groups and grassroots organizations decided not to participate given the constraints, and because they feel that the process has been manipulated by some pro-FTAA officials. Meaningful participation would require established mechanisms and ongoing consultation with social movements, trade unions, and NGOs in all countries.

Despite the problems with the ATSDF, many groups continue to push for access to negotiators and real participation in the FTAA, and are committed to engagement with their own governments regarding the FTAA. Groups both inside and outside the security perimeter are joining demonstrations, teach-ins, panels and other events.

For example, groups not participating in the ATSDF continue to seek meaningful opportunities for engagement. They have—under the auspices of the Hemispheric Social Alliance—formally invited FTAA ministers to meet publicly outside of the security perimeter. A number of ministers have accepted the invitation, and will meet publicly with civil society representatives at the First United Methodist Church at 5pm today.

Signers:

AFL-CIO
Alianza Chilena por un Comercio Justo y Responsible (ACJR)
Alliance for Responsible Trade
Center for Economic and Policy Research
Center for International Environmental Law
Centro Alexander Von Humboldt, Amigos de la Tierra - Nicaragua
CIDECA (Consejo de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo de Centroamerica)
Earthjustice
Essential Action
50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice
FOCO (Foro para la Participacion Cuidadana Afiliado a la Red International)
Friends of the Earth
Greenpeace USA
Jobs with Justice
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
National Wildlife Federation
Oxfam International
Sierra Club
Washington Office on Latin America