INVITATION

Worldwide, resistance and alternatives to free trade

 

Conference

European Parliament, Brussels, 7 December 2016

The current debate over CETA and TTIP in Europe, the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom, and the federal election campaign in the United States, among others, have highlighted how many people, in the both Southern and Northern  countries as well, are deeply concerned about free trade.

Deals like TTIP, CETA, TPP, TiSA, the EPAs, and EU bilateral free trade deals with Japan, Tunisia, Singapore, Mercosur (...) are facilitating an unprecedented level of power for multinational companies; the concentration of wealth among ‘the one per cent’; the liberalisation of public goods and services; an absurd division of labour; the ‘race to the bottom’ of endless and senseless competition; and favouring foreign investors. The neoliberal model of trade and economics is offering no future for those who cannot fit into this model or those who don’t accept exploitation and environmental destruction.

The more these deals and their consequences are imposed on people, the more opposition grows. While the far right is attempting to capitalise politically on this discontent without providing any credible and democratic solutions, progressive organisations and individuals are building real alternatives and fairer approaches to trade are rapidly expanding.

Across all continents, social movements and progressive political forces are organising more and more effectively against free trade agreements, the power of corporations and speculative investors. Millions of people are standing up to defend public health; public services; democracy; cultural diversity; sustainable and autonomous energy; small, medium and cooperative farming; the precautionary principle; the commons; the right of all countries to protect sensitive sectors of their economies; and the free movement of people. Millions of fair and sustainable alternatives based on principle of democracy and solidarity are emerging to replace the current unfair trade model.

GUE/NGL is organising this Conference to facilitate dialogue and coordination among the organisations and individuals who are resisting free trade and building better alternatives for people and for the planet. 

 

Registration: HERE    Contact : paul-emile.dupret@europarl.europa.eu

Worldwide, resistance and alternatives to free trade

European Parliament, Brussels, 7 December 2016, 14:30, room ASP1G2

(Interpretation: FR, DE, IT, NL, EN, DA, EL, ES, PT, FI, SV, CS)

 

Draft Programme

10/11/2016

 

Introductory words: Gabi Zimmer, President GUE/NGL

 

Panel 1:  Why we oppose free trade deals, lessons from different parts  of the world:

Moderated by MEP Stelios Kouloglou, Greece

- Jane Nalunga, Southern & Eastern Africa Trade Information & Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), Uganda

- Celeste Drake, AFL-CIO - America’s Unions, USA

- Pablo Solón, Fundación Solón, Bolivia

- Toni Salvador, Philippine campaign, The Philippines

 

Panel 2:   Building alternatives to FTAs:

Moderated by MEP Eleonora Forenza, Italy

- Emiliano Brancaccio, Sanio University, Italy

- Brid Brenan, Transnational Institute (TNI), Amsterdam

- Representative of the Consumers Union of Japan

- Sergi Corbalan, Fair Trade Advocacy Office

 

Panel 3:  The way forward to consolidate alternatives

Moderated by MEP Helmut Scholz, Germany

- Jorge Marchini, Fundación para la integración Latinoamericana, Argentina

-  Elizabeth Mpofu, Via Campesina, Zimbabwe (tbc)

-  Adriana Espinosa, Universidad San Carlos, Spain

-  Anna Cavazzini, Campact anti-TTIP campaign, Germany

Concluding words