FW: [stopepa] Mandelson 'illegal' trade move - media coverage to date

The Trade Escape: media coverage: updated 2^nd September 2005, 10.50am

 

BBC news online: 1 September 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4203672.stm

Aid charity criticises Mandelson

EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has been accused by charity ActionAid of breaking international law on trade agreements with poor countries.

 

It says poor countries might be forced into accepting economic partnership agreements (EPAs) through fear of losing access to European markets.

 

The international charity says the move could threaten the jobs of people in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

 

The accusations come prior to a new report by ActionAid, The Trade Escape.

 

'Rubbishing alternatives'

The charity's report examines pro-development alternatives to EPAs.

 

The report's author, ActionAid trade policy officer Tom Sharman, said: "Peter Mandelson is breaking international law by rubbishing alternatives to economic partnership agreements and Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroder are letting him get away with it.

 

"But it is not too late for the EU to scrap plans to force open African markets and start proper discussions on a trade deal that puts poor people before big business."

 

Evening Standard online: 1 September 2005

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/PA_NEWA54407041125505106A00?source=PA%20Feed

Aid charity accuses Mandelson
A charity has accused EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson of breaking international law over trade agreements with some of the poorest countries in the world.

 

ActionAid claims that Mr Mandelson is violating a trade and development treaty in a move which could threaten the jobs of millions of poor people in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

 

The organisation says it is concerned that poor countries in this area could be pressured into accepting economic partnership agreements (EPAs) through fear that otherwise they could lose access to European markets.

 

The claims come as ActionAid launches a new report, The Trade Escape, which examines pro-development alternatives to EPAs.

 

The report's author, ActionAid trade policy officer Tom Sharman, said: "Peter Mandelson is breaking international law by rubbishing alternatives to economic partnership agreements and Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroder are letting him get away with it.

 

"But it is not too late for the EU to scrap plans to force open African markets and start proper discussions on a trade deal that puts poor people before big business."

 

Morning Star: 1 September 2005

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index2.php/ex/examples

Mandelson plots to exploit Africa

ROGER BAGLEY

 

POVERTY charity ActionAid accused EU commissioner Peter Mandelson yesterday of plotting the imminent destruction of millions of jobs in Africa.

 

The charity warned in a new report that Mr Mandelson wants to flout international law and force poor African countries to open their markets to goods and services from EU countries.

 

This would lead to a flood of subsidised products from EU big business concerns, wrecking people's livelihoods in Africa. "The most unequal trade negotiations in history could produce the most disastrous results for development," the report insisted.

 

Mr Mandelson is breaching treaty obligations to Third World nations by setting out to torpedo suggested alternatives to his draconian trading regime, alleged top lawyer Kate Cook.

 

The charity also charged Mr Mandelson with double standards - imposing quotas on imports from China, while demanding free access to African markets for EU big business.

 

The famed evil genius of new Labour is seeking to exploit his close relationship with Prime Minister Tony Blair in order to persuade him to drop concerns about the rapid opening up of African economies to EU goods.

 

ActionAid trade policy officer Tom Sharman warned: "Peter Mandelson is breaking international law by rubbishing alternatives to economic partnership agreements and Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder are letting him get away with it."

 

Mr Sharman added that it is still not too late to prevent Mr Mandelson's scheming and, instead, "start proper discussions on a trade deal that puts poor people before big business."

 

ActionAid spokesman Paul Collins accused Mr Mandelson of pursuing, "with some aggression," the imposition of economic partnership agreements with African countries.

 

The danger is that governments of poor countries will feel pressurised into agreements, frightened that, "if they do not sign up, they may lose EU aid or debt relief."

 

This, in turn, would result in decimation of particular industries or agricultural sectors such as sugar or tomatoes, warned Mr Collins.

 

ActionAid called for a renewed campaign to secure viable alternative options for African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

 

Radically reformed agreements could ensure that these countries "would continue to enjoy preferential access to the European market, while maintaining the right to protect their industries from unfair competition," said the charity.

 

A Downing Street spokesman said yesterday that Mr Blair "fully supports" EU trade commissioner Mandelson in his attempts to resolve the dispute over import quotas on textile products from China.

 

Millions of Chinese-made garments from bras and underwear to pullovers are being stockpiled in customs warehouses.

 

The spokesman indicated that the dispute will be raised during talks when Mr Blair visits China next week, although he added that the EU commission was the "sole negotiator" in the trade dispute.

Interview with BBC Radio Scotland: 1 September 2005, 4.45pm

 

Liverpool Daily Post: 1 September 2005

 

Mandelson accused of breaking trade laws
A CHARITY has accused EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson of breaking international law over trade agreements with some of the poorest countries in the world.

 

ActionAid claims that Mr Mandelson is violating a trade and development treaty in a move which could threaten the jobs of millions of poor people in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

 

The organisation says it is concerned that poor countries could be pressured into accepting economic partnership agreements (EPAs).

 

The claims come as ActionAid launches a new report, The Trade Escape.

 

ActionAid trade policy officer Tom Sharman, the report’s author, said "Peter Mandelson is breaking international law by rubbishing alternatives to economic partnership agreements and Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroder are letting him get away with it .”

 

Politics.co.uk: 1 September 2005

http://www.politics.co.uk/news-in-brief/mandelsons-trade-plans-break-international-law-$15034624.htm

Mandelson's trade plans 'break international law'

01/09/2005

European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson could be breaking international law by undermining alternatives to his trade plans, experts have said.

Kate Cook, a former government lawyer who now works for Matrix Chambers, has said Mr Mandelson's uncompromising position could breach treaty obligations to African, Caribbean and Pacific nations.

The legal advice to charity ActionAid says the trade commissioner is violating a trade and development treaty made with these countries that obliged the EU to consider alternatives to its plans.

"Peter Mandelson is breaking international law by rubbishing alternatives to economic partnership agreements and Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroder are letting him get away with it," said ActionAid trade policy officer Tom Sharman.

"But it is not too late for the EU to scrap plans to force open African markets and start proper discussions on a trade deal that puts poor people before big business."