1. GATS Negotiations Progress

What is the current status of the UK's GATS negotiations? i.e. What activities are currently being undertaken by the UK government with regard to UK requests for the opening of services in other countries, and requests made of UK services?

2. GATS & Impact Assessments

In the UK Government's Sustainable Development Strategy, chapter 9: 'International Cooperation & Development' (ref. http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/uk_strategy/quality/life/09.htm : see paragraphs 9.19 and 9.24 in the 'Trade and the Environment' section), the government makes commitments to assessing social and environmental impacts of trade agreements. These commitments appear to have been made 3 years ago, ie before the GATS negotiations started in 2000. How have they been followed up? In other words where is documented analysis of how trade policy affects sustainable development?

The DTI GATS Consultation document states that the "UK fully supports impact assessments" (section 6.8) and in sections 7.12 - 7.14 refers to WTO discussions and plans concerning assessment, but no pointer is given to work completed or work in progress. We understand that there is an EU Sustainability Impact Assessment in progress, although there are doubts as to how much influence it will have, as it will be completed next March, only 2 weeks before the deadline for GATS offers.

Do you think more time is needed for impact assessments to be carried out?

Note that the DTI consultation document contains no reference to 'sustainability', 'sustainable development' or 'Multilateral Environmental Agreements'.

3. GATS & requests made by EU

The recent GATS consultation document is essentially about requests made of the EU by other states. These are important issues and I think we all welcome this consultation in that respect. However, the other side of the coin - the requests being made of other states by the EU/UK - has largely been ignored. We feel that the full picture should be given, in order to assess whether our trading strategies are in the interests of reducing global inequalities.

Does the government plan to open up the debate and consult on this wider issue? What are your views?

4. GATS & Assistance to Developing Countries

Section 7.15 of the DTI consultation document describes how the UK government is committed to supporting developing countries in conducting impact assessments. We are also aware of the 'capacity building' and 'technical assistance' programmes designed to help such countries adapt to further liberalisation of global markets.

Do these measures come with no strings attached? Are they in operation? How effective are they?

5. GATS and Democracy

The Former WTO director of Services said that GATS "can and will speed up the process of liberalization and make it irreversible". This 'irreversibility' has been causing major concern particularly with regards to its potential impact on the democratic process.

What is your opinion on this?

6. GATS & Transparency

The European Commission is a public body which is negotiating in GATS on behalf of EU member states and hence ourselves. However, it will not allow the negotiating positions to be released into the public domain.

How can this be reconciled with the need for civil society to debate these offers made on their behalf?

7. GATS Consultation & effect on Policy

To allay any fears that the government may simply use the consultation on GATS as a public relations exercise, what evidence is there of consultation document responses being incorporated into policy?

8. WTO and International Agreements

The WTO is apparently the only supranational body that has the ability to enforce a multilateral agreement (GATT). For this reason it has been suggested that the WTO poses a threat to other International Agreements: the WTO will inevitably rule on a case within a trade framework - even when there may be conflict with other international agreements (eg Multilateral Environmental Agreements). Since there is no 'WEO' the WTO has no sister organisation to create a balance.

What is your opinion on this problem? Can you offer any solutions?

9. World Bank & IMF

The World Bank and the IMF were originally set up as a solution to World Poverty and Global Economic Stability. Many would now argue that they are now as much part of the problem as the solution. These public institutions are surprisingly unaccountable to the Public who funds them and there is a disturbing lack of transparency. As you have said in the second issue of 'Development's the One', they must both be made more accountable and more must be done to ensure they work for the poor.

Is the Government keen to push for more transparency and accountability? How can this be achieved? What pressure can be brought to bear to bring other countries (eg the US) on-side?

10. Tariffs & Subsidies

Two major factors which make trade unfair are tariffs and farming subsidies:

a.. On average, the tariffs imposed by rich countries on imports of manufactured goods are four times higher for poor countries than for other rich countries. b.. Our farm subsidies currently deprive farmers in poor countries of markets for their produce. For example, subsidies to our farmers mean they sell white sugar overseas at prices that are one quarter the cost of production.

The emphasis of the government appears to be on opening up markets, ie lowering tariffs. Eg see the transcript of the 'live web chat' with Baroness Symons about global trade on November 12th:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/forum/2412983.stm

However the view of the Trade Justice Movement is that subsidies do the most damage. They argue that: "opening European markets would help only a very small number of people living in poor countries, as most depend for their living on producing for local markets. For the majority of people in poor countries, much more support could be given by allowing them freedom to protect their home markets from cheap foreign imports as part of their national poverty reduction strategies. Currently, trade rules prevent this and in countries such as Ghana, home markets are being increasingly overwhelmed by foreign imports."

What is your view on this? It was good to hear the announcements in the summer about reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy. What more can be done to protect the home markets of poorer countries?

Can you tell us more about 'Everything but Arms'? Does this deliver real benefits to poorer countries?

11. Competitive Economic Strategy

Do you think that pressing for a fairer economic system is compatible with aggressively competitive strategies such as the SE Regional Economic Strategy?

12. Working in partnership

What do you see as the best ways for campaigning groups like ours to work with you? How do you see our role and what kind of things influence you most?