Strasbourg, 19/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - As well as launching multilateral negotiations at the WTO for the liberalisation of world trade, parliamentary representatives from member countries are also calling for a new social contract between the states and their citizens in this period of deep economic crisis.
Meeting on 15-16 November in Geneva for the 12th annual parliamentary conference on the WTO, 300 MPs from more than 70 national parliaments reaffirmed their “deep disappointment” with the lack of any progress being made in the Doha Round negotiations. These were launched in 2001 and have been at a standstill since 2008. They require a political response, particularly with regard to obtaining “swift progress” on development related issues and on which this round of negotiations was initially focused. In a declaration drawn up by one of their members, Benoît Ouattara (Burkina-Faso), the MPs present, specialists on trade questions, also expressed their concerns about the scale of protectionist measures in a global situation of crisis.
The final conference declaration to 2012 particularly discusses the theme of trade as an instrument for economic growth, job creation and poverty relief. It highlights “the need for integrated and coherent national trade, industrial, labour market and social policies that focus on promoting productive employment, decent jobs, strengthening productive capacities and better coping with external shocks”. Faced with protest movements in many parts of the world, which reflect popular discontent over insufficient participatory and inclusive policy approaches, this is an opportune time for policymakers to renew the social contract between the state and citizens, and to reconsider the nature and magnitude of the role of the financial sector in globalisation. Rebalancing the global finance and trading systems to make them work for the poor is part of the challenge”. The MPs concluded that the Doha Development Agenda, which has development as its central principle, is a key part of the solution.
The European Parliament delegation was headed by Pablo Zalba Bidegain (EPP, Spain). (EH/transl.fl)