Brussels, 22/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - A delegation of the members of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group is in Porto Alegre for the third World Parliamentary Forum which opened on 22 January. The MEPs taking part are the Group's co-president, Monica Frassoni, Danielle Auroi, Theo Bouwman, Jill Evans, Alain Lipietz and Camilo Nogueira. (See EUROPE of 21 January, p.17, on the subject of the delegation from the United Left/European Greens Left Group, which went to Porto Alegre).
Before leaving, Monica Frassoni said "this time we need to go one step forward. (…) Proposals such as the Tobin tax must be put into life. (…) Parliamentarians close to the movements must develop a strategy and forge alliances".
The MEP elected in Belgium stresses, moreover, that: "Porto Alegre is also an important phase in the preparation for the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico".
Ms Frassoni said: "We want to make sure that ecological and social criteria are given due consideration and to explore ways how trade can be a means for achieving sustainable and democratic development".