Santo Domingo, September 21st, 2006.
Preamble: Organizations of small agricultural producers, women, business
leaders, academic institutions, youth, national and international NGO´s from the Caribbean region gathered in Santo Domingo for the Fifth round of EPA
negotiations declare the following:
• The model of trade liberalisation, deregulation of capital and erosion of
labour standards has not translated into an improved standard of living
for the people nor has it eliminated poverty, rather it has led to the
weakening of public policies, particularly social policies. We think that
these negotiations are framed in and deepen the same model.
• We consider that the rationale behind these negotiations is based on the
US and European governments´ strategy to push through bilateral and
regional agreements issues that they were not successful in imposing
within the framework of the WTO. Deep liberalisation and inclusion of
issues, which have not been negotiated at a multilateral level, threaten
the policy space the Caribbean countries need in order to promote their
present and future development.
• The existing system of preferences with the EU has contributed to
securing a stable market for ACP countries, but it has favoured the
continuation of a mono-exporting economic model providing raw
materials. This has not contributed to improved living conditions, nor has
it encouraged development and the diversification of production. We are
concerned that the attempt to replace preferential treatment by reciprocal
treatment in the trade negotiations does not take into account the
existing asymmetries and would only result in a more unfavourable deal
for Caribbean countries.
• On the other hand, the elimination of tariffs will lead to reduced fiscal
revenues, thereby weakening states´ capacity to promote social policies
aimed at poverty reduction.
• The implementation of trade liberalisation without resolving the issue of
subsidies for European producers that lead to exports at below cost of
production constitutes a real threat for small producers of dairy and other
sensitive products in the Caribbean. In addition, tariff and non-tariff
barriers to products with greater added value continue to limit access to
European markets of Caribbean products.
• Participation in this process has been limited to a few economically
powerful sectors with access to information and with a capacity to
influence, who are the only ones able to benefit from free markets.
EPA NEGOTIATIONS AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING PROPOSED
SHOULD BE STOPPED.
For these reasons we demand that governments ensure that:
1. Effective compliance with basic human rights should take precedence
over trade aspects in any such negotiations.
2. Investment in improved national productive and infrastructure capacities
become the priority of economic and cooperation policies of the
Caribbean and European Union governments.
3. Caribbean countries have the right and obligation to promote food
sovereignty by protecting agricultural and industrial producers, especially
small producers.
4. Caribbean countries secure public policy space for development,
including market access, government procurement, industrial policy,
services, appropriate regulation of foreign investment and the activities of
trans-national companies.
5. Caribbean regional integration is not subjected to a free-trade agenda.
Integration should become a process that contributes to the development
of local, national and regional markets.
In this context we call upon the different sectors of society to inform themselves and mobilize to stop the negotiations in their present form. At the same time we commit ourselves to work together to formulate alternative proposals and to redirect the course of EU and ACP trade and development relations.