arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

QUESTIONS TO THE WTO

One-day training workshop and debate organised by

the Group of the Greens at the European Parliament, the Belgian Ecolo party and the Research, Training and Information Unit on Globalisation (URFIG)

With only sixty days to go before the ministerial conference of the WTO, the objective of the workshop is to provide national and European parliamentarians as well as managers and militant ecologists with an update on three important subjects concerning globalisation. The meeting will be open to the public. The press will be informed. A French-English translation will be available.

Schedule:

8h30: Arrival

9h00: Introduction by E. FRASSONI European Depututy and Brigitte ERNST, federal secretary of Ecolo

9h15: The WTO, history (the GATT, the ‘rounds', the Uruguay Round), analysis from a United Nations' standpoint, the structure of the institution, its operations, the agreements managed by the WTO, by Raoul Marc JENNAR, Oxfam Solidarity-URFIG

9h30: The General Agreement on Trade in Services, an instrument used to dismantle rights, by Agnès BERTRAND, Observatoire de la Mondialisation & Laurence KALAFATIDES, Institut pour la Relocalisation de l'Economie (France)

10h30: Discussion

11h00: The Agricultural Agreement: is the WTO competent ? by Aileen KWA, Focus on Global South (Geneva-Bangkok)

11h40: Discussion

12h00: The NGO reasons to oppose a new round, by a representative of Oxfam Solidarity (Raoul Marc Jennar), a representative of Friends of the Earth-Europe (Alexandra Wandel) and a representative of Via Campesina (Nico Verhaegen)

12h30: Discussion

13h15: Closing address by Paul LANNOYE, European Deputy

At the European Parliament
A. Spinelli building, Room 1G2, Wiertz Str. 1047 Brussels
on Friday 14 September

For further information and applications, please contact:
Groupe de Verts: Alain Leens, tel.: 0478 60 23 16
Ecolo: Jean-François Ramquet, tel.: 0478 41 02 62
URFIG: Raoul Marc Jennar, tel.: 0478 91 38 12