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<div class="moz-forward-container">An important civil society
initiative that is doing the rounds. Also enclosed two documents
on Information Technology Agreement (ITA) - 2 .....<br>
<br>
This shows that there is more to globalisation and people's rights
and livelihoods than what normally appears to the starry eyed
Internet-ists. Integration may generally be good, however,
integration on what and whose terms is always the key question....
And that is the democratic global governance question, that many
in the IG space want to bypass in preference to a kind of techno
determinism, ..<br>
<br>
Also gives a pointer to civil society's role. I dont say that
trade protectionism is necessarily good, in all situations and at
all times.... But quite often trade agreements have very strong
impact on people's livelihoods and other rights... Those global
companies who would like to promote unrestrained global trade have
their interests already well represented. The question is, who
will represent the interests of the ordinary people, those who
cant be present in the global policy spaces.... That role falls to
civil society. And it is easy to see that although not always,
quite (very?) often these interests may not be the same as that of
the big business. This is the reason for civil society to keep a
respectful distance from big business lobbyists, at least in its
internal working. <br>
<br>
parminder <br>
<br>
-------- Original Message --------
<table class="moz-email-headers-table" border="0" cellpadding="0"
cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject:
</th>
<td>{Forum Against FTAs} Request for your endorsement
against FTA - "Information Technology Agreement"</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Fri, 20 Sep 2013 12:02:11 +0530</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Mani Candan <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:manicandan@gmail.com"><manicandan@gmail.com></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:forum-against-ftas@googlegroups.com">forum-against-ftas@googlegroups.com</a>,
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:peoplesaarc@yahoogroups.com">peoplesaarc@yahoogroups.com</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<br>
<div dir="ltr">Dear All
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Please sign on to this important letter on proposed WTO
agreement on Information Technology Goods. For details see the
message below. Thank you.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Regards</div>
<div>G.Manicandan</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br clear="all">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Deborah
James</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:djames@cepr.net">djames@cepr.net</a>></span><br>
Date: Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 5:23 AM<br>
Subject: Re: Request for your endorsement against FTA -
"Information Technology Agreement"<br>
To: Deborah James <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:djames@cepr.net">djames@cepr.net</a>><br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="HOEnZb">
<div class="h5">
<div
style="font-size:14px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;word-wrap:break-word">
<div>Dear Friends, </div>
<span>
<div style="font-size:14px;word-wrap:break-word"><span>
<div style="font-size:14px;word-wrap:break-word">
<span>
<div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div><font face="Calibri,sans-serif">Please
see this note below – requesting end</font>orsements
for an important letter by our friends
at ITUC (developed together with OWINFS)
against yet another proposed FTA in the
WTO – this time on "Information
Technology Goods" aka "kiss your infant
industry and jobs creation programs
goodbye!" Please send organizational
endorsement with country to Georgios
Altintzis at <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org"
target="_blank">georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org</a> by
September 23rd. We really need to make a
strong showing to governments on this
one soon! It has been endorsed by <span
style="text-align:justify">IndustriALL, </span><span
style="text-align:justify">International
Trade
Union Confederation (ITUC), the </span><span
style="text-align:justify">Arab NGO
Network for Development
(ANND), </span><span
style="text-align:justify">UNI Global
Union, </span><span
style="text-align:justify">International
Union
of Food workers (IUF-UITA-IUL), and
more (see attached) but now we need
YOU! </span></div>
</div>
</span></div>
</span>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thank you! </div>
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">
<div
style="font-size:14px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;word-wrap:break-word">
<div><br>
</div>
<span>
<div
style="word-wrap:break-word;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">
<div>- Deborah, Our World Is Not for Sale
(OWINFS)</div>
<span style="font-size:14px">
<div>
<div link="blue" vlink="purple"
lang="EN-GB">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d">------------------------------------------</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Dear colleagues,</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Estimados compañeros
y compañeras, (español abajo)</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE">Chers/chères
camarades, (français
ci-dessous)</span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE"> </span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d">With
very little public knowledge,
governments are negotiating to
expand the Information
Technology Agreement (ITA) of
the WTO, which commits
countries to assess zero
tariffs on myriad manufactured
products. We are writing to
express our deep concern
because ITA-II will reduce
policy space for governments
to protect infant industries
and jobs, and is not a
solution to the global jobs
crisis. In light of the
stagnation of the Doha Round
in the WTO, developed
countries are seeking to
achieve their agenda (getting
new market access for their
corporations) without having
to make concessions to
developing countries that
would make the global trading
system more fair.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="color:#1f497d">Join
our sign-on letter</span></b><span
style="color:#1f497d"> to
governments that participate
in the expansion of the
ITA-II, urging them to be
cautious and prudent when
negotiating on issues that
concern industrial
development, policy space,
technology transfer, technical
standards, market access and
security.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d">The
sign-on was developed with Our
World Is Not For Sale Network
(OWINFS), the International
Trade Union Confederation
(ITUC), the Global Union
‘IndustriALL’ and the Arab NGO
Network for Development
(ANND). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="color:#1f497d">Please
send your organisational
endorsement</span></b><span
style="color:#1f497d">, with
country (or countries) of your
group, to Georgios Altintzis
at </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org"
target="_blank">georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org</a><span
style="color:#1f497d">. The
deadline for signing on the
letter is September 23, so
that it can be delivered
before the next round of
negotiations. The attached
letters are in English,
Arabic, Spanish, and French
versions; we urge you to share
this call with your networks,
especially as we are on a
tight deadline.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d">All the
best,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d">Saludos
solidarios,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Meilleures
salutations</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Yorgos Altintzis,
International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC)</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES"> </span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">-------------------</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
lang="ES"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Sin apenas informar
a la opinión pública, los
gobiernos están negociando la
ampliación del Acuerdo sobre
Tecnología de la Información
(ATI) de la OMC, que
comprometería a los países a
aplicar derechos arancelarios
nulos a una gran cantidad de
productos manufacturados. Nos
expresamos nuestra seria
preocupación, en particular,
porque ATI-II reducirá el
espacio político de que
disponen los gobiernos para
proteger sus industrias
nacientes y empleos, y no
ofrece una solución a la
crisis mundial del empleo.
Ante el estancamiento de la
Ronda de Doha en la OMC, los
países desarrollados están
buscando la manera de hacer
avanzar sus intereses (tener
acceso a nuevos mercados para
sus empresas), sin tener que
hacer concesiones a los países
en desarrollo, concesiones que
harían que el sistema mundial
del comercio fuera más justo.
</span><span lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
lang="ES"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><b><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Añadan su firma a
una carta </span></b><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">que dirigiremos a
los gobiernos que participan
en la ampliación del ATI-II,
instándolos a actuar con la
máxima prudencia al negociar
sobre cuestiones relativas al
desarrollo industrial, espacio
político, transferencia de
tecnología, normas técnicas,
acceso a los mercados y
seguridad.</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric">
<span lang="ES"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Esta carta fue
elaborada conjuntamente por la
Red ‘Nuestro Mundo No Está en
Venta’, la Confederación
Sindical Internacional (CSI),
el Sindicato Mundial
‘IndustriALL’ y la Red de ONG
Árabes para el Desarrollo
(ANND).
</span><span lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
lang="ES"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">Les rogamos
confirmen el apoyo de su
organización</span></b><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">, mencionando el
país (o países) de su grupo a
Georgios Altintzis (</span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org"
target="_blank"><span
lang="ES">georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org</span></a><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="ES">). El plazo para
enviar la carta firmada es el
23 de septiembre, a fin de que
pueda entregarse antes de la
próxima ronda de
negociaciones. Les enviamos
en anexo las cartas en ingles,
árabe, español y francés.
Asimismo les rogamos que
difundan este llamado entre
todas sus redes rápidamente,
ya que el tiempo apremia.</span><span
lang="ES"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
lang="ES"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE">------------------</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-align:justify"><span
lang="FR-BE"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE">N’informant pas
le publique, les gouvernements
négocient l’élargissement de
l’Accord sur les technologies
de l’information (ATI) de
l’OMC, qui engagerait les pays
à ramener à zéro les droits de
douane pour la fabrication
d’une multitude de produits.
Nous vous faisons part de
notre vive inquiétude,
notamment parce que l’Accord
réduira l’espace politique
dont disposent les
gouvernements pour protéger
leurs industries naissantes et
les emplois et qu’il n’offre
pas de solution à la crise de
l’emploi mondiale. Compte tenu
de la stagnation du cycle de
Doha à l’OMC, les pays
développés cherchent à
réaliser leur programme
(obtenir un accès à des
nouveaux marchés pour leurs
entreprises) sans devoir faire
de concessions aux pays en
développement, qui rendraient
le système mondial du commerce
plus équitable.</span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE"> </span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE">Nous vous
invitons <b>à signer la
lettre</b> que nous
adresserons aux gouvernements
participant à l’élargissement
de l’ATI, les exhortant à agir
avec prudence et précaution
dans le cadre de la
négociation des questions
concernant le développement
industriel, l’espace
politique, le transfert de
technologie, les normes
techniques, l’accès aux
marchés et la sécurité.</span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric">
<span style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE"> </span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE">Cette lettre a
été élaborée conjointement
avec le réseau « Notre monde
n’est pas à vendre » (OWINFS),
la Confédération syndicale
internationale (CSI), la
fédération syndicale
internationale IndustriALL et
le Réseau d’ONG arabes pour le
développement (ANND).</span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE"> </span><span
lang="FR-BE"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-autospace:ideograph-numeric"><span
style="color:#1f497d"
lang="FR-BE">Nous vous prions
de bien vouloir confirmer le
soutien de votre organisation,
en indiquant le pays (ou les
pays) de votre groupe à
Georgios Altintzis</span><span
lang="FR-BE"> (</span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org"
target="_blank"><span
lang="FR-BE">georgios.altintzis@ituc-csi.org</span></a><span
lang="FR-BE">).
<span style="color:#1f497d">Le
délai pour envoyer la lettre
signée est le 23 septembre,
afin qu’elle puisse être
remise avant le prochain
cycle de négociations. Nous
vous annexons la lettre en
anglais, en arabe, en
espagnol et en français.
Nous vous exhortons
également à diffuser
rapidement cet appel à vos
réseaux, compte tenu du très
court délai.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></div>
</span>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:'Arial
Narrow',sans-serif" lang="EN-US">Yorgos
Altintzís</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:'Arial
Narrow',sans-serif" lang="EN-US">Economic
& Social Policy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:'Arial
Narrow',sans-serif;color:rgb(148,54,52)"
lang="EN-US">ITUC </span><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:'Arial
Narrow',sans-serif;color:rgb(227,108,10)" lang="EN-US">International
Trade Union Confederation</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:'Arial
Narrow',sans-serif;color:rgb(148,54,52)"
lang="EN-US">ΔΣΣ</span><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:'Arial
Narrow',sans-serif;color:rgb(227,108,10)" lang="EN-US"> Διεθνής
Συνομοσπονδία Συνδικάτων</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div
style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium">
<div>-- </div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div
style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium">
<div>Deborah James</div>
<div>Our World Is Not For Sale
(OWINFS) network</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Director of International
Programs</div>
<div>Center for Economic and Policy
Research</div>
<div>1611 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite
400 Washington DC 20009</div>
<div>+1.202.293.5380 x111</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:djames@cepr.net"
target="_blank">djames@cepr.net</a></div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.cepr.net"
target="_blank">www.cepr.net</a></div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas"><br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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