Declaration:

"We demand that the European Union and the governments of Peru and Colombia stop promoting a split in the Andean Community of Nations (CAN)"

09/12/2008
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We, social movements and civil society organisations of Europe, Latin America and elsewhere in the world, express our profound concern at the decision of the European Commission –- on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its 27 member states, Colombia and Peru, to negotiate bilateral trade agreements, which we fear will prompt a de facto split of the Andean Community (CAN).

The hypocrisy of the European Commission

The European Commission (EC) has failed in its mandate to negotiate on a bloc-to-bloc basis as some Andean countries resisted its extreme neo-liberal framework, outlined in the EC’s trade and investment strategy “Global Europe: Competing in the world.” To conceal its failure, yet still achieve its Global Europe strategy, the EC has decided to pursue the negotiation of bilateral free trade agreements with Colombia and Peru, which it proposes to sign in 2009.

The Commission has declared again and again that the promotion of “regional integration” is one of the priorities of the EU, and that the strengthening and promotion of the Andean integration process was one of the objectives of the so-called Association Agreement with CAN. In deciding instead to pursue bilateral negotiations with Peru and Colombia, the EC’s hypocrisy is exposed. Its stated support for regional integration was useful, only insofar as it facilitates trade and investment liberalisation.

In December 2006, the European Commissioner of International Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, stated: “I want to stress that the aim of this agreement (between the EU and CAN), as well as the spirit of the negotiation to precede it, is and has to be in the interest of both sides. The Association neither makes sense nor has any future if it is created at the expense of one of the sides .” Certainly, the negotiation of the EU-CAN Association Agreement does not make any sense if it has been carried at the expense of CAN integration itself, and in particular at the expense of those countries whose governments, Bolivia and Ecuador, propose a different bi-regional relation with the EU.

Uribe and Garcia: selling out their countries to the European transnationals in detriment of regional integration and against the will of their people

The governments of Colombia and Peru have repeatedly turned their backs on the process of regional integration. Since the signing of free trade agreements with the United States, both Presidents Alvaro Uribe and Alan Garcia have done everything possible to subordinate regional integration priorities to meeting the demands of the super powers. They have opted indeed for a subservient position in the face of neoliberal globalisation and its free trade agreements, and of submissiveness to the interests of transnational corporations.

In the case of the negotiations with the EU, the governments of Colombia and Peru have consistently expressed their preference for bilateral rather than block-to-block negotiations. It is appalling that in the current context of multiple crises affecting the region, which make regional solidarity more important than ever, Colombia and Peru are prepared to pursue their elites’ own self interest, subordinate themselves to the policies of the European Union, and in the process wipe CAN off the map. They are putting Bolivia’s efforts at poverty eradication in dire jeopardy, and are ignoring the will of the people within their own countries, who have strongly objected to the negotiation and signing of a free trade agreement with the European Union.

The agreement between the EU and the Colombian and Peruvian governments to pursue negotiations bilaterally is nefarious in going against the interests of the people of both regions, undermining efforts at a more democratic and people-centred regional integration, and as such constitutes a serious anti-democratic precedent. The EU’s hypocrisy is further underlined by the fact that the EC is choosing to ignore the fact that Colombia is notorious for grave human rights abuses and has the highest rate of assassination of union leaders in the world, and that the Peruvian government pursues continuous repressive policies towards indigenous and other popular movements.

Given the convergence of acute global crises (financial, economic, food, energy and environmental), which can squarely be blamed on irresponsible neo-liberal policies, a radical rethink of the global economic model is more crucial than ever. The positions of Europe, Colombia and Peru do nothing less than condemn ever more people to greater impoverishment.

The European Commission will conclude its mandate in June 2009. This is the opportunity to ensure there is a decisive change in approach. We demand now that the EU abandons its aggressive neo-liberal policies, which sink millions of people deeper into poverty, leading to their jobs being lost and their livelihoods threatened, while their environment and access to public services continue to deteriorate.

Our demands We, the undersigned members of the Hemispheric Social Alliance, the Europe-Latin America and the Caribbean Bi-regional Network ‘Enlazando Alternativas’, and social movements and civil society organisations of Europe, Latin America and the rest of the world:

CONDEMN:

·         The divisive manoeuvring of the European Commission, employing manipulative and strong-armed methods, which will lead to the weakening and eventual disintegration of the Andean Community.

·         The imposition by the EU of neo-liberal strategies of trade and investment deregulation, at any cost

·         The governments of Peru and Colombia, which are willing to sacrifice the future of their people for the benefit of local elites and the European transnationals.

REJECT:

·         The negotiation and signing of a Free Trade Agreement between CAN and the European Union, which is deceptively called an “Association Agreement” and couched in terms of “cooperation” and “political dialogue”.

DEMAND:

·         That the EU stops negotiating Free Trade Agreements on the basis of the EU mandate “Global Europe: Competing in the world” and the rules of the World Trade Organisation.

·         That the EU, Peru and Colombia commit to a complete re-definition of trade policies, such that they give priority to social justice, environmental sustainability, as well as labour and human rights (including those of women) in EU and CAN countries.

·         That the EU, Peru and Colombia grant transparency to trade policy procedures, promoting accountability and democratic scrutiny through parliament and civil society.

·         That the governments of Peru and Colombia respect the agreements reached within CAN and that they immediately return to dialogue within CAN.

·         That the European Union respects the “bloc-to-bloc” negotiations with CAN and that it stops its negotiations of bilateral agreements with Colombia and Peru.

·         That the EU, Peru and Colombia do not destroy one of the oldest regional integration processes on the American continent, that of the Andean Community (CAN), already weakened by the persistence of some governments in pursuing complete liberalisation.

Finally:

·         We call on all the social, political and popular organisations, male and female workers, migrants, indigenous and peasant communities, the women, youth and trade union movements of Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and the world to take a stand and mobilise against the negotiations of Free Trade Agreements with the European Union.

 

5 December 2008

 

 

Signatories:  197 Organizations and 10 parliamentarians from 31 different countries.Regional and International Organizations:

  1. Hemispheric Social Alliance (ASC), Latin America

  2. Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indígenas (CAOI)

  3. FIAN International

  4. EU-ASEAN FTA Campaign Network, ASEAN region

  5. Servicio Paz y Justicia en América Latina (SERPAJ), Latin America

  6.  Friends of the Earth Europe

  7. A SEED Europe

  8.  European Coordination Via Campesina, Europe

  9. Health Action International Europe

  10. Seattle to Brussels Network (S2B), Europe

 

Argentina

  1. Organización Nacional de Pueblos Indígenas de Argentina (ONPIA)

 

Bolivia

  1. Consejo Nacional de Ayllus y Markas del Qullasuyu (CONAMAQ)

  2. Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores y Campesinos de Bolivia (CSUTCB)

  3. Federación Nacional de Mujeres Bartolina Sisa de Bolivia

  4. Central Obrera de Bolivia (COB)

  5. Federación del Trópico de Bolivia

  6. Central Obrera Regional- El Alto

  7. Huelga Mundial de Mujeres

  8. Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia (CSUTCB)

  9. Consejo de Ayllus y Markas del Qollasuyu (CONAMAQ)

  10. Consejo de Pueblos indígenas del Oriente Boliviano (CIDOB)

  11. Asociación de Organizaciones de Productores Ecológicos de Bolivia

  12. Coordinadora de Integración de Organizaciones Económicas Campesinas de Bolivia (CIOEC)

  13. Comité Nacional de Productividad de la Quinua (CONACOPROQ)

  14. Coordinadora de Pueblos Étnicos de Santa Cruz (CPESC)

  15. Confederación de la Micro y Pequeña Industria (CONAMYPE)

  16. Federación Nacional de Trabajadoras del Hogar (FENATRAHOB)

  17. Federación de Campesinos de Cochabamba, Oruro, Chuquisaca y el Sudoeste de Potosí

  18. Federación de Mujeres Campesinas Bartolina Sisa de Cochabamba, El Alto y el Sudoeste de Potosí

  19. Federación de Colonizadores de Bermejo

  20. Federación de Regantes de Cochabamba

  21. Asociación de Regantes de Santa Cruz (ARECRUZ)

  22. APDH Oruro

  23. Colectivo Rebeldía

  24. Centro Integral Juvenil de Llallagua

  25. Red Tinku

  26. Fundación Colonia Piraí

  27. Revista Cuarto Intermedio

  28. CISTEM

  29. Juventud Igualitaria Andrés Ibáñez Plan 3000

  30. Coordinadora de Organizaciones Sociales de Tarija

  31. Cetha Socamani

  32. COMIMA

  33. Café semilla juvenile

  34. La Red de Mujeres Transformando la Economía REMTE

  35. Movimiento Grito de los Excluidos

  36. Movimiento Boliviano por la Soberanía y la Integración Solidaria de los Pueblos contra el TLC y el ALCA

 

Chile

  1. Centro Ecuménico Diego de Medellín

  2. Identidad Territorial Lafkenche

  3. Comité Reencuentro Chileno Boliviano

  4. Comisión Etica Contra la Tortura (CECT)

  5. ATTAC Chile

 

Colombia

  1. Red Colombiana de Acción Frente al Libre Comercio (RECALCA)

  2. La Campaña comercio con Justicia mis derechos no se negocian

  3. Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia (ONIC)

  4. Mesa de Trabajo Mujeres y Economía

  5. Federacion de Areneros y Balasteros del Eje Cafetero

  6. Asociación de Areneros y Balasteros del Alambrado

  7. Asociacion Sindical de Areneros y Balasteros del Quindio

  8. Sindicato de Areneros y Balasteros de Barragan

  9. Sindicato de Areneros y Balasteros de Dosquebradas

  10. Instituto Latinoamericano de Servicios Legales Alternativos (ILSA)

  11. Comite Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos

 

Costa Rica

  1. Comisión Nacional de Enlace (CNE)

  2. Unión Nacional de Productores Agropecuarios de Costarricenses (UNAG)

 

Ecuador

  1. Servicio Paz y Justicia

  2.  Confederación de Pueblos de la Nacionalidad Kichwa del Ecuador (ECUARUNARI)

  3. Unión Nacional de Educadores

  4.  Pachakamak Centro Cultural

  5. Asamblea Popular Parque Italia

  6. Ecuador Decide

 

El Salvador

  1. Red de Accion Ciudadana frente al Libre Comercio, SINTI TECHAN

 

Honduras

  1. Bloque Pupular

 

Mexico

  1. Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC)

  2. Red nacional Género y Economía (REDGE)

  3. Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres

  4. Mujeres para el Dialogo A.C.

  5. Siembra A.C.

  6. Red Jubileo Sur

  7. Movimiento Mexicano de Afectados por las Presas y en Defensa de los Rios

  8. Colectivo Marea Creciente

  9. Otros Mundos Chiapas

  10. Frente Nacional Contra la Represión (FNCR)

  11. Maderas del Pueblo de Sureste, AC

 

Nicaragua

  1. Comunidad Eclesial de Base San Pablo Apóstol

  2. Movimiento Social Nicaraguense Otro Mundo es Posible

  3. Consejo Nacional Indígena MONEXICO


Paraguay

  1.  Frente Social y Popular

  2. Iniciativa Paraguaya de Integraciòn de los Pueblos

 

Peru

  1. Confederación Campesina del Perú (CCP)

  2.  Confederación Nacional Agraria (CNA)

  3. Unión de Nacionalidades Aymaras (UNCA)

  4. Federación de Mujeres de Yauli (FEMUCAY)

  5. Asociación Nacional de Maestros de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural (ANAMEBI)

  6. Consejo de Productores Alpaqueros del Norte de Ayacucho (COPUCNA)

  7. Movimiento Cumbre de los Pueblos del Perú

  8. Sindicato Único de Choferes Cobradores del Perú (SUCHOCOP)

  9. Grupo de Iniciativas Urbanas de Lima

  10. Centro de Asesoria Laboral (CEDAL)

  11. Grupo temático de Migraciones (GTM)

  12. Asociación de Defensa de la Vida (ADEVI)

  13. Grupo Negro Mamaine

  14. Consejo Consultivo Laboral Andino

  15. Instituto Laboral Andino

  16. Programa Democracia y Transformación Global

  17. DEMUS- Estudio para la Defensa y los Derechos de la Mujer

  18. Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres (MMM-Perú)

  19. Alianza Social Continental Capitulo Perú

 

Uruguay

  1. REDES - Amigos de la Tierra

 

Austria

  1. Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence

  2. Attac Austria

  3. Caracol Mundo -eco de latido en solidaridad

  4. IGLA - Informarionsgruppe Lateinamerika (Grupo de Información sobre América Latina

 

Basque Country

  1. Ekologistak Martxan

 

Belgium

  1. UAG - Une Autre Gauche

  2. Comité contre l’impunité en Amérique Latine (CIDAL)

  3. Comité pour le respect des Droits humains "Daniel Gillard"

  4. Collectif "Venezuela 13 Avril"

  5. Comité de Solidadridad con el Pueblo Mapuche (COMABE)

  6. CNCD-11.11.11

  7. KWIA, Grupo flamenco de apoyo para los pueblos indigenas

  8. - CATAPA (Comité Académico Técnico de Asesoramiento a Problemas Ambientales)

 

 Finland

  1. ATTAC

 

Flanders

124. ATTAC FLANDERS

 

France

  1. France Amérique Latine (FAL)

  2. ATTAC Francia

  3. CADTM - Comité pour l’annulation de la dette du tiers monde, Francia/Bélgica

  4. Tribunal International d’Opinion

  5. Colectivo peruanos en Francia-ANPP

  6. Comité Pérou

  7. Universidad Popular Mariátegui –UNIPOMA

  8. AITEC

 

Germany

  1. FDCL - Centro de Investigación y Documentación Chile-América Latina

  2. ILA - Informationsstelle Lateinamerika e.V. Bonn (Centro de Información sobre América Latina – Bonn)

  3. Eine Welt Haus e.V. München

  4. Salva la Selva

  5. Gruppe B.A.S.T.A.

  6. Venezuela Avanza e.V München

  7. Centro humanista de las culturas (Humanistisches Zentrum der Kulturen)

  8. Circulo de amigos de Luz de luna

  9. CAREA e.V. (Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte)

  10. SDAJ (Juventud socialista de Alemania) de Munich

  11. Informationsstelle Peru e.V., Freiburg

  12. Lateinamerika Gruppe Marburg

  13. ATTAC Alemania

 

Ireland

  1. Latin American Solidarity Centre (LASC)

  2. Comhlamh

 

Italy

  1. SdL intercategoriale

  2. Partido de la Refundaciòn Comunista - Izquierda Europea

  3. Transform! Italia

  4. - Asociaciòn A Sud

  5. Colectivo Italia-Centro America (CICA)

  6. Fondazione Neno Zanchetta

 

Portugal

  1. SOS Racismo

  2. Sociofonia.org (Associação para a informação por outros meios)

  3. CIDAC (Centro de Informação e Documentação Anti-Colonial

 

Spain

  1. Ecologistas en Acción

  2. Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización (ODG)

  3. ACSUR Las Segovias

  4. Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Enseñanza de Euskadi STEE—EILAS

  5. Coordinadora de Inmigrantes Málaga

  6. Asociación para la Recuperación de la Memoria Histórica de Mérida y Comarca

  7. Soldepaz.Pachakuti

  8. Educación para la Acción Crítica

  9. Colectivo Sur Cacarica

  10. Comitè de Solidaritat amb els Pobles Indígenes d’Amèrica

  11. Ecuador Llactacaru

  12. Comite Oscar Romero de Madrid

  13. Asociacion de Solidaridad con Colombia"Katio"

  14.  Comunidades Cristianas Populares

  15. Omal - Paz con Dignidad

  16. Red de Semillas "Resembrando e Intercambiando"

  17. Plataforma de Solidaridad con Chiapas, Oaxaca y Guatemala de Madrid

  18. Centro de Documentación y Solidaridad con América Latina y África (CEDSALA)

  19. ATTAC España

  20. Grupo Antimilitarista de Bilbao

  21. Plataforma Rural

  22. SETEM

  23. AlterNativa Intercambio con Pueblos Indígenas

  24. Izquierda Unida España

 

The Netherlands

  1. Transnational Institute (TNI)

  2. Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)

  3. XminusY Solidarity Fund

 

Sweden

  1. Solidaridad Suecia América Latina-SAL

  2. Grupo de Apoyo a Bolivia GAB

  3. Coordinadora del Consejo Pro Bolivia en Escandinavia

  4.  Comité de Apoyo a Bolivia de Malmö

  5. Asociación Cultural Sueco Salvadoreña de Gotemburgo

 

Switzerland

  1. Grupo de Trabajo Suiza-Colombia (Arbeitsgruppe Schweiz-Kolumbien ask)

 

United Kingdom

  1. World Development Movement

  2. Colombia Solidarity Campaign

 

Nigeria

  1. Réseau National Dette et Développement (RNDD)

  2. Human Rights Defenders Network (HURIDEN

 

South Africa

  1. South Durban Community Environmental (SDCEA)

 

Philippines

  1. SANLAKAS

  2. Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

  3. Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA) or Union of Agricultural Workers

 

PARLAMENTARIES

  1. Willy Meyer-Pleite, European parliamentarian for GUE/NGL, Vice-president of the Biregional parliamentary Assembly EUROLAT, Spain

  2. Helmuth Markov, Member of the European Parliament GUE/NGL, president of the Trade Commission, Germany

  3. Mikel Irujo Amezaga, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/ALE, Spain

  4. Jens Holm, Member of the European Parliament,GUE/NGL and Member of the International Trade Committee (INTA), Sweden

  5. Charles Santiago, Member of Parliament, Malaysia.

  6. Heike Hänsel, Member of the German Bundestag und development policy spokeswoman of the LEFT PARTY parliamentary group

  7. Gabriele Zimmer, Member of the European Parliament GUE/ NGL, Germany

  8. Alain Lipietz, Member of the European Parliament Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, France

  9. Raul Romeva, member of the European Parliament Greens/EFA, Spain

  10. Ms. Ulrike Lunacek, Member of Parliament in Austria

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