NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #30/NN_1992_30.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9402

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From: Kai Mander <[e-mail]>
Subject: TRADE.NEWS 12-16-92
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TRADE NEWS BULLETIN  Volume I  Number 212
Wednesday, December 16, 1992
_________________________________________________________
NAFTA News Summary
_________________________________________________________
NAFTA FACES TOUGH BATTLE IN CANADA

Because the political parties of Canadian Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari hold
majorities in their legislatures, opponents of the North American Free
Trade Agreement long have expected the United States Congress to
provide the best opportunity to defeat the trade pact.  But a recent
article in the JOURNAL OF COMMERCE suggests the Canadian
government may face a tough battle in getting a speedy approval of
NAFTA.

Organizations such as the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the
Canadian Labor Congress and the Pro-Canada Network are hard at
work trying to convince a Canadian public unhappy with the 1989
Canada- U.S. Free Trade Agreement that NAFTA will be no better for
Canada.  Polls reveal the Canadian public is already strongly against
to the North American deal.

The New Democratic Party (NDP) has also taken a strong stance
against the accord.  Earlier this month, NDP house leader Nelson Riis
said NAFTA could put control of Canada's water supply in jeopardy if
either the United States or Mexico need water in the future.  Riis
called for a special accord to protect Canada's water, but Trade
Minister Michael Wilson rejected the idea and said NAFTA does not
threaten Canada' s water supply.

Source:  Peter Morton, "NAFTA Expected to Survive Canadian
Politics," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, December 14, 1992, p. 12A; "Trade
Pact Doesn't Threaten Canada's Water, Wilson Says," TORONTO STAR,
December 2, 1992.
_________________________________________________________
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND YOUTH NETWORK OPPOSES NAFTA

U.S., Canadian and Mexican students and youth expressed their
opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement during an
international student conference in Guadalajara, Mexico last month.
In a joint statement, the students said NAFTA threatens sustainable
environmental practices, women's rights, fair labor practices and
human rights.  NAFTA would "subordinate all social, ecological, and
moral responsibilities to unfettered freedom of corporations and
governments controlled by the Northern industrialized elite," the
statement said.

J Burger, director of the International Student Trade and
Environment Program and one of the sponsors of the conference, said
the purpose of the gathering was to bring together student
organizations from Mexico, Canada and the United States in order to
develop a common position on NAFTA.  "The new emerging economic
order of which NAFTA is a component would undermine the
democratic rights of young people and further efforts toward
privatize education," said Burger.  "We need to work together oppose
this agreement."

Source: Declaration of Opposition to the NAFTA by the United States
Delegation to the Tri-Country-Many Nation Youth and Student
Meeting.  Guadalajara, Mexico.  November 28-30, 1992.
_________________________________________________________
GATT News Summary
_________________________________________________________
EC FARM MINISTERS MEET FOR SECOND DAY

European Community farm ministers Tuesday approved the formal
resumption of GATT talks despite strong resistance from France.  In
reiterating the call by EC leaders at last weekend's Edinburgh summit
for an "early, comprehensive and balanced"  deal, the commission is
expected now to submit schedules to GATT detailing exactly how it
will implement farm subsidy cuts agreed with the United States.

France again insisted the agriculture pact goes beyond the reforms to
the EC's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) established last May.  "All
except British expressed concern about the deal," French Farm
Minister Jean-Pierre Soisson said.

In an attempt to reach a settlement on outstanding issues, the
European Commission was expected last night to circulate a
compromise proposal.  The compromise was said to include:
Introduction of tariffs on Central American bananas above a fixed
quota -- compatible with GATT requirements -- but at a level high
enough to protect EC and Caribbean producers; Maintenance, for a
limited period, of protection for farmers against currency
fluctuations; Phasing out of transitional protective measures agreed
for Portugal and Spain when they entered the EC in 1986; Higher
payments to small French beef and durum wheat producers; and
Raising Italy's milk quota.  London's FINANCIAL TIMES said the
compromise could dim opposition to GATT.

Source: "EC to Push on with GATT Talks Despite French," REUTER,
December 15, 1992; David Gardner, "France Keeps Up War Against
US-EC Deal," FINANCIAL TIMES, December 16, 1992, p. 28.
_________________________________________________________
US-EC TEXTILE INDUSTRIES URGE CHANGES IN GATT

U.S. and European textile leaders Monday expressed strong concerns
about the Uruguay Round of GATT, and encouraged their
governments "not to rush to a quick and crippling conclusion" in the
talks.

In a joint news conference, the American Textile Manufacturers
Association (ATMI) and the European Community's COMITEXTIL,
which together employ approximately five million people, criticized
the draft textile pact for failing to require developing nations to open
their markets and stop discriminatory export practices.

The industries also criticized the draft's elimination of the Multifiber
Arrangement covering trade in textiles and apparel.  ATMI President
M.L. Cates, Jr. said this would lead to a loss of two million European
and American jobs over the next decade.

The representatives released an eight-point statement of principles
to guide international trade in textiles and apparel.  The statement
called for reciprocity in opening textile and apparel markets, more
vigorous enforcement of antidumping and antisubsidy rules, and
commitments to human rights protection and environmental
preservation.

Source: TEXTILE NEWS/INFORMATION, American Textile
Manufacturers Institute, December 14, 1992; "The Effect of the
Proposed Uruguay Round Trade Agreement on U.S. Textile Imports,"
BOGLE AND GATES LAW OFFICES; Richard Lawrence, "US, European
Textile Leaders Urge New Trade Talk Goals," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE,
December 15, 1992, p. 3A; "U.S., Europe Urge Tough Global Textile
Trade Pact," December 14, 1992.
_________________________________________________________
Resources:

TRANSITION PROBLEMS IN ECONOMIC REFORM: AGRICULTURE IN THE
MEXICO-US FREE TRADE AGREEMENT by Santiago Levy and Sweder
van Wijnbergen.  World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 967,
World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20433, August
1992.
_________________________________________________________
Other On-line Conferences:

trade.strategy - a discussion of trade issues
trade.library - a repository of trade information
eai.news - a news summary of Latin American trade topics
susag.news - a news summary of sustainable agriculture issues

Produced by:
Kai Mander
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
1313 Fifth Street SE, Suite #303
Minneapolis, MN 55414-1546 USA

Telephone:[phone] Fax:[phone]
E-Mail:[e-mail]
_________________________________________________________