The World Trade Organisation

Women demonstrating outside WTO meeting, Mexico

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is an international body which negotiates and polices agreements between countries.

There are many problems with the WTO:

• Undemocratic
  Big countries power and wealth means the concerns of smaller nations are pushed aside.

• Sets destructive agenda
  Other trade agreements often use WTO rules as a starting point (eg the EU's EPAs (PDF†)).

• Own judge and jury
  Disputes are judged by a closed internal "court". The cost of raising complaints means developing countries cannot defend themselves.

The WTO now wants to extend its power even further. Current proposals would threaten to:

• Empower big business to control exports in timber and fish
  
• Cause mass unemployment
  
• Deepen poverty in developing countries

Cheerleader UK

The UK is represented in the WTO by the EU. UK Government policy is strongly in favour of "free" trade.

As a leading player in the EU the UK could take a positive lead reshaping global trade.

Time for an alternative approach >

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