Take TRIPs Out:
Restore National
Patent Protection
Systems
We demand the removal
of the Trade Related
Intellectual Property Rights
Agreement (TRIPs) from the
WTO. There is no basis for
inclusion of intellectual
property claims in a trade
agreement. Additionally,
the TRIPs agreement
promotes monopoly by
transnational corpora-
tions; prevents access to
essential medicines and
other goods; leads to
private appropriation
of knowledge and life
forms; undermines
biodiversity; and keeps
poorer countries
from increasing their
levels of social and
economic welfare
and developing
their technological
capacity. |
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Prioritize
Agreements on
Social Rights and
the Environment
Actions taken to
implement multilateral
agreements dealing
with the environment,
health, development,
human rights, safety,
indigenous peoples’
rights, food security,
women’s rights,
workers’ rights
and animal
welfare cannot
be challenged at
or undermined
by the WTO. |
|
No WTO
Expansion
We reiterate our opp-
osition to continued
attempts to launch a
new round or expand
the WTO by bringing
in new issues such
as investment,
competition,
government
procurement,
biotechnology
and acceler-
ated tariff
liberalization. |
|
Gut GATS:
Protect Basic
Social Services
In particular, areas such as
health, education, energy
and other basic human
services must not be
subject to international
free trade rules. In the
WTO General Agree-
ment on Services
(GATS), the principle
of ‘progressive
liberalization’ and
the implications of
foreign investment
in service sectors
has already led to
severe problems. |
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