TAKE ACTION: Stop EPAs Day 27 September 2008
Camila Clementino Lamarão
From: Marc Maes <Marc...@11.be>
Date: 2008/7/4
Subject: [stop-epas-soc-mouv] TAKE ACTION: Stop EPAs Day 27 September 2008
To: "stop-epas...@listen.attac.de" <stop-epas...@listen.attac.de>
23 september : European Stop EPAs Action in Strasbourg in front of the European Parliament
23-27 september : National Stop EPAs Activities
ACP representatives to gaherings in Anecy and ESF invited to join the 23 September action in Strasbourg
Dear all,
Since 2004 every 27 September, the anniversary of the launch of the EPA negotiations), is Stop EPAs Day.
This year EPA actions remain as necessary as ever as the EU is still pushing to make ACP countries accept their trade liberalisation recipe. All ACP regions have accepted to continue to negotiate, but it is not to be taken fro granted that they are willing to accept the EU EPA package. European civil society must continue to denounce the EU approaches and continue to create space for alternatives.
Focus on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)
European organisations campaigning on EPAs met in Amsterdam on 16-17 June to examine what actions they could underake in the second half of 2008 and around Stop EPAs Day in particular.
Since the CARIFORUM EPA will be signed on 23 July and the interim EPAs may follow after summer, the European Parliament will be invited to give its assent (= to ratify). Therefore we decided to focus on the European Parliament and its Members (MEPs).
Since 27 September is a Saturday and the MEPS will not be in Brussels the week before and after, we decided to organise a demonstration/media stunt in Strasbourg where the European Parliament Plenary will be in session in the week before 27 September. This action will take place on Tuesday 23 September. We will invite representatives from ACP civil society organisations to join us in Strasbourg and then, if possible to follow us to our capitals for national actions towards national MEPs.
This would mean that ACP representatives who are invited to come to Europe the weekend and week before for the ESF in Sweden or the Farmers meeting in France, could be invited to join us in Strasbourg as well. (The European Social Forum will take place in Malmö in Sweden from 18 to 21 September. The Farmers meeting will take place during the weekend of 20-21 September in Anecy in France. This is a alternative gathering preceding the EU informal Agricultural Council where the reform of the European Common Agricultural policy will be discussed).
Focus on the French Presidency of the European Union
The French government had foreseen nothing about EPAs for its presidency of the EU, untill Christiane Taubira, member of the French Parliament form Guyana, raised the issue with the French government. She was promptly invited to draft a report on the EPAs to guide the French Presidency position. The report was delivered two weeks ago. An official response has not yet been delivered. Once the offical French position is known, we will prepare an appropiate reaction.
More information will follow later. But please already mark Stop EPAs Day in your agendas and make preparations for national EPA activities.
In August the African Trade Network will hold its strategy meeting. We are looking forward to hear about their plans and to join forces again.
Best wishes,
Marc
Marc Maes
Trade Policy Officer
Policy Dpt
Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement-11.11.11.
Vlasfabriekstraat 11
B-1060 Brussels
Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 536 11 36
Fax.: +32 2 536 19 06
Mobile: +32 497 600 442
E-mail: marc...@11.be
Website: www.11.be
Website on EU-ACP trade negotiations: www.epawatch.net
______________________________________
Koepel van de Vlaamse Noord-Zuid Beweging.
Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement
Coalition du mouvement nord-sud en Flandre
Coalicion Flamenca para la cooperacion Norte-Sur
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