EU KEEN TO EXPLOIT POOR

Unable to improve its economic performance internally, the EU is keen to expand its markets in the developing world but doesn't want to draw any negative attention. The following excerpts from an article at euobserver.com leave no doubt about the EU's economic agenda:

A letter leaked to The Guardian newspaper late Wednesday (18 May) has shown that EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson wants to take a tough line on development countries and has berated the UK for being too influenced by NGOs' agendas.

Trade pundits and NGOs are up in arms about the letter.

The letter, by one of Brussels' top trade officials, Peter Carl, says that although the UK "has taken onboard too much" of the agenda promoted by celebrities and development NGOs, the Commission will continue to push for market liberalisation in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific trade group.

The World Trade Organisation has pushed the EU to create "Economic Partnership Agreements" (EPAs) with the ACP countries to continue the special relationship as it considers the current arrangement to be against global trade rules.

The partnership agreements have come under fire by many NGOs and ACP governments, as well as the UK, for requiring too much trade liberalisation too quickly for the weaker economies to be able to handle.

"The European Commission clearly wants to use EPAs as a tool to open markets and further its own interests. This is not good. EPAs in their current form would be detrimental to development," said an Oxfam spokeswoman.

"They are free trade agreements by any other name and are currently designed to get the most for Europe without the necessary consideration of the negative effects on weaker developing country partners", she continued.

The US openly pushes for globalization while the EU does it on the sly. Very slimy stuff.