Hewitt supports fair trade efforts

Monday, 23 June 2003 12:00 AM

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt has backed the advancement of free trade in an article in the Guardian today.

The Minister supported the cause of the Trade Justice Movement, which is calling for a fairer deal for poorer countries, and acknowledged that existing trade practices and rules do not benefit developing countries.

She criticised protectionism in agriculture, saying that farming subsidies in the OECD make up more wealth than the GDP of sub Saharan Africa, and claimed that the Common Agricultural Policy harms European consumers.

Ms Hewitt noted the slow progress of the current trade round for Doha, but criticised the view that progress will be blocked by a coalition of rich companies and governments.

Calling the Labour Party internationalist, she argued that global institutions could be created to help resolve global inequality, and claimed the Labour Party considers the duty to make the world more fair to be as important as making the UK more equal.

Going further the Minister stated a commitment to prevent any plans that would damage developing countries, and promised to promote fairer trade, even where there is not direct benefit for the UK.

But despite her pleas, the expansion of the European Union, and the World Trade Organisation, as well as the ongoing meetings for the new trade round at Doha, will provide opportunities for protest among those who disagree with Ms Hewitt and believe trade is the cause of the problem.

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