Statement of social movements and civil society organisations regarding the proposals of the I Ministerial Conference of Latin American States affected by the interests of transnationals.
As social movements and civil society organisations, we consider International Investment Agreements (IIAs) – such as the Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and investment chapters in the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and other similar, so called, Association Agreements – to be part of an architecture of impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs). As such they undermine peoples’ and nature’s rights, as well as the sovereignty and constitutions of nations, democracy and the public interest. These agreements further consolidate the asymmetry of laws that propagate that the rights and power of corporations are protected by ‘hard law’ and are above the rights of peoples and communities. We believe that Nation-states should have not only the obligation but also the full freedom to implement laws and policies in favour of the people and the environment, without the threat of being sued by transnational capital. For this reason, for many years, we have been promoting and we are part of active national, regional and international campaigns like the struggles against the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), the FTAA, the WTO, and later the struggles against BITs and FTAs from the European Union, the United States and Canada with developing countries; the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP); and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). We also form part of the continental campaign against BITs and for a new regional financial architecture, and the Global Campaign Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity, among others.
In this regard, we propose advancing an alternative legal framework for international economic relations that is based on democratic principles of solidarity and justice, and prioritises the rights of humans and nature over private interests and profits. This framework should include binding obligations for private and public transnational corporations on issues of human rights, as well as economic, labour, social rights, and respect for mother nature. It should also guarantee governments’ possibility to enact public policy for the realisation of these rights. In this context, any investment agreement should also include a mechanism for public participation and democratic discussion with representatives of the relevant social sectors.
Therefore, we, the undersigned organisations:
1) Express our solidarity with the people who suffer daily the impacts and consequences of the actions of corporations, either private or public. We also recognize the efforts of people and governments that have undertaken specific actions to prevent harmful corporate investments and ensure that sovereignty, self-determination and the rights of peoples and nature are respected.
2) Reject the demands of investors and transnational corporations in international tribunals, and particularly the billionaires’ arbitration awards against States. These tribunals that overwhelmingly represent the interests of transnational capital over the interests of people from sued countries. We reiterate our solidarity with the people and countries affected, along with our demand that States annul, denounce and stop signing the various agreements and treaties that unlawfully subjected them to foreign jurisdictions and violate rights.
3) In the same spirit, we welcome the organisation of the First Ministerial Conference of Latin American States affected by transnational interests, held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on 22 Aprill. We remain hopeful that this initiative flourishes, especially because of the urgent need to put an end to transnational investments from private or public capital that do not contribute to the good living of people and of nature.
4) Taking note of the various proposals included in the final declaration of the Conference, we support the creation of an International Observatory on investment disputes, the establishment of the Permanent Conference of Latin American States affected by the interests of transnational corporations; and the search of global agreements between countries of the South that reinforces the defense of our people and countries against the actions of transnational corporations. We are committed to contribute timely to these processes with our experience, observations and recommendations. We will remain vigilant to make this happen, with the hope that this initiative is not limited to private transnational corporations but also covers state corporations as well as a comprehensive mechanism for repairing the impacts on people and nature.
5) Taking note that the Declaration refers to the need to create mechanisms for ongoing dialogue with social movements and organisations. We believe that such mechanisms could be a step conducive to the creation and consolidation of a process of direct participation of the people and movements. We offer the knowledge and experience of our organizations and movements, accumulated over decades of work, to contribute to the task at hand. We are ready to start a dialogue to discuss the way forward in making concrete these mechanisms.
6) In the same context of dialogue and in order to have meaningful participation, we specifically request information regarding some of the regional proposals that are moving forward, such as the regional mechanism for the settlement of investor-State disputes currently under negotiation in UNASUR.
21 of May 2013
Red Latinoamericana sobre Deuda, Desarrollo y Derechos (LATINDADD) - Costa Rica
Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) - Philippines
Thiird World Network- Malaysia
Friends of the Earth, Malaysia- Malaysia
Consumers Association of Penang- Malaysia
ASC - Alianza Social Continental- Américas (articulación continental)
Instituto EQUIT - Brasil
REDES-Amigos de la Tierra (FoE) Uruguay
Fundación Solon- Bolivia
Otros Mundos AC/Chiapas- México
Democracy Center- Bolivia&USA
Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)- Belgium
Ecologistas en Acción- Spain
EU-ASEAN FTA network- South East Asia
ATTAC-Argentina- Argentina
Polaris Institute- Canada
Environmental Rights Action (ERA)-FoE Nigeria
Friends of the Earth (FoE) Ghana
Transnational Institute (TNI)- The Netherlands
PROGRAMA DE INCIDENCIA SOBRE DEUDA ILEGÍTIMA Y JUSTICIA ECOLÓGICA DE LA FEDERACIÓN LUTERANA MUNDIAL- ARGENTINA
SOMO- Netherlands
Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización- Estado español
Nou Sud- España
Jubileo Sur/Américas
Diálogo 2000- Argentina
Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo (PIDHDD)- Ecuador
Hegoa Instituo de Estudios sobre Desarrollo y Cooperación Internacional- Estado Español
Council of Canadians- Canada
International Forum on Globalization- United States
Itsourfuture- New Zealand
Center for Encounters and Active Non-Violence- Austria
CADTM - AYNA - América Latina y Caribe
Unión Universal Desarrollo Solidario- España
PAPDA- Haiti
PARTIDO DE LA REFUNDACION COMUNISTA- ITALIA
Focus on the Global South- Philippines
SAL/Latinamerikagrupperna- Sweden
Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non Governmental Organizations (FITUN) - Trinidad and Tobago
Yuen- Philippines
Africa Contact- Denmark
Attac Norway- Norway
Southern and Eastern Africa Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute ( SEATINI)- Uganda
Pachakuti- españa
ENTREPUEBLOS- ESTADO ESPAÑOL
Asamblea por la Paz de Siero- asturies
Grupo Género y Economía-Marcha Mundial de Mujeres/Perú- Perú
HammerTime! Projects- United States of America
UNIÓN UNIVERSAL DESARROLLO SOLIDARIO- ESPAÑA
CRISTIANOS POR EL SOCIALISMO- SPAÑA
Labour, Health and Human Rights Development Center- Nigeria
Cristianas y Cristianos de Base de Madrid- España
Mémoire des luttes- France
Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio- México
Friends of the Earth, US- United States
(JA!Justiça Ambiental/FOEMozambique- Mozambique
Bia´lii, Asesoría e Investigación, A.C.- México
COMITÉ OSCAR ROMERO DE MADRID- España
Global Exchange- USA
UNIDAD ECOLOGICA SALVADOREÑA- EL SALVADOR
Campaña Mesoamericana Para la Justicia Climatica- EL SALVADOR
Resistance and Alternatives to Globalization (RAG)- Indonesia
Alianza Mexicana por la Autodeterminación de los Pueblos- México
FOCO Foro Ciudadano de Participación por la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos- Argentina
Seattle to Brussels Network- Europe
Institute for Global Justice- Indonesia
Focus on the Global South- Thailand/Philippines/India
Spire- Norway
ASIAN PEASANT COALITION (APC)- Asia
KILUSANG MAGBUBUKID NG PILIPINAS or PEASANT MOVEMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES (KMP)- PHILIPPINES
groundWork-FoE South Africa- South Africa
War on Want- United Kingdom
CERAI- España
Forschungs- und Dokumentationszentrum Chile-Lateinamerika e.V., FDCL - Germany
La Via Campesina- Indonesia
Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project- Estados Unidos
Global Trade Watch- United States
Both ENDS- Netherlands
Bia´lii, Asesoría e investigación, A.C - México
Common Frontiers - CANADA
IBON International- Philippines
CESTA, Amigos de la Tierra El Salvador
ATTAC-Québec- Canada
Centro de la Mujer Panameña (CEMP)- Panamá
Red de colectivos La Araña Feminista- Venezuela
Worldview-The Gambia- Gambia
Plataforma Rural - Alianza por un Mundo Rural Vivo- España
COECOCeiba AT- Costa Rica
CEIBA- Guatemala
Movement for National Democracy ( KILUSAN )- Philippines
France Amérique Latine- France
Amigu di Tera (Friends of the Earth Curaçao)
Coordinadora Un Altre Món És Possible- Estat espanyol
Instituto del Tercer Mundo- Uruguay
Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe (ATALC)- América Latina
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) - Amigos de la Tierra Internacional
Ong AFRICANDO- España
PANGISDA-Pilipinas- Philippines
ABIA (Asociación Brasileña Interdisciplinaria de la SIDA)- Brasil
Kilusang Maralita sa Kanayunan (KILOS KA)- Philippines
Norwegian Trade Campaign
Comite Noruego de Solidaridad con America Latina- Noruega