Charly in Poros

;-)

Poros white & blue

Greece, typically!

ESF news: S2B activities and campaigners in Athens

The Seattle to Brussels Network
at the 4th European Social Forum, Athens

4-6 May 2006


http://athens.fse-esf.org


The Seattle to Brussels (S2B) Network is a pan-European network campaigning to promote a sustainable, socially and democratically accountable system of trade. Our network includes development, environment, human rights, women's and farmers organisations, trade unions, social movements as well as research institutes. The S2B network was formed in the aftermath of the WTO's 1999 Seattle Ministerial to challenge the corporate-driven agenda of the European Union and other European governments for continued global trade and investment liberalisation. It has also developed as a response to the increasing need for European coordination among NGOs and in solidarity with Southern civil society groups.

Active groups in the Network are all supporters of the 'Our World Is Not For Sale: WTO Shrink or Sink' Statement (http://www.ourworldisnotforsale.org). In this statement groups demand to roll back the power and authority of the WTO and to develop a sustainable, socially and democratically accountable trade system.


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SEMINARS


“Free Trade": A recipe for mass unemployment and the degradation of worker's rights


Outline:
When the world's trade ministers put their signatures to the founding document of the WTO in April 1994 in Marrakesh, their very first sentence establishing the WTO committed them to raising standards of living, ensuring full employment and a large and steadily growing volume of real income.
Has the Marrakesh miracle materialized? No. After ten years under the WTO, unemployment has climbed around the world. The quality of existing employment has often fallen, with an increase in dirty, dangerous and degrading work. Much of that employment is precarious. In fact, many more people are being driven into the informal, unprotected and unregulated economy from both the formal economy and from the devastated livelihoods of peasant and family farming. In transnational corporations (TNCs) many employees increasingly find themselves in a casualised, precarious relationship with the companies they produce for but no longer work for, as many TNCs attempt to distance themselves from responsibility for labour relations based on direct employment by, for example, outsourcing. Many people around the world - workers, women, rural producers - and even entire countries have been forced to give up hope in employment as a means to development and empowerment.

This seminar aims at discussing common strategies for civil society, migrant workers' organisations and trade unions to counter the degradation of work by free trade agreements.

The panel will include speakers from migrant workers' organisations, social movements and trade unions.

Thematic area:
Economic policies in Europe

Organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network, CGIL, Attac France, Espace Marx

Speakers:
Alessandro Pelizzari, Attac Switzerland (moderator)
Alexandra Strickner, IATP (moderator)
Andrea Baranes, Tradewatch Italy
Rafael Alegria, Via Campesina Central America
Raoul Marc Jennar, URFIG
Antoine Math, IRES
Iara Pietricovsky, REBRIP Brazil

Time:
Friday 5th May, 18:00h-21:00h (slot 3)

Room:
E 105 (100-350 people)

Languages:
Greek, English, French, Spanish, Italian


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The EU's aggressive liberalisation agenda: Bolkestein, GATS and the privatisation of public services


Outline:
The aim of this seminar is to give an update on the state of play of the WTO GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) negotiations, to shortly illustrate the implication of this ultraliberal project on peoples’ livelihoods (particularly on women), employment, quality of jobs and on the environment. We also want to examine who are the real actors behind the negotiations and who is actually gaining from such an agreement. However, the most important part of the seminar will be to highlight the diverse and manifold resistance against GATS and to mobilise the audience to get engaged.

Thematic area:
Social rights / public services pool

Conveners:
Seattle to Brussels Network
Belgian Social Forum

Organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network, Belgian Social Forum, 11.11.11, Women In Development Europe, World Development Movement, Comitato Stop Bolkestein - Italy, INESC Brazil, FSU, ADEDY-Supreme administration of Greek civil servants trade union, European public services confederation, European Attac network (Attac France, Attac Italy, Attac Germany, Attac Wallonie-Bruxelles…), Confederation of Trade Unions of public sector workers in Turkey, Confédération des syndicats chrétiens (Belgium), Union Nationale des Mutualités Socialistes (Belgium), Mouvement Ouvrier Chrétien (Belgium), FGTB-ABVV (Belgium), Protect the future/Vedegylet (Hungary), Verdi (Germany), Union Syndicale Solidaires (France), Fédération des collectifs pour la défense et la promotion des services publics ( France), Leicester social forum, IPAM-AITEC, Rosa Luxembourg Foundation, CGT (France), Convention européenne des autorités locales pour la promotion des services publics (Liège 2005-Genève 2006)
Speakers:
Tamsyn East, World Development Movement (moderator)Marc Maes, 11.11.11Barbara Specht, WIDE
Alexandra Strickner, IATPFrédéric Viale, Attac FranceJean François Ramquet, FGTB-ABVV
Annick De Ruyver, ACV-CSC
Marco Bersani, Comitato ‘StopBolkestein’- Attac ItalyIara Pietricovsky, INESC BrazilDaniel Rallet, FSU

Time:
Thursday 4th May, 18:00h-21:00h (slot 3)

Room:
E 203 (100-350 people)

Languages:
Greek, Hungarian, English, Spanish, French


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WTO against food sovereignty: alternatives in Western/Eastern Europe and in the Mediterranean


Outline:
This seminar will look at the incapacity of the current EU agriculture and trade policy and the WTO to address food sovereignty and sustainable rural development in Europe and in developing countries. Participants will then discuss alternative policies in the field of trade & agriculture which are in the interest of people and not the agri-business, with a view on how to get there. It will also tackle the question of how, in this context, solidarity between farmers/social movements from Western/Eastern Europe and from Northern/Southern Mediterranean can be developed. Concrete campaigning activities at the European and national levels will be highlighted at the end of the seminar.

Thematic area:
Agriculture

Organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network, Initiatives pour un Autre Monde, Centro de Estudios Rurales y de Agricultura International

Speakers:
Gérard Choplin, CPE (moderator)
Alexandra Strickner, IATP
René Louail, CPE
Avram Fitiu, IPAM
Vicent Garces, CERAI

Time:
Friday 5th May, 10:00h-13:00h (slot 1)

Room:
E 205 (100-350 people)

Languages:
Greek, English, French, Spanish, Italian


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WTO Through the Backdoor. Why are the EU’s Regional Trade Agreements a Growing Threat?


Outline:
This seminar will look at how the EU is pushing its corporate trade agenda through regional and bilateral trade negotiations that it is conducting outside the World Trade Organisation with Mediterranean, Central American, Andean, Caribbean, African and Pacific countries. It will focus on market liberalisation for goods and services; investment and competition, and intellectual property rights; and try to foster common analysis and strategies.

Thematic area:
Europe in liberal globalisation

Conveners/organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network, WIDE, Campagna Riforma della Banca Mondiale, Transnational Institute, 11.11.11, WEED
Speakers:
Marc Maes, 11.11.11 (moderator)
Peter Custers, XminY Solidariteitsfonds
Klaus Schilder, WEED
Barbara Specht, WIDEAntonio Tricarico, CRBMIara Pietricovsky, INESC Brazil
Tetteh Hormeku, TWN Africa
Time:
Thursday 4th May, 18:00h-21:00h (slot 3)

Room:
E 102 (100-350 people)

Languages:
Greek, English, French, Spanish, Italian

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WORKSHOPS


EPAS: The WTO through the backdoor for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Why and how to stop these regional trade agreements between EU and ACP-countries?


Outline:
This workshop will look at the nature of the ‘Economic Partnership Agreements’ (EPAs) that are currently under negotiation between the European Union and the regions of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of states. It will expose the threat these agreements could pose to democracy and development in developing countries. It will assess the state of the play of these negotiations and discuss how to strengthen campaigns to stop them from resulting in naked free trade agreements.

Thematic area:
Europe in liberal globalisation

Conveners/organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network (S2B network), StopEPA campaign, WEED, 11.11.11, XminusY

Speakers:
Marc Maes, 11.11.11 (moderator)
Peter Custers, XminY Solidariteitsfonds
Klaus Schilder, World Economy, Ecology & Development (WEED)
Tetteh Horrmeku, Third World Network Ghana (TWN)
Time:
Friday 5th May, 18:00h-21:00h (slot 3)

Room:
F 06 (up to 80 people)

Language:
English


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Not in my NAMA! What is the EU’s Responsibility in the WTO Non-Agricultural Market Access Negotiations?


Outline:
This workshop will look at the ‘Non-Agricultural Market Access’ (NAMA) negotiations at the WTO and at the state of play after the Hong Kong Ministerial (December 2005) with a focus on the current position of the European Union in these negotiations. Participants will know more about the impact of the NAMA negotiations on livelihoods, jobs and the environment. The objective of the workshop will be to share experience, to advance alternative policy proposals and to engage the participants in campaigning and advocacy activities towards their government or European representatives.

Thematic area:
Europe in liberal globalisation

Organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network

Moderator:
Charly Poppe, Friends of the Earth Europe

Speakers:
Charly Poppe/Ronnie Hall, Friends of the Earth International
Andrea Baranes, Campagna Riforma della Banca Mondiale
Mary Lou Malig, Focus on the Global South
Iara Pietricovsky, REBRIP

Time:
Thursday 4th May, 14:00h-17:00h (slot 2)

Room:
(up to 80 people)

Language:
English



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CAMPAIGN ASSEMBLY


After the Hong Kong Summit - Stop the EU’s Corporate Trade Agenda! Actions, strategies: A Campaign Assembly


Outline:
This campaign assembly will start by looking briefly at the outcome of the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference (WTO, Dec. 2005) and the current position of the European Union (EU). It will also look at the existing civil society campaigns aimed at challenging the EU’s corporate trade agenda, on the ways to strengthen these campaigns and on past, present and future strategies to achieve this goal. The overall objective of the campaign assembly is to share experience on these strategies, to strengthen the co-operation among active organisations, networks and movements working on trade and global justice, as well as to mobilise the participants in campaigning activities at European and national levels.

Thematic area:
Europe in liberal globalisation

Conveners/organisers:
Seattle to Brussels Network, Attac France

Speakers:
Charly Poppe, Friends of the Earth Europe (moderator)
Susan George, Attac France
Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South
Barbara Specht, WIDE
Marc Maes, 11.11.11
Alexandra Strickner, IATP
Gérard Choplin, CPE
Tamsyn East, WDM

Time:
Saturday 6th May, 10:00h-13:00h

Room:
E 205 (100-350 people)

Languages:
Greek, English, French, Spanish, Italian



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Timetable of S2B activities
at the 4th European Social Forum, Athens
4-6 May 2006



Thursday 4th
10:00-13:00
/
/
/

Thursday 4th
14:00-17:00

S 106
Not in my NAMA! What is the EU’s Responsibility in the WTO Non-Agricultural Market Access Negotiations?
Charly Poppe, FoEE
charly.poppe@foeeurope.org

Thursday 4th
17:00-20:00

E 203
The EU's aggressive liberalisation agenda: Bolkestein, GATS and theprivatisation of public services
Barbara Specht, WIDE
barbara@wide-network.org

E 102
WTO Through the Backdoor. Why are the EU’s Regional Trade Agreements a Growing Threat?
Marc Maes, 11.11.11
marc.maes@11.be

Friday 5th
10:00-13:00

E 205
WTO against food sovereignty: alternatives in Western/Eastern Europe and in the Mediterranean
Gérard Choplin, CPE
cpe@cpefarmers.org

Friday 5th
14:00-17:00
/
/
/

Friday 5th
17:00-20:00

E 105
“Free Trade": A recipe for mass unemployment and the degradation of worker's rights
Alessandro Pelizzari, Attac Switzerland
alessandro@attac.org

F 06
EPAS: the WTO through the backdoor for Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Why and how to stop these regional trade agreements between EU and ACP-countries?
Marc Maes, 11.11.11
marc.maes@11.be

Saturday 6th
10:00-13:00

E 205
After the Hong Kong Summit - Stop the EU’s Corporate Trade Agenda! Actions, strategies: A Campaign Assembly
Charly Poppe, FoEE
charly.poppe@foeeurope.org



Internal meeting of S2B & OWINFS campaigners

Thursday 4th May, 12:00h-13:30h

RDV at the reception desk of the ESF


S2B campaigners
at the 4th European Social Forum, Athens


Belgium

Charly Poppe
Friends of the Earth Europe
Mobile (Belgium): +32.485 534 193 -- Mobile (Greece): +30 6946688163
E-mail: charly.poppe@foeeurope.org
Skype: charlypoppe

Barbara Specht
Women In Development Europe
Mobile: +32.479 55 94 15
E-mail: barbara@wide-network.org

Marc Maes
11.11.11
Mobile: +32.497 600 442
E-mail: marc.maes@11.be

Gérard Choplin
Coordination Paysanne Européenne
Mobile: +30.697 9089 979
E-mail: cpe@cpefarmers.org

Francisco Padilla
CNCD-11.11.11
Mobile: +32.478 283317
E-mail: francisco.padilla@perso.be

Finland

Thomas Wallgren
Coalition for Comprehensive Democracy - Vasudhaiva kutumbakam
E-mail: Thomas.Wallgren@helsinki.fi

France

Frédéric Viale
Attac-France
E-mail: frederic.viale@free.fr

Germany

Klaus Schilder
WEED
Mobile: +49.177 4341642
E-mail: klaus.schilder@weed-online.org

Italy

Andrea Baranes
Campagna Riforma Banca Mondiale
Mobile: +39.3396312613
E-mail: abaranes@crbm.org

Netherlands

Owen Espley
Corporate Europe Observatory & ALTER-EU
Mobile: +31.647576743 (sms only)
E-mail: owen@corporateeurope.org

Norway

Asbjørn Wahl
Campaign for the Welfare State - For velferdsstaten
Mobile: +4791611312
E-mail: asbjorn.wahl@velferdsstaten.no

Switzerland

Alessandro Pelizzari
Attac Switzerland
Mobile: +41.78 600 70 93
E-mail: alessandro@attac.org

Alexandra Strickner
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Mobile: +41.79 76 48568
E-mail: astrickner@iatp.org

UK

Tamsyn East & Sharon Sukhram
World Development Movement
Mobile: +44.(0)7980746118
E-mail: tamsyn@wdm.org.uk - sharon@wdm.org.uk

ESF news: ESF programme published

The ESF programme was published on Friday morning at 04:30h in the morning. Finally! I' m afraid it is still not the final version as already many people have reacted and complained...

ESF-5

Before to go to the ESF, I decided to take a few holidays in Greece. Today is Saturday. I arrived at 04:00h in Athens airport. The flight was awful: packed, delayed and no meal (food and drinks were for sale)... My advice: never take Virgin Airlines! I sucks. I did not really know where I wanted to spend my holidays, but I kind of made my mind during the flight and decided to head to the Peloponesis, a good mixture for sea, walks in the nature and visit of archeological sites. So I went straight ahead from the airport to the Pirea haven. There, I took a ferry boat to the island of Poros. This is where I am right now. I will try to post one or two pictures so you can appreciate. The island is quite nice; a bit very turistic when you arrive and when you saty on the seaside. But when you go up in the city of Poros (in Spheria) or in the highlands, the athmosphere changes completely! It's very quiet, typical white and blue houses and Mediterranean vegetation... I love it! Now it's siesta time. Shops and everything are closed until 16h:30h... I never stop. I must be from the North.

J-6

The Forum starts in 6 days and the programme is still not available... I wouln't like to be in the Greek organising committee. It must be mad at this moment, although it's already quite mad here in Brussels. I'm flying to Athens tomorrow night and so many things still need to be arranged!

Stop the EU's corporate trade agenda!

This is the message that I will carry in Athens, together with other fellow activists from Attac, CPE, WIDE, 11.11.11, CRBM, WDM, Focus on the Global South, IATP and many others...

Frankfurt EPA March 2006

This is a picture of the last European Preparatory Assembly (EPA) of the 4th ESF which took place in Frankfurt, Germany, in March 2006.
This is the first day: altough the room was almost empty (many people got stuck because of the sudden snow falls all over Europe), the chaos was already there... Strange memories: three days of complete mess. No agenda, no rules, no process, no concrete decisions, no steering, no minutes from the meetings and even... no participants (the list of participants has never been made available)! Changing the world seemed very painful.
Pas très encourageant pour la suite des opérations...