A. Agebjörn ; P. Hogan (tranlator)

2008
FIAN Sweden
ISBN: 978-91-977177-1-3

Abstract: International trade should contribute to just and sustainable development and be based on the prespective of poor people. This was decided upon by the Swedish parliament in 2003 when its policy for global development (PGU) was made the cornerstone of Swedish policy. Two years later the EU also determined that development goals would make up the core of Union policy, and trade was identified as an important tool for the fight against poverty in the world. In recent years neotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have more or less come to a standstill. Instead it has become increasingly common for trade agreements to be made directly between regions and countries, with the EU being one of the more active players here.. Despite assurances on the central position of development goals, the Eu has been criticised in connecion with negotiations for lowering the chances of poor countires to reduce their poverty. In Development for Export? we are presented with a review of the trade agreements being negotiatied between the EU and Africa and latin America, on the basis of the established goas set by Sweden and the EU to contribute to reduced poverty. The contes of ongoing neotiations are mapped out in the study, showing what consequences such agreemtns might have for the relevant countries. It also suggests several measures that Sweden can strive for via the EU so that trade negotiations will succeed in contributing to just and sustainable development.

Keyword(s): Africa ; Development ; EU ; European Union ; Latin America ; Trade ; Trade Agreements