News

30-01-2012 Shell's involvement in armed conflict addressed by MEP Désir

According to a report from the British NGO Platform, the Anglo-Dutch oil company Shell has actively fuelled conflict and violence in Nigeria. Shell would have paid nearly 120.000 euro to armed groups, causing hundreds of people fleeing their homes, getting tortured or executed. Read more »

12-01-2012 Preference erosion in ACP countries questioned by MEPs

In order to promote and facilitate socioeconomic development in developing countries through sustainable economic growth, the European Union grants tariff preferences to trading partners in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The Generalised System of Preference (GSP) allows such preferential treatment of developing countries as an exemption of WTO rules that aim for equal treatment of imports from all WTO member countries. Read more »

11-01-2012 Two-tier trade agreements questioned by MEP Bearder

In a written question to the Commission, MEP Catherine Bearder (ALDE) addresses the issue of the two-tier trade system in recently signed free trade agreements (FTAs). Referring to the Lisobn Treaty, she criticises the fact that environmental and human rights provisions are not part of the main body of the FTAs. This means that there is no real enforcement mechanism nor subject to dispute-settlement machinery and that it seems less important than the commercial chapters. Read more »

11-01-2012 Predatory land deals questioned by MEP Matias

Following a recent report from Oxfam on 'Land and power: The growing scandal surrounding the new wave of investment in land', MEP Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL) has made inquiries to the Commissions actions to fight land grabbing. Read more »

11-01-2012 MEP Rossi asks about WEEE compliance

In 2009, the European Commission adopted a directive on electronic waste (e-waste). This so called WEEE (waste electric and electronic equipment) directive requires Member States to collect electronic waste separately in order to increase the recycling of electronic devices and to fight illegal export of e-waste. Despite this directive, the illegal dumping of hazardous electronic waste still takes place on a large scale. African and Asian countries that are used as dumping ground are hit the hardest, and in effect their soil and water resources are being polluted by toxic materials such as lead, arsenic, beryllium and cobalt. Read more »

11-01-2012 MEP Kaczmarek addresses medical brain drain

In a written question to the European Commission, MEP Filip Kaczmarek (EPP) addresses the exodus of medical staff from developing countries. Qualified doctors can earn more money in the EU and the US than in their own countries, which leads them to leave their own countries. Not only do developing countries lose two billion dollar a year which they invested in training these doctors, but also they lose out on the availability of already too little medical staff. The need for qualified doctors is extremely high, particularly in sub-Saharan countries, due to infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Read more »

11-01-2012 MEP Bearder asks for extension of TRIPS waiver for LDCs

People in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have limited or no access to basic services. One of the reasons they do have to some extent access to generic medicines is beacause of the TRIPS waiver. The TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property) agreement is meant to protect intellectual property and encourage innovation. Read more »

11-01-2012 MEP Aylward asks about sustainable trade and development

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stated that a new international development architecture is needed to assist developing countries with their development of sustainable trade and development and to reverse their marginalisation. In our case study on the Raw Materials Initiative (RMI) we have shown that indeed trade in raw materials is often unfair and incoherent with development policies. Read more »

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