Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may offer what for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat? Amos 8:4-6
Trade is an ancient human acitivity and has the potential to offer many benefits to those who take part in it. As the passage from Amos articulates; however, unfair forms of trade can oppress the poor and run counter to the commandments to love your neighbour. And in our time, the rules and practices of trade often aren’t fair. As Christians, we need to learn as much as we can about the situation, and work for justice in trading relationships.
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Introduction to Trade Issues |
Praying & Preaching on Trade Issues |
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Trade is a complex area, and there are many disagreements as to how it can be made to work for the poor. The one thing everyone agrees is that much improvement is needed to make it do so. |
"I dare to pray: Lord, let the rules be changed, for I long to see trade bring justice to the poor. . . . " (Peter Graystone, Christian Aid) Some resources for praying and preaching . . . . more>> |
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| Campaigns about Trade Issues | What Can I/My Church Do? | |||
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Find out more about the Trade Justice Movement, the campaigns of its constituent members, and trade campaigns in other parts of the world more>> |
Pray, study the theology of trade, find out how trade affects your church partners, lobby your MP . . . some suggestions for prayer and action more>> |
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| Resources | More Information | |||
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Some downloadable resources on trade issues more>> |
Where to go to find out more about trade more >> |
"I dare to pray: Lord, let the rules be changed,
for I long to see trade bring justice to the poor . . . "
Extract from the Trade Pledge Prayer by Peter Graystone, Christian Aid
Praying
There are several compilations of trade-related prayers. Three online sources are:
In addition, Geoffrey Duncan has produced a variety of collections for Christian Aid which contain material on trade.
Preaching
In addition to its prayers, the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance has sermon themes and sample sermons.
Another invaluable resource is the linked lectionary entitled "Development Matters ," compiled quarterly by Dr. Elizabeth Perry and available on the Diocese of Bath and Wells' website. This resource takes the main lectionary readings for each week and links them with global-justice issues, providing facts, illustrations and quotes that preachers can use in their sermons.
If you want help reflecting theologically on trade issues before you preach, you might want to look at
Within the UK, campaigning on trade is coordinated by the Trade Justice Movement, an umbrella grouping of over 80 organisations -- including not only agencies such as CAFOD, Christian Aid, Tearfund, Action Aid, Oxfam and Save the Children but also the Baptist Union, the Church of England and the United Reformed Church.
The Trade Justice Movement operates as a coalition. Individual organisations contribute their expertise in particular areas; the Movement as a whole offers commonly-agreed foci, joint policy documents and briefings, and united campaign actions.
At present, TJM campaigning is focusing on Economic Partnership Agreements [EPAs]. These are trade agreements that the EU is negotiating with the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific [ACP] countries. The ACP countries, largely former colonies, previously enjoyed preferential trading access to the EU. This was challenged at the World Trade Organisation, however, and the EU has argued that any new preferences will have to be in the context of regional free trade agreements.
One difficulty this poses is that free trade agreements require what is called "reciprocity," that is, both sides have to open their markets to each other -- with potentially very serious consequences for ACP agriculture and industry. Other difficulties are emerging as negotiations continue: for example, the EU is pressing the ACP countries to include issues like competition and government procurement policy in the EPAs -- even though they aren't required by WTO rules and were rejected by developing countries in WTO negotiations. To find out more, visit our EPAs page.
To find out about other trade issues members of TJM are working on, click on the links below:
Your church can pray for justice in trade as part of its prayers for justice throughout the world. Some suggestions for prayers can be found on our "praying and preaching on trade issues" page.
Think about the theology of trade. You might want to take the Church of England report on trade justice, the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance papers on trade, or the trade section of Christian Aid's "Act Justly" resource as a starting point. Or go back a little and take a look at some Christian theologians: does what Thomas Aquinas says about just prices have any relevance for us today? Or read Wesley's sermon on the use of money, which contains much meat for discussion. Do you agree with it? Or not?
Find out more about the practice of trade today. It is probably good to focus on a particular area, as the issues at stake are so complex that finding out about "trade" is rather a tall order! You might want to look at the EPAs negotiations, for example, or to follow the trading patterns and difficulties of a particular country. Use the resources in our "resources" page to help you, or contact CCOW for more. And don't forget the expertise within your congregation! You may well have people who have considerable understanding -- either through their work or their life experience -- of trade issues related to development. You could perhaps ask some of these people whether they would be willing to share their thoughts and reflections.
One very good way of immersing yourself in trade issues is to find out more about a country with which you have links. Seek out resources and news items that discuss the issues particular to that country (CCOW can help) and speak with the people in the link to find out more from them. You might even want to undertake some shared advocacy and/or prayer! The Diocese of Bath and Wells has done this very successfully with Christian partners in Zambia, and the Diocese of Oxford is looking at ways to link up with Kimberley and Kuruman.
Trade issues are complex and not always easy to understand. Some churches find it helpful to begin from something more familiar, like the Fair Trade refreshments they serve. You might, for example, use Fairtrade coffee as the launching point to discuss some of the issues around trade in commodities. Or a packet of Fairtrade sugar could help you to look at some of the problems with protectionist set-ups like the EU sugar regime. And don't forget to add the milk! That's a call to look at both some of the issues surrounding the prices farmers in this country get for their goods, the concept of food miles, the power of multiple supermarkets and also at export subsidies, seeing whom they harm and asking whom they actually help. If you'd like help making these connections, get in touch with CCOW.
If you feel that this is the right thing to do, ask members of your church to take a campaign action. CAFOD, Tearfund and Traidcraft have some good ideas on their campaign pages.
This Month's Action
It's still important to campaign on EPAs. Visit Tearfund's website to read a new report ("Partners under Pressure") which details some of the problems raised by the EU's negotiation strategy . . . or read the summary on Traidcraft's website. Then email your MP to raise questions about the material in the report . . . . .
General Suggestions
1. Pray for justice in international trade. Some suggestions for prayer are on our praying and preaching page . . . or send us your own!
2. Study the Scriptures on trade; you might want to look at the theological papers on the praying and preaching page to guide you.
3. We tend to know where our coffee, tea and chocolate come from . . . but what about our computers, curtains and jewelry? Look at the different ways in which you depend on international trade over the course of a single day/week/month. Then try to find out more about the people and patterns behind that trade. CAFOD has run campaigns on the working conditions behind both computers and gold; go to their website to find out more.
4. If you work for a company that has an international supply chain, try to find out more about it.
5. Visit the TJM website and see what the latest joint campaign actions are. Send an email and/or join in a particular action. Or follow the lead of whichever particular agency you support.
6. To become a more effective campaigner, try to go "wide" and "deep." Stay apprised of trade issues in general by scanning the papers (Larry Elliott in The Guardian and Alan Beattie in the Financial Times are two reporters to look for) or, if you want some more depth, reading the weekly Bridges digest from ICTSD.
Then pick a country and try to find out all you can about its particular trade situation over a period of time. You can
Links to all of the above are in our "further information" section. If you have connections with a country through a church link, consider doing this work in conjunction with your link partners -- and then joining together in advocacy. Bringing in specific information and examples helps to ensure that conversations about trade stay "real" and "rooted."
Once you feel comfortable with the issues, don't hesitate to write to your MP when matters related to your country's trading situation arise. Write to the newspaper, too, if that's an option.
If you want to download some resources to help you understand the trade issues and campaigns, here are some suggestions.
General Trade Issues
Rigged Rules and Double Standards: Trade, Globalisation and the Fight against Poverty (Oxfam, 2002) -- the basis for the Make Trade Fair campaign. At times controversial, particularly in its emphasis on market access (read the debates, helpfully provided by Oxfam), but very influential.
Trade for Life: Making Trade Work for Poor People (Christian Aid, 2001) -- Mark Curtis' book laid the foundations for Christian Aid's trade campaigning. Again controversial, again influential. Available on loan from CCOW.
Trade Justice: A Christian Response to Global Poverty (Christian Aid/Church of England, 2004) -- briefer than the above; a summary of the rationale for the Trade Justice campaign in a Christian context
Trade and Theology
Trade Justice: A Christian Response to Global Poverty (Christian Aid/Church of England, 2004)
Lifting the Burden, Weighting the Rules (Christian Aid, 2003)
"When Trade Serves God's Justice: Biblical and Ethical Flashlights and Considerations" (Prof. Dr. Christoph Stückelberger /Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, 2003) in the Briefing Papers section of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance website
Trading away Injustice: Tearfund Bible Study for home groups
Faith in the Balance is a resource that CCOW produced before the Cancun WTO Meetings in 2003. While some of the issues it presents have moved on, many are -- unfortunately -- still the same. You can download the resource below.
The Trade Justice Campaign
The TJM's Founding Statement is a helpful summary of the movement's goals.
Further updates on goals at particular times can be found on the Briefings page of the TJM website.
Specific Trade Issues:
EPAs
Introductions to EPAs
EPAs Campaign Briefing (Tearfund, 2006) -- 2 sides of A4 resume of EPAs and Tearfund's concerns
Economic Partnership Agreements: A Tearfund Policy Briefing (Tearfund, 2006) -- longer (6 page) brief giving a good basic resume of EPAs and the issues around them
The Real Costs and Benefits of Economic Partnership Agreements (Christian Aid, Tearfund, Traidcraft, 2007) -- 9 page brief describing EPAs and assessing potential costs and benefits to developing countries
EPAs and Particular Countries/Regions
Much to Lose, Little to Gain: Assessing EPAs from the Perspective of Malawi (Tearfund, 2007)
EPAs through the Lens of Kenya (Traidcraft/ECO News Africa, 2005)
Trade in Agriculture
The Development Dimension of the Agriculture Negotiations (South Centre, 2007) -- good, somewhat technical 8-page summary of developing country interests and concerns. See also the list of papers in this area at http://www.southcentre.org/publications/publist_issue_area_TradeInAgric_index.htm.
A Depreciating Asset, Too High a Price (Action Aid and CAFOD, 2006) -- discussion of why the EU decided to end export subsidies by 2013, what the offer is worth, and whether developing countries should make concessions in response
Special Products in the Doha Round (CAFOD/South Centre, 2007)
UK Agencies and Campaigning Groups
Within the UK, many major agencies work on trade issues and their broader relation to development and poverty reduction. The Christian development agencies (and others) generally come under the umbrella of the Trade Justice Movement coalition. The TJM website gives links to the coalition's more than 80 members, as well as to some of the news stories and resources they have produced. Among the members who have done detailed work on trade policy are Action Aid , CAFOD , Christian Aid , Oxfam , Tearfund, Traidcraft and WDM; if you click on the name of the agency here, you will go through to its trade pages.
Once in an agency's trade section, you will find that each specialises in particular areas: for example:
The UK Government, the EU, the UN and the WTO
Material on the UK's positions re: trade and developing countries is available from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department for International Development (DFID). DTI's Europe and World Trade page contains a basic overview of the UK's view on developing country issues within the WTO, with links to information about EPAs, the Generalised System of Preferences, commodities, and other trade issues. The framework for "DFID's Work in Trade and Development, 2005 - 2007" is outlined in a document of that title published in 2005. A listing of DFID's publications on a variety of trade topics, including the impact of preferences, aid for trade, EPAs and more, is also available.
EU countries negotiate trade agreements as a bloc, so EU policy is more important to developing countries than the position that any individual member takes. The EU's external trade website gives access to news and documents.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) website offers large amounts of information, particularly in UNCTAD's focus areas: Trade in Africa, Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States; Commodities; Globalisation and Development; Investment, Technology and Enterprise Development; and Infrastructure.
The new World Trade Organisation (WTO) website provides masses of information and is well organised. If you want to understand the official WTO line, there is a very clear introduction which covers the basic principles and terms of trade liberalisation, a chart outlining the WTO's structure, and access to the foundational legal texts. There's even a distance learning course, with modules on some aspects of the WTO of particular interest to developing countries. The site also offers space to its critics; on the right hand side, click on the "Public Forum" links if you want to hear what some NGOs have said at the annual meeting between the WTO and Civil Society Organisations.
Further Agencies, Organisations, Think-Tanks and Databases
If you want to be kept up to date on trade issues across the board, the best resources are the weekly and monthly editions of Bridges, put out by the Geneva-based International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development. The weekly email bulletin covers the latest trade news, events and resources. The monthly bulletin has more in-depth articles on particular topics. You can browse both -- as well as ICTSD's other materials -- on the ICTSD website.
Also based in Geneva is The South Centre, an intergovernmental organisation of developing countries. The South Centre's Trade for Development programme is a key source of briefing papers, analytical notes and other resources on various topics in trade in agriculture, services, commodities, and non-agricultural goods, as well as cross-cutting issues.
TRALAC, the Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (located in Stellenbosch), offers another weekly bulletin, which contains a useful compendium of trade-related articles from African and other media, as well as discussion of "hot topics" and information about AGOA, the trade agreement between Africa and the US. You can sign up for the bulletin, or browse TRALAC's other publications, at their website.
The African Economic Research Consortium has a strong trade component, with a series of Trade Working Papers and bulletins about trade in the regular newsletter.
Among the UK think tanks, ODI (Overseas Development Institute) has an International Economic Development Programme that covers a wide variety of trade issues, including developing country negotiation strategies, the impact of preferences, trade in commodities, trade for aid and regional trade agreements. ODI has excellent conferences that bring together participants from NGOs, the academy, governments and business: presentation documents and audio recordings of the sessions are often on their website. ODI also produces briefing papers on specific trade topics.
The Global Economic Governance Programme at Oxford University offers lectures and research papers on a variety of governance-related topics. The new trade programme will have details of trade-related events and research; it already has a very good "resources" page with links to different groups working on trade policy, primarily in an academic or high-level NGO context. The Harvard University Global Trade Negotiations Home Page also has excellent links to a variety of trade-focused NGOs, organisations, schools and institutions, etc. Its other materials, however, need updating.
If you want to find the most recent research on trade topics, or to locate information written over a period of time about a particular trade topic, the ELDIS website is a good first stop. ELDIS has a searchable database of articles on development-related topics produced by organisations around the world.