Some Resources on Trade

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

UK Government position on EPAs
 

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)