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ACTION AT THE WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
9-18 December 2005
Hong Kong

6th WTO Ministerial Conference

Friends of the Earth campaigners from around the world convened at the World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong, alongside trade ministers from 149 nations (9-18 December 2005).
A delegation of FoE experts monitored negotiations, lobbied government officials, informed the media network about latest developments, organised civil society seminars and workshops on the threats posed by the WTO negotiations, and participated in public demonstrations and activities outside the venue taking the message WTO: Hands off our Natural Environment to the streets.

Follow FoEE at the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, read about our latest positions, reports and daily updates on the negotiations.

More information and photos of actions  

BITE-BACK ACTION
14 December 2005
Hong Kong
  

60 million people say: "WTO: take your hands off our food"

Campaigners delivered a petition to the WTO Deputy Director General on 14 December less than 2 months before the interim decision on GMOs at the WTO is expected.
The petition was signed by more than 135,000 citizens from 100 countries and more than 740 organisations representing 60 million people opposing the WTO trade dispute over genetically modified (GM) food filed by the US, Argentina and Canada. Through the petition, citizens ask the WTO not to undermine the right of individual countries, in this case European countries, to take appropriate steps to protect their farmland, environment and consumers from the risks posed by GM foods and crops. FoEI chair Meena Raman, French Farmer José Bové, Indian ecologist Vandana Shiva and Caroline Lucas, Member of the European Parliament, were among those who delivered the petition.

More information and photos of actions  

ACTIONS AT THE U.N. CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS
28 November - 9 December 2005
Montreal

Climate Mosaic at the 2005 UN climate negotiations

Friends of the Earth groups from all over the world were present in Montreal to monitor negotiations, lobby government officials, take part in large demonstrations and many side events.

The Climate Mosaic was the result of a European campaign during the summer of 2005. FoE groups across Europe collected thousands of messages from European citizens, demanding new and real action from world leaders to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the future. We built a giant Climate Mosaic made of 1000s of climate messages just outside the conference centre, creating a strong visual image that politicians, negotiators and the media couldn't ignore.

More information and photos of actions

NGOs SEMINAR "Programming of EU funds 2007-13"

Organised by CEE Bankwatch Network, Friends of the Earth Europe and the Institute of Environmental Economics

The seminar gathered about 50 representatives of environmental NGOs actively involved in monitoring and promoting EU Fund-related projects and policies in new member states and the candidate countries.
The seminar focused on three major components, which are of significant concern for the NGOs in CEE countries:
   1) Greening the programming process and documents 2007 – 2013 – actions done and to be undertaken,
   2) Potential negative environmental impacts of the EU funded projects under the new programming period,
   3) Sharing the ideas for sustainable projects to be promoted for the new programming period.
  
See program and speakers' presentations
   

ACTION
21 November 2005
Brussels

Stop the EU's corporate trade agenda!

When EU trade ministers met to finalise the EU trade position for the run up to WTO Hong Kong meeting, development, social and environmental NGOs from the Seattle to Brussels Network protested in front of the European Commission's Berlaymont building with a corporate giant and Peter Mandelson puppet operated by "European big business" to reveal the role of corporate lobbyists in setting the EU Trade agenda.
The report "The EU Corporate Trade Agenda - The role and the interests of corporations and their lobby groups in Trade Policy-Making in the European Union" was launched.
A delegation of S2B members composed of War on Want for the UK NGOs, WIDE, FoEE and 11.11.11 had a 35 minute long meeting with the UK Trade Minister Ian Pierson, outlining key concerns and demands on corporate influence, GATS, NAMA; agriculture and development concerns.
 
See photos and report
   

"Don't dwarf REACH"- 100 garden gnomes gathered by the European Parliament in Strasbourg
 
FoEE were joined by nine of our national groups (from Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Slovenia, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Germany and Spain) for an intense week of NGO lobbying and activities around the European Parliament vote on European Chemicals Reform (REACH) on 17 November.
Toxic gnomes gathered by the European Parliament calling upon the Parliamentarians not to give in to the pressure of big chemicals industry and to ensure that REACH delivers protection for public health and the environment.
Unfortunately, health, environmental, women's and consumer NGOs were very disappointed with the result of the vote.

See photos and NGOs comments on the REACH vote
    

PUBLIC HEARING
9 November 2005
Brussels

"The EU's responsibility at the WTO: Environment, Gender and Development"

In the run up of the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference in HongKong in December, the hearing provided political space in Brussels for civil society representatives from the North and the South and representatives from the EU (from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the trade committee 133) to come to a constructive dialogue and proposals for improved trade rules that work for the poor, indigenous people, the environment and gender equality.

Organised by Friends of the Earth Europe, Women in Development Europe with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the European Parliament's Intergroup on Globalisation (a coalition of 98 Members of the European Parliament).

Proceedings are available.
  
More information, program and speeches
  

ACTION
17 October 2005
Luxembourg

EU Environment Council confronted with European demands to do more on climate change

As EU Environment Ministers met on 17 October to agree the EU's position for the UN climate negotiations (28 Nov to 8 Dec 2005 in Montreal, Canada), Friends of the Earth Europe has set up, in front of the EU Council building, a 100m long wall of 2000 painted messages from citizens across Europe, demanding an ambitious EU agenda for the upcoming global climate talks.
UK minister Elliot Morley met Friends of the Earth Europe to receive a stack of 25 painted messages "Europeans demand: fight climate change!", one for each EU-25 Environment Minister.
The 1000s of messages that were used in the installation come from 30 European countries and have been collected over the past months as part of a pan-European campaign that invited citizens across Europe to paint or write the messages to world leaders on wooden tiles. The messages will be sent to Montreal, where a giant mosaic will be set up just outside the UN climate negotiations.
    
See photos gallery
  

CONFERENCE
2 October 2005
Malaga, Spain

Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area
A regional consultation with Civil Society

Friends of the Earth MedNet organised an NGO consultation meeting with Manchester University in Malaga on October 2 on the SIA where the latest SIA report (Phase II) was presented to participants. The European Commission contracted Manchester University to carry out the independent SIA of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EMFTA) to examine the potential impacts of agreed trade measures on sustainable development in the region. It is expected that the SIA will provide reliable and widely accepted analysis of the impact of these trade measures, as well as recommendations to inform ongoing and future trade negotiations on the EMFTA.

Latest research presented in the phase II report into the economic, social and environmental impacts of the EuroMed Free Trade Area (EMFTA) predict widespread adverse social impacts for Mediterranean partner countries (MPCs) with no significant economic welfare benefits foreseen.

More information and meeting report
  

ACTION
28 July 2005
Geneva

Protest greeted Mandelson's arrival at WTO talks

European civil society groups were joined by a giant Peter Mandelson 'puppet', operated by 'European big business' outside the EU's Delegation in Geneva to protest against the corporate agenda being pursued by the European Commission in trade talks at the WTO this week. The action, staged by the Seattle to Brussels network - an alliance of European groups campaigning on trade issues - showed the privileged relationship between the European Commission and big business which ensures that the EU policies currently serve commercial interests rather than the public and the planet.

More information and photos 

Stop climate change

Climate change is the biggest threat facing our planet. We are already seeing the effects - with devastating consequences. G8 countries account for 65 per cent of past global emissions. These countries must take action now to redress the balance by making significant cuts in their greenhouse gases. During the G8 summit, at 13:45pm on Thursday 7 July, a 'climate alarm' at the gates of Gleneagles to remind G8 leaders of the urgency of tackling climate was silenced out of respect for the victims of today's explosions in London and their families.
Read more about  Friends of the Earth International's call for climate justice.

More information about G8 and how FoE got involved

Air transport and climate change (June 1)
Commissioner Stavros Dimas Meets Climate Killer Dinosaur
More information and photos

Cooling climate change or fueling it? (June 2)
Exhibition calling for reforms in the European Investment Bank
More information and photos

Equity in the greenhouse (June 3)
Panel discussion on developing countries and climate change
More information

CONFERENCE
17 May 2005
Brussels

Safegarding sustainable European agriculture: Coexistence, GMO Free zones and the promotion of quality food produce in Europe

The main aim of the conference was to define the most appropriate EU legal
framework for an efficient coexistence regime between genetically modified
(GM) and non GM crops, ensuring the safeguard and further promotion of
traditional and organic agriculture.
Organised by Friends of the Earth Europe and Assembly of European Regions With strong support from Region of Upper Austria and Region of Tuscany

More information, proceedings and speeches

GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION
10-16 April 2005
Worldwide

CONFERENCE
11-12 March 2005
Rome

DEMONSTRATION
22 February 2005
Brussels

SEMINAR
17-18 January 2005
Brussels

"REACH made easy"

The EU is proposing new chemicals legislation known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) and this is currently under debate in the European Parliament and Council. As part of FoE Europe's contribution to the debate, we held a workshop attended by 57 participants and NGOs from 15 countries - including from 7 of the new member states - in order to introduce them to REACH and the environmentalists' positions

See programme and more information

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