Summary of the text « From the failure of the WTO at Seattle … to the conditions for global governance »
Starting by acknowledging the irreversibility of the economic globalisation phenomenon, this document (a summary of the 61-page document « From the failure of the WTO at Seattle … to the conditions for global governance ») proposes a re-definition of the roles and functions of the WTO and gives propositions of action for both actors of the civil society and to the governments of countries’ members.
Compendio :
The failure of third ministerial meeting in Seattle revealed the incoherences and weaknesses of the multilateral system as a whole. Starting by acknowledging the irreversibility of the economic globalisation phenomenon, this document proposes a series of proposals for change.
In the first part, it is suggested that a re-definition of the roles and functions of the WTO is necessary in order that it can guarantee a regulated and managed trade, indispensable conditions for the commercial practices to be under the rule of law. This re-definition of the role and function of the Organisation needs 1) the establishment of clear and operational definition of sustainable development ; 2) the globalisation of policies undertaken by international organisations (IMF, World Bank, WTO) from convergence (at least) to coherence (an imperative); 3) the re-definition and re-negotiation of the rules of enterprises’ growth in order to prevent environmental and social threats ; 4) the creation of mechanisms of participation of the civil society.