EU-ASEAN FTA CAMPAIGN NETWORK

BASIS OF UNITY The network unites under the Stop EU-ASEAN FTA position. This position is based on the general consensus of the network on the following assertions.

FRAMEWORK The free trade paradigm which is the underlying framework of these negotiations is an anti- development paradigm that has failed to deliver on its promise to uplift the lives of the poor by ensuring the equitable sharing of the benefits from increased trade.

MANDATES EU trade policy is anchored on the Global Europe Strategy which is an aggressive strategy for liberalization of trade in goods and services and the opening up of investment regimes. Global Europe is a corporate-driven strategy intended to open up markets and ensure the competitiveness of European corporations at the expense of peoples welfare and development. ASEAN’s policy of regional economic integration anchored on free trade agreements would aggravate the imbalance within ASEAN in favor of rich countries like Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia who corner the benefits of expanded trade at the expense of poorer countries in the region

MANDATE [2] That the motivations of both EU and ASEAN are clear, this agreement is not about development but principally about market access, liberalizing investment regimes,and protecting investor rights

TRANSPARENCY The call for transparency and access to information based on the principle of the peoples' right to know sends out a strong message that ordinary people, whose livelihoods and jobs will be most threatened under unfair and unjust economic agreements, have a stake in these negotiations. People who oppose these kinds of deals have an equal claim to the right to be informed. The campaign WILL continue to demand transparency and access to information as we have done since the launch of the campaign in February We will continue to demand more information not just about the text of the agreement, which everyone at the assembly thought was important, but other information relating to impact studies, and more importantly for Philippine based groups, the positions being taken by the Philippine government with regards to the negotiations

POTENTIAL LOSSES The experience of countries like Mexico with the EU-Mexico FTA (which i think closely resembles the deal with ASEAN) should give us fair warning of the contradictions between the promised gains and the very real pains associated with this unfair deal. Our own experience with the trade negotiations including the most recent case of JPEPA negotiations also shows the incapacity of the government to safeguard national interest in these trade negotiations and its historical adherence to the neo-liberal framework. The principle of parity and maximum frontloading that is enshrined in the mandate of the FTA would virtually guarantee the EU of the same level of market access opening in trade in goods and services that was afforded to Japan under JPEPA. Our strong position to Junk JPEPA should translate to an equally strong position to Junk the EU-ASEAN FTA.

ENGAGEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT The STOP/NO call of the network however does not mean disengagement from the process. It only means that the terms of engagement will be guided by the opposition to this unfair deal. Working with Congress (or at least progressive elements) is important and will form part of the NO/STOP campaign as well. We will continue to engage both the House and the Senate maximizing these venues both as platforms for public debate and as mechanisms to push legislations that would strengthen laws and regulations aimed at safeguarding our national interests.

RESEARCH The network will also intensify research work in order to strengthen our arguments. The initial phase of the research has alredy given us a sense of the agressive and defensive interests of the EU. From the various caucuses, a few more areas for research have been identified and we will make an effort to plug in these gaps even as we gear up for the second phase of the research, the thematic case studies on possible impacts on vulnerable sectors.

ALTERNATIVES We do not oppose just trade, it is the terms of trade, the paradigm and framework of so called free trade agreements that we are opposing. The NO/STOP FTA campaign will carry a strong call for alternatives to these kinds of trade and economic partnership agreements.

BROADENING THE NETWORK The network would endeavour to reach out as many groups as possible in order to broaden the campaign support and constituency against the EU-ASEAN FTA. It will particularly endeavour to reach out to sectors that would most likely be hit hardest by an ambitious agreement.

SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER CAMPAIGNS The network will work in solidarity and coordinate with other campaigns at the national, regional and global levels working to oppose unfair trade deals.