This is actually an extract from the documents of the W.T.O. promoters themselves. It is to be used as information to feed personnal reflexions with direct confrontation of an other vision. I personnaly cannot figure how can human beings be considering the world exclusivly in terms of market, but see for yourself...

Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) 2001 CEO Report

(excerpt)

Full document: http://attac.org/nonewround/doc/doc23.htm or http://attac.org/nonewround/doc/doc23.pdf

The WTO Agenda

The World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial in Doha presents an excellent opportunity to unite countries at all stages of development in a dynamic, progressive and rules-based trading system. We believe that the steady, comprehensive elimination of obstacles to trade and investment around the world is vital to economic recovery and expansion and to assuring the inclusion of all countries in the benefits of globalisation.

The launch of a New Round of multilateral trade negotiations in Doha is a top priority for the transatlantic business community, from multinational corporations to small business. Governments, consumers, business, and other parts of civil society cannot allow the liberalisation process to lose momentum if we expect to advance the social and economic development objectives that have been the focus of so much attention since the 3rd Ministerial Meeting in Seattle in 1999. The TABD calls upon the U.S. and EU Administrations todemonstrate common leadership and unite countries through the jointpursuit of closer trade ties.

Dispute Management

Transatlantic economic relations are characterised by a high degree of simultaneous co-operation and competition. While disputes will occur,we are encouraged by the landmark commitments taken at the 2001 Gothenburg Summit to handle disputes more constructively and to rely more fully on consultation rather than litigation. The TABD calls on both Administrations to fully comply with WTO decisions. However, litigation in the WTO Dispute Settlement System should be the court of last, not first, resort.

Business suffers from the threat of retaliatory sanctions based onunre solved trade disputes. Differences between the EU and U.S. need to be better managed to avoid future disputes The mechanisms for dispute avoidance need major structural improvement in order to function more effectively. The TABD is highly supportive of the Early Warning System, inclusion of Trade Impact Statements in development of regulatory and legislative measures, and better communication between our regulators, legislators and government leaders.

Regulatory Policy

Open communication and consultation with all interested stakeholders, especially small business, in the development of regulation would provide a high level of public interest protection and ensure that current regulatory systems sufficiently encourage economic efficiency and innovation. The TABD has called on governments to finalize the U.S.-EU Guidelines on Regulatory Co-operation, which would lay out commonly agreed principles for establishing good regulations. These Guidelines must include operational transparency and a commitment to form regulation on an objective basis.

These principles of consultation and transparency also apply to reforming the merger & acquisition review process. The TABD calls for a common approach on a limited, but crucial number of aspects in order to increase legal certainty, reduce administrative burden, costs and delays incurred by business. The magnitude of investment expansion and merger activity risks heightening economic friction when companies have to comply with divergent and overly complex regulatory processes on both sides of the Atlantic.

Capital Markets

The free flow of capital is fundamental to any efficient and effective economic system. Capital markets are the most efficient mechanism to mobilize and allocate savings and spur economic growth and job creation. Deep and liquid financial markets also provide investors with more choices, lower cost investments and more innovative products and services.

The TABD is focused on ensuring open and transparent flows of capital and investment information to support the transatlantic marketplace. As first steps, the TABD is focused on pension reform and International Accounting Standards.

Allowing all types of financial service firms to offer their products and services to pension plans and providing pension plans freedom toinvest their assets are in the best interest of the participants of European pension plans. Ensuring the capacity to provide cross-border pension services also will promote strong and sustainable investment savings for people throughout the EU. Finally, employing a single high quality accounting standard for reporting will provide consistency and comparability, thus enabling investors to more efficiently allocate capital worldwide.

Networked Economy

Like trade, technology unites people and countries across borders, creating a truly integrated world where employees can work together across national boundaries, information is globally available and small business can become a global player over the Internet.

The TABD supports the sustained effort made by EU and U.S. officials to create a mutually accepted framework that balances the societal benefits of the free flow of information in global markets with the protection of personal information.

Accordingly, we encourage our governments to allow companies ampletime for implementation for implementation of the Safe Harbor Agreement. To ensure the uninterrupted transmission of personal data flows transactions in the financial services sector TABD urges that the legal and regulatory regime applicable to U.S. financial services sector practices, together with the robust enforcement regime in the U.S., be deemed adequate under the EU Directive. To foster global participation in Digital Trade opportunities, we urge our governments to enshrine pro-trade principles that will enable the growth of the Internet and e-commerce without creating impediments to technological advancement. Crucial to the efficiency of the global electronic marketplace is establishment of a harmonized set of rules on jurisdiction and applicable law, based primarily in the freedom of contractual choice.

(end of excerpt)