- The MAI is Undead!
In 1998, civil society organisations and concerned individuals fought a successful battle to discredit OECD negotiation of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. The MAI was an anti-democratic 'free-trade' treaty designed to reduce the power of national governments to interfere in the operations of multinational corporations.
- In 1999, big business interests and supportive governments, including Australia's planned to revive the principles of the MAI as part of a 'Millennium Round' of negotiations through the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This was intended to commence in early 2000--but the plan was scotched by dramatic failure of the WTO's Seattle Ministerial Conference . But powerful European and US lobbies are now rallying again to insert a MAI into the WTO.
(for a full web guide to international networks and actions, go to my world links)
- ACTIONS NOW UNDER WAY
- ISPO --International Simultaneous Policy Organisation (The peoples' superpower! )
Stop the GATS Attack! Action against WTO Trade in Services Agreement
Charter 99 --Sign-on for Global Democracy initiative
'Citizens' Voice' Australian Newsletter
- HISTORICAL
- Lessons from the MAI --Rights and Responsibilities (World Development Movement)
- Steps in the MAI's demise --How Australia was forced to abandon the MAI in 1998
DFAT Timor Betrayal Links --Australia pursued investment over human rights
N25 Perth Convention on Globalisation, November 25, 2000- Return of the Living Dead! (from Corporate Watch, UK)
A brief on the situation in 1999 --the campaign moves to the WTO
The "Millennium Round"--what lies ahead (May, 1999)
Platform for Seattle --Statement of international campaign coalition
Perth Forum demands participation and new approach (June, 1999)
PRIME WEB SOURCES
Web references for the WTO -- essential information sources
Millennium Round Links --the world's best web guide to the campaign
LOCAL CAMPAIGN TOOLS
WTO Calendar --dates to assist campaign planning
Perth Campaign Notebook --Regular update on Western Australian local activity
AUST. PARLIAMENT & GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
Final (JSCOT) Committee Report 193 pages on MAI. (You need Acrobat Reader.)
JSCOT Hansard transcripts Proceedings of Committee hearings (Acrobat Reader)
Trade in Services --Links on GATS Fifth Protocol
Global Trade Reform (Australian Government manifesto for market liberalisation through the WTO) (May, 1999)
INFORMATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES
A Short History of Neoliberalism --1999 conference paper by Susan George
Oxfam's "Make Trade Fair" campaign--combatting 'Free Trade' evils
Environmental Management and International Trade - Canadian writer Aaron Cosbey says the task of environmental management is seriously complicated by borders which are open to trade.
Globalisation RoundTable a new West Australian co-operative initiative
'The Fourth Story' --The late Robert Theobald's approach to a new viewpoint
"We now know that we need to concentrate on the quality of living rather than the quantity of goods. We can only do so if we make social cohesion, ecological integrity and effective decision-making our watchwords."
OTHER ANTI-MAI WEBSITES
MAI-Intl --Moderated archive of informative postings
MAI-Not (Canada) An unmoderated newsgroup archive
Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch (USA)
John Massam's site compiled by a Perth justice campaigner
Third World Network --with good UNCTAD and WTO links
The Halifax Initiative --Canadians mount a proactive campaign
Local Government takes action --MAI-Free Zones declared in USA
PRO-MAI WEBSITES
The European Agenda --blueprint for revived MAI talks
The ICC, Paris --Putting the case for a global economy
Mr Greed's WTO Page --ICC won't be giving up
MORE LINKS AND NEWSGROUPS - with instructions on how to join lists
Library of World Links --compiled by Andreas Rockstein and Brian Jenkins
Click your Back button, or go to