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Bush Administration Trade Deal Puts Communities at Risk Statement by Carl Pope, Executive Director “In announcing the deal struck over the new Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with four Central American nations today, the Bush administration has missed an opportunity to use trade to foster balanced development. Instead, today’s agreement would expand the privileges of global corporations at the expense of the environment, working families and communities. “The Bush administration is using CAFTA to pressure the rest of Latin America into agreeing with the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). CAFTA must be judged not only for its impacts on Central America and the United States, but as a model for the hemisphere. “The trade deal offered today would not only give foreign investors greater rights under U.S. law to challenge community and environmental safeguards; it also could force governments to weaken environmental standards covering a wide-range of services. Under CAFTA’s provisions, governments could be barred from setting limits on mining and logging activities in ecologically sensitive areas, and from requiring agribusinesses to use pesticides safely. “CAFTA also could increase food safety risks, essentially requiring food-importing countries to accept on faith the safety of fruit, vegetables and meat crossing their borders. “We can do better:
“The American people want trade, but trade that is safe, clean and fair. The Bush administration’s proposed CAFTA does not achieve that objective.” # # # |
