Last revised: 25 September 2000
Next meeting: Spring 2001

1. Background of the project

   1.1. Context

   The CEC-CSC North-South Working Group has been set a programme by CEC which includes issues such as European Union (EU) co-operation with poor countries (Lomé agreement), structural adjustment programmes of the World Bank (WB), and monitoring the work of multilateral organisations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The working group has seen that several reasons prevent it from fulfilling such a comprehensive task (cf. letter of the working group), among them the fact that work has already been done in this area by the development agencies of several CEC member churches, lobbying at various levels.

   However, there are few existing efforts to inform and educate churches and Christians in Europe about the importance of the WTO and its possible impact of the life of many people in Europe as well as in poor countries. The working group therefore proposes to concentrate its work on the WTO, with the aim of informing CEC member churches about the structure, the work and the intentions of this organisation and the strong influence it is likely to have. This should be of utmost interest of the churches in Europe, in order to be able to understand the current debate about WTO and participate in it from a Christian point of view. The theological insights and texts of the European Ecumenical Assemblies in Basel and Graz provide the basis for CEC in its work on North-South issues. It is important to understand that the future framework for economic, social and environmental development in North and South and the relationship between North and South will to a large and growing extent be determined by the WTO and its agreements. The WTO, like no other international body, has the power to determine the direction and the international framework of globalisation.

   There is an ongoing debate about the structure, the ways decisions are made and the aims and underlying values (ideologies) within WTO. There is a need for the churches in Europe first, to know what is going on and second, to engage in this debate. The growing critical movement of NGOs has shown the possibility as well as the necessity of influencing WTO decisions (as happened in the case of the MAI, the Multilateral Agreement on Investments). The churches in Europe have the responsibility to engage in this debate and are expected to play a major role in it.

   1.2. Problems to be addressed

   We propose a kind of economic literacy program for CEC and its member churches, to enable them to understand the WTO and to formulate a position on it. In the following we have listed some of the problems which arise in the context of WTO:

   The current structure of WTO and the aim of a globalised free market contains not only a risk of further marginalisation of poor countries, but also the seeds for creating weaker social classes in Europe (small scale farmers, unskilled workers), and for a negative environmental impact by undermining national environmental laws and international environmental agreements. Some people also see a risk of an increase of refugees, and dangers to food security and quality.

   EU members have agreed to formulate joint EU positions in WTO negotiations. National positions are mostly formulated by goverments and ministries without involving their national parliaments. Most people have not yet realised that this could weaken the national parliaments, which are no longer able to decide autonomously on issues of genuine national interest. We therefore face a new situation of decision-making processes within the EU, which has not yet developed proper democratic rules to ensure transparency and public participation in political processes.

   The WTO is the central organisation for organising and regulating economic globalisation. It is therefore important to monitor its performance and understand it from the point of view of the Christian churches.

   The interrelationship between poverty in Europe and poverty in Third World countries, as laid out in matters of global trade and global trade regulations in the framework of WTO, is of great importance for CEC member churches and their ecumenical relationship with churches outside Europe. The issues at stake, and anxieties concerning globalisation, can be focused through a proper understanding of the structure, aim and performance of WTO.

2. Project intervention

   2.1. Objectives

   • create awareness among CEC member churches about the meaning of WTO for the global economy and its impact on the societies, and the weaker groups within these societies, in Europe and in poor countries.

   • enable CEC and its member churches to understand and debate with the WTO from a theological and economic perspective and to formulate well-founded positions.

   • stimulate a dialogue and the exchange of socio-ethical and economic arguments within and between CEC member churches.

   • enable CEC and its member churches to contribute to the wider ecumenical debate about globalisation from a well-founded European Christian point of view.

   2.2. Expected results

   An outcome of this project could be that CEC can formulate a position on behalf of its members towards EU and WTO, alongside the WCC and WARC. It is hoped that a strong and united Christian voice from European churches might have an impact on the EU position towards the WTO and their forthcoming negotiations, and thus might contribute to the forces aiming at an democratic reform of the WTO towards more transparency, more effective participation of the South and a better recognition of social and environmental values in global trade.

   2.3. Activities

   It is proposed to implement the project within a period of approximately three years, in which we envisage four phases:

   Phase 1:

   • collecting and compiling existing materials about WTO from member churches, their agencies, ecumenical bodies and allied NGOs.

   • creating and publishing a CEC working paper as a basic document for CEC member churches. This working paper should result in a brochure available in the languages spoken in the CEC member churches, containing educational material about WTO in understandable terms, to enable the CEC member churches to use it for awareness building on all levels of the churches. The brochure shall make information about WTO (history and aims, decision-making processes, current negotiations and intentions, risks and opportunities) accessible to Christians of all CEC member churches and raise questions on WTO from a Christian ethical perpective. In addition, a chapter about fair trade is proposed (as a Christian example of good practices in trade). The working paper should be presented to the Church and Society Commission and then forwarded to the CEC member churches.

   Phase 2:

   The working paper should be put into the local context and framework of the member churches. For this task, the CEC-CSC North-South working group will give guidelines and proposals, questions, and methodological assistance. The brochure will than be distributed and discussed in various circles within the CEC member churches. A possible outcome could be a statement by CEC member churches on national or denominational level.

   Phase 3:

   In the third phase processes will be stimulated to exchange opinions among various CEC member churches and enable bilateal and/or multilateral dialogues between CEC member churches about the global economic development and the role of WTO. EAALCE (Ecumenical Association of Academies and Laity centres in Europe) could be of assistance as well as APRODEV and others. This phase should also be carried out in close co-operation with the WCC and WARC. This phase should enable an dialogue between CEC member churches across East and West, North and South in Europe and among the different denominations of CEC member churches.

   Phase 4:

   The project could possibly lead to the formulation of a common position and statement of CEC, which should be communicated with EU by correspondence, meetings and conferences. This should be done in close co-operation with the WCC.

3. Tasks of the Working Group

   Some CEC member churches, ecumenical bodies and NGOs have already started to produce information about the WTO, therefore the working group will collect and compile the already existing material, if necessary translate it and draft a working paper (by spring 2001).

   This working paper will be handed to CSC for further consideration and distribution among the CEC member churches. Financing for the publication, translation and distribution of the CEC brochure on WTO must be secured by CSC. Financial contributions can come from the funds earmarked for the group by member churches as well as from their development agencies (APRODEV).

   The North-South working group will monitor the discussion processes within the member churches and compile reports from them in order to be able to follow up and assist the ongoing discussions. The working group agrees to function as a think tank and as a catalyst for the process.

   The working group will be pleased to receive any statements by CEC member churches and their related bodies, in order to integrate them into a draft for a common statement of CEC.

25th Sept. 2000, Ecumenical Centre Los Rubios, Malaga, Spain