Save our natural environment from the World Trade Organisation!

Why be concerned?

What is NAMA?

Current World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks intend to 'free' up trade in natural resources and manufactured goods eg gems and minerals, electronics, forests and wood products, fish and fish products, footwear, chemicals etc. These talks are called Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) talks.

The aim of the talks is to get rid of 'barriers' to trade in non-agricultural goods. Barriers can be tariff or non-tariff. Non-tariff barriers are subsidies, and environmental and social regulations or standards. Tariff barriers are taxes imposed by governments on imported or exported products.

Countries have already listed other countries' regulations they want to see scrapped in the NAMA talks. If successful, these talks could dismantle hard-won national laws which protect the environment, social well-being and health eg laws that:

• certify sustainable wood products
• label dolphin-friendly tuna
• enforce building codes and fire safety standards
• label the ingredients of some medicines
• label the energy efficiency of products
• promoting fuel efficiency via tax breaks to people with smaller cars
• encourage recycling

and hundreds of other regulations, if the WTO declares they are "barriers " to free trade.

Further information about NAMA

What can you do?

Register now to receive NAMA.campaign materials to run a stall.