European Parliament must NOT RATIFY the EU-Colombia/Peru FTA!

After the INTA Committee vote in favour of the ratification, the plenary of the European Parliament is going to vote the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement on next Tuesday 11th December. For this last week towards the vote, a number of organisations in Europe and Latin America are inviting to support the initiatives: – sending to MEPs the declarations against the FTA ratification (enclosed here in English, Spanish and French); – inviting again individuals to use the buttons “In my name don’t ratify”; joining the Cyber-Action that is sending thousands emails to MEPs demanding to vote No to the ratification.

Petition to the EU Parliament – NO EU Colombia Peru FTA

On October 10th, a petition was addressed to the European Parliament by
Latin American and European organizations, networks and communities not to ratify thise trade agreement

Press Conference 10 October 2012

The Association Agreements between the European Union and Central America and the Free Trade Agreement between the EU, Colombia and Peru, will be ratified in the coming months after a controversial negotiation process. The European and Latin American civil society has pointed out on numerous occasions to the European Parliament that these Agreements do not fulfill the minimum criteria to meet the economic imbalance between the two regions or ensure compliance with the main objectives of the EU to promote sustainable development and respect for human rights. Invitation in Spanish

For further information on the consequences of ratifying these agreements, as they have been set out and together with Latin America and European civil society representatives, we invite you to a PRESS CONFERENCE to be held on the 10th OCTOBER AT 11h00 AT SALLE PASSAGE, RESIDENCE PALACE.

SPEAKERS

  • Wolfgang Kaleck: General Secretary and co-founder for the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
  • Rafael Hernández: Member of the European Coordination Vía Campesina
  • Tarsicio Mora Godoy: International Relations Director for the CUT ? Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (Colombian Trade Union Confederation)
  • Lourdes Castro: Expert in trade relations European Union / Latin America

Moderator: Gérard Karlshausen, National Centre for Development Cooperation – Belgium – and member of the CopenhagenInitiative for Central America – CIFCA

AATS: Résidence Palace. Passage Room. 155, rue de la Loi ?1040 Brussels
11h00 – SPANISH / ENGLISH / FRENCH

Conveners: ALOP, APRODEV, CIFCA, Bi-regional Network Enlazando Alternativas, 11.11.11-CNCD, OIDHACO, Seattle-to-Brussels Network, Solidarité Socialiste, TNI

IN MY NAME, DON´T RATIFY

In My Name, don´t ratify! – Sign and send a letter to your MEPs to reject the ratification of the Free Trade Agreements and Association Agreements between the European Union and Colombia, Perú and Central America (…)

campaign
campaign

Colombia continues being the most dangerous country for tradeunionists

Human Rights Watch in its 2012 Report on violence against Trade Unionists in Colombia writes: “While the number of trade unionists killed every year is less today than a decade ago, it remains higher than any other country in the world: 51 trade unionists were murdered in 2008, 47 in 2009, 51 in 2010, and 26 from January to November 15, 2011, according to the National Labor School (ENS), Colombia’s leading NGO monitoring labor rights”. Read the part of the Report dedicated to Colombia.

Colombian Activists in Europe in March and April

In March and April 2011, a delegation of Colombian trade unionists and human rights activists will be visiting Europe for a lobby tour will be received by national campaigns in Germany, Hungary, Austria, Spanish State, Bulgaria, France, Czech Republic, Belgium (tbc) and The Netherlands, to prevent the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement concluded by the EU with Colombia and Peru.

So far, the confirmed participants in the delegation include: Maria Victoria Forero, President of the National Board of Trade Union of Employees of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (SINTRABIENESTAR) which is affiliated to the Confederation of Workers-CUT; Maria del Pilar Silva Garay, lawyer and human rights activist. Linked to the Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo”, a non-governmental human rights organization; Diogenes Orjuela Garcia, Director of the Department of International Relations of the Confederation of Workers-CUT Colombia; Nohora Stella Tovar, Vice President of Federation Fetramecol-metal sector, Mechanical and electrical in Colombia and Executive Secretary of the Confederation of Workers of Colombia (CTC in spanish)

Also, on the occasion of the lobby tour, a broad number of organisations from Europe have published the policy brief “Time for Europe to put values and human rights above commercial advantage. Why EU-Colombia/Peru Free Trade Agreements should not be ratified” available (english and spanish) for download from: www.tni.org/sites/www.tni.org/files/download/EU-Colombia-Peru-FTA%20Policy%20Brief.pdf

Strategy Meeting 7th October 2010

Interview with Raùl Arroyave – CUT Colombia 1/2

Interview with Raùl Arroyave – CUT Colombia 2/2