Strategic GUE/NGL initiative

on alternatives to Free trade Agreements

EU-MERCOSUR FTA

WHAT ABOUT DEMOCRACY ?

WHAT CONTENT ?

WHO PROFITS ?

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, Brussels, 2-3 May 2018

Wednesday May 2

16:30 - 19:00:  MERCOSUR: democracy under attack

(Room ASG 1G2, Interpretation to most EU languages)

Opening words: MEP Tania Gonzalez Peñas, Vice-President of GUE/NGL

Coups and democratic step back in Brazil and Mercosur:

Moderated by Xabier Benito Ziluaga, Vice-President of the delegation for the relations with MERCOSUR

Celso Amorín, former Foreign Minister, former Defence Minister – Brazil;

Guillermo Carmona, MP of Frente para la Victoria  - Argentine;  

Hector Constant - Ambassador of Venezuela for UNESCO, former secretary of Mercosur.

Judicialisation and repression of political and social movement

Moderated by: MEP Eleonora Forenza, member of the EUROLAT parliamentary Assembly

Marcel Friexo, PSOL (tbc);  MST representative; Lilian Galán MP Frente Amplio, Uruguay

Conclusions:  MEP: Joao Pimenta Lopes, Vice president of the EUROLAT parliamentary Assembly

Thursday May 3th

8:30 - 11:00 The EU-MERCOSUR FTA at stake

(Room ASG 1G3, Interpretation to most EU languages)

Introduction: Gabi Zimmer, chair GUE/NGL, Graciela Rodriguez, Trade and Women network - Brasil,

The content of the EU-Mercosur FTA in debate:

Moderated by MEP Helmut Scholz, INTA coordinator for GUE/NGL

Matthias Jorgensen, EU negotiator, TG Trade, European Commission and Carlos Bianco, CTA Confederation of Trade Unions, Argentine,

First reactions: Karine Jacquemart (Foodwatch, Germany), Diana Aguiar (Fase, Brazil)

- Open Debate and conclusions

11:15 - 13:00:  4 Workshops in parallel

Workshop 1. Sustainable Farming, Via Campesina, Food Watch  (Coord: Domnik Zganek

Workshop 2. Democracy and tax evasion (Coord: Verónica Grondona)

Workshop 3. Jobs and diversified economy CTA (Coord: Paul-E Dupret)

Workshop 4: Access to medicines (Coord: Sahar Nasiri)

13:00 14:00 Lunchtime

14:00 - 16:30:  Alternatives and resistances

(Room PHS 1C51, Interpretation EN-ES)

Moderated by MEP Lola Sanchez

- Reports of workshops and comments by MEPs Lidia Senra, Helmut Scholz, Anne-Marie Mineur

- Resistances and alternatives: Irish farmers movement, SDG Watch, Friend of the Earth; MST representative

- Open debate and conclusions

To REGISTER: http://www.opinio.europarl.europa.eu/opinio/s?s=0305A