no new rights for big business at the wto

Friends of the Earth International argues against the launch of investment negotiations at the WTO, claiming such rules would prioritize multinational corporations over environmental protections and public interest. The document cites failures of previous agreements like NAFTA Chapter 11 and argues that the WTO is an inappropriate forum for corporate accountability rules.

• Friends of the Earth International opposes the launch of investment liberalization negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that such an agreement would prioritize the rights of multinational corporations over the environment, public interest, and poverty reduction policies.
• The organization recommends that the WTO explicitly reject investment negotiations, including those based on "procedural modalities" or a "bottom-up" approach, and calls for the abandonment of the Agreement on Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) because it hinders government ability to pursue environmental and community-oriented policies.
• Past investment agreements are cited as threats to the public interest; specifically, NAFTA Chapter 11 has led to Canada and Mexico losing cases related to environmental protections, including a hazardous waste site and the regulation of toxic PCBs. The United States has faced challenges exceeding US $1 billion in demanded compensation, including threats against California mining laws.
• The document disputes the claim that multilateral investment agreements benefit developing countries, noting that a 2003 World Bank analysis found bilateral investment treaties did not increase foreign investment, and a 2003 UNDP report found no clear correlation between foreign direct investment volume and development success.
• Proposed WTO investment rules, such as "non-discrimination" disciplines, could prohibit preferences for local sustainable production, forbid the protection of natural resource rights for indigenous communities, and force the opening of public services like water supply to multinational companies.
• The document warns that investment rules could undermine Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), citing a NAFTA Chapter 11 case that challenged the implementation of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes.
• Friends of the Earth International argues that the WTO is an inappropriate forum for regulating corporate behavior and suggests that binding rules for corporate accountability should instead be negotiated in a multilateral social and environmental forum.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2003). no new rights for big business at the wto. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/investment-english-final_letter.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. no new rights for big business at the wto. 2003. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/investment-english-final_letter.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=no new rights for big business at the wto |date=August 2003 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/investment-english-final_letter.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2003new, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{no new rights for big business at the wto}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2003}, month = aug, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/investment-english-final_letter.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }