[A-List] UK corporate state: GATS preparations

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Title: FW: [DLSnc] to DLS lists: imp. posting from WDM

Forwarded from friends in Democratic Left Scotland:

November 25, 2002

Dear Friend,

Under immense pressure, the UK Government has finally published a consultation paper on GATS - which you are invited to respond to.

The consultation comes at a crucial stage of the negotiations - governments have submitted requests for access to service sectors in other countries and bargaining is underway to determine the offers which will be made in response (by the end of March). The consultation document shows that a huge number of requests have been made - will GATS supporters succeed in their goal of an ambitious round of further liberalisation?

Although WDM was disappointed by the limited scope of the consultation, it still represents an ideal opportunity to register your GATS concerns.This is your chance to have your say, both about the particular sectors that interest you (water, education, etc.) but also about the wider negotiations. Please take it !!!

WDM Scotland has set up a campaign web page to help you respond to the consultation. Here you will find details of the consultation and how to respond along with links to:

- the DTI website (so you can get a copy of the consultation document and see what the govt has to say)

- WDM materials analysing the consultation and suggesting points to make in response

- other articles covering specific interests such as health, education, women, local government and trade unions.

Go to : http://www.wdmscotland.org.uk/gats/index.htm

A key demand of the GATS campaign has been for greater public scrutiny of the process. Please take this opportunity to have your say.

WDM will try to help if you have any questions or clarifications and we will shortly be producing an analysis of the UK's existing GATS commitments - watch this space.

Best wishes

John Watson
Scottish Co-ordinator





WDM Scotland
45 Queensferry Street Lane, Edinburgh, EH2 4PF
tel: 0131 2261488; email: office@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Visit our website at www.wdmscotland.org.uk <http://www.wdmscotland.org.uk>  
For a free, concise weekly update on the big globalisation stories, subscribe to Global Network News:
www.globalnetworknews.info <http://www.globalnetworknews.info>