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The GATS Threat to Food and Agriculture

Posted to the IUF website 17-Jun-2004

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Although the GATS is often seen as an issue mainly for public sector unions in the education, health care, energy, water utilities and government procurement sectors, the broad scope of the GATS and its relationship to expanded transnational investors' rights and increased corporate concentration makes it an issue for the trade union movement generally. Because of their ambitious reach, the GATS negotiations have implications affecting workers and unions outside what have been traditionally regarded as public services. They will have a far-reaching impact on society and the labour movement as a whole, including IUF members.

By compelling governments to treat the supply and distribution of water as a commercial activity open to the entry of foreign companies, the GATS functions as a global mechanism for corporations to commercialize the essentials of life. Yet another essential for life � food - is also incorporated into this logic of corporate domination through the GATS. The GATS will have an enormous impact on agriculture and food. In this paper, we look at two areas in which the GATS will affect food and agricultural workers: water and �environmental services�.

For the complete text of The GATS Threat to Food and Agriculture in pdf format, click here.