Activists protest at EU ministers meeting

NOV. 21 9:04 A.M. ET Activists from fair trade groups protested outside an EU trade and foreign ministers meeting Monday, calling for negotiators to put people ahead of business at world trade talks next month.

Many demonstrators wore white plastic wristbands as a symbol of their support for a trade deal that is fair to poor countries -- a deal that appeared unlikely as global trade negotiations entered the final stretch ahead of the mid-December talks in Hong Kong.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson also was wearing a white wristband when he told reporters he would push for a development package to put a "human face" on the talks.

Outside, however, demonstrators had built a papier-mache effigy of Mandelson, fastened to a leash and kneeling before two bowler-hatted activists representing Big Business.

"This (trade deal) is economic rape of the developing world," said Sylvia Borren from the Global Call to Action against Poverty.

More free trade would not help developing countries move out of poverty, she said. Rich countries had more to gain from liberalization because they had time to build up and secure their industry and trade but were not allowing others do the same, she said.

"Free liberalization does not mean that the developing countries will be free. We want the European Union to be more responsible and let the developing world decide for themselves," she said.

Her words were echoed by a report launched in Brussels on Monday by the Seattle to Brussels Network, an umbrella group for anti-globalization environmental and development groups.

"The overall objective of EU trade policy is to open up markets and secure property rights for transnational corporations," said report author Christina Deckwirth.

She said Brussels was awash in business lobbyists who had managed to push their goals to the top of the political agenda. Her report calls for stricter rules to regulate the estimated 15,000 lobbyists in Brussels and more open decision-making.

EU trade and foreign ministers said Monday they will closely monitor Mandelson at the Hong Kong talks to ensure he makes no excessively generous offers on cuts in farm subsidies to the EU.

In an unusual declaration, the EU foreign ministers said they would meet "in special session" during the World Trade Organization talks next month to offer Mandelson "necessary guidance" on any global trade deal.