INTERFAITH STATEMENT ON TRADE
4. International trade and investment systems should respect the legitimate role of government, in collaboration with civil society, to set policies regarding the development and welfare of its people.
Government exists to serve the needs of society. It has an essential role in setting priorities and making decisions about trade and investment in order to advance the common good. Civil society, in its turn, has the right to freely express its views about society's needs, address them in public policy, and to otherwise participate in decisions affecting social, economic, and environ- mental justice.
We observe:
- International trade and investment regimes that undermine the decision-making prerogatives of national governments to the detriment of local economies and cultures.
- Multilateral institutions and national governments that often marginalize civil society's right to participate in trade and investment decisions.
- Multilateral institutions that frequently pressure governments to prioritize market needs over those of people and the environment.
- International trade and investment rules that prevent governments and civil society from holding transnational corporations accountable for their actions.
We envision:
International institutions that respect the right of governments to establish policies that ensure the social and economic well-being of their people; effective collaboration between civil society, governments, and international institutions in shaping international trade and investment to advance the goal of a just and prosperous human society; and mechanisms that ensure that transnational corporate activities serve the common good.
Click here to read more.
Click here to read all of the principles.
Click here for a printer-friendly (PDF) version of this document.
