'EU trade threat to poor'

Campaigners from War on Want, Friends of the Earth and the World Development Movement staged a demonstration today (Friday, 25 January) against European Union policies which they warn threaten millions of livelihoods in developing countries.

The London protest at the European Commission office came on the eve of trade ministers’ special lunch on Saturday at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort Davos.

It also took place on the eve of international rallies to mark a day of action by anti-globalisation activists in the World Social Forum movement on Saturday.

The London demonstration opposed EU economic partnership agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries which they say will destroy many jobs by forcing developing nations to open their markets to unfair competition.

Protesters also targeted EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson’s free-market vision for a Global Europe, which they claim puts at risk the livelihoods of millions of workers and farmers in the developing world.

The demonstrators, with placards demanding "Stop Europe’s Unfair Trade Deals", handed in a protest letter to Reijo Kemppinen, head of the EC representation in London, at his office at 8 Storey’s Gate, London SW1P 3AT.

CONTACT: Paul Collins, War on Want media office – (+44) (0)20 7549 0584 or (+44) (0)7983 550728

photo by Agnieszka Legierska

Click here to see more photographs and a video from the demonstration.