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340+ organisations call on the EU to immediately halt trade negotiations with Brazil

category international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release author Tuesday June 18, 2019 23:06author by Climate Change Ireland

In an open letter, over 340 civil society organisations are demanding that the European Union immediately halt free trade agreement negotiations with the Mercosur bloc (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) on the grounds of deteriorating human rights and environmental conditions in Brazil. The letter is addressed to presidents of the EU institutions ahead of the ministerial-level meeting next week in Brussels where EU and Mercosur foreign ministers aim to finalise the negotiations.
Mato Grosso, Brazil – Photo by Icaro Cooke Vieira/CIFOR cifor.orgCC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Mato Grosso, Brazil – Photo by Icaro Cooke Vieira/CIFOR cifor.orgCC BY-NC-ND 2.0

German version of the letter (PDF)French version of the letter Spanish versionPortuguese version

” Dear President of the European Council, President of the European Commission, President of the European Parliament,

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are writing to call on the European Union to use its influence to prevent a worsening human rights and environmental situation in Brazil.

In April, more than 600 European scientists and two Brazilian Indigenous organizations, representing 300 Brazilian Indigenous groups, called for the EU to act as a global leader in supporting human rights, human dignity and a habitable climate by making sustainability the cornerstone of its trade negotiations with Brazil. We fully support this call.

Bound by the Treaty of the European Union, the EU and its Member States vowed to respect and promote human rights as an overarching objective in its dealings with other countries. Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström has also clearly stated the need for new EU trade agreements to deliver sustainable development.

Since the inauguration of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in January 2019, we have witnessed increased human rights violations, attacks on minorities, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ and other traditional communities. Moreover, the administration continues to threaten the basic democratic functioning of civil society while instigating a fundamental assault on some of the world’s most precious and ecologically valuable regions.

We are deeply concerned about the following:

Civil society actors, activists, peasants, workers and minorities face extreme dangers from the incendiary rhetoric of the Bolsonaro government and its supporters. This includes his labeling of members of grassroots movements like the Landless Workers Movement and the Movement of Homeless as “terrorists,” generating concerns that Brazil’s controversial anti-terrorist law will be used to criminalize social activists.

The EU is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner overall, second-largest importer of Brazilian soy and a major importer of Brazilian beef and other agricultural products. The EU, therefore, has a responsibility to address human rights and environmental injustices taking place in Brazil under the Bolsonaro government. It must use its leverage to support civil society, human rights and the environment.

The EU is in the midst of negotiating a far-reaching Mercosur trade deal that seeks to expand market access and trade between the two regions, including Brazil. It is imperative that the EU sends an unequivocal message to President Bolsonaro that the EU will refuse to negotiate a trade deal with Brazil until there is an end to human rights violations, strict measures to end further deforestation and concrete commitments to implement the Paris Agreement.

In the past, the EU has suspended trade preferences with countries involved in human rights violations, such as Myanmar and the Philippines. In addition, the EU has restricted imports of products whose production is related to human rights in the case of conflict minerals. It is time that the EU takes a similar, tough stance to prevent a deterioration of the human rights and environmental situation in Brazil.

We therefore call on you to:

  1. Immediately halt negotiations for an EU-Mercosur free trade agreement.
  2. Guarantee that no Brazilian products sold in the EU, nor the financial markets underpinning them, are leading to increases in deforestation, land grabbing of native lands or human rights violations.
  3. Demand confirmation, with material evidence, that the Brazilian government will fulfill its commitments as part of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
  4. Increase support for Brazilian civil society, including strengthening the implementation of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy and proactive consultations with Brazilian civil society organisations that address human rights and the democratic functioning of Brazilian civil society.
  5. Monitor and respond to human rights violations—including investigating cases since Bolsonaro’s election—and strengthen mechanisms to protect human rights defenders. For those most at risk, including Indigenous peoples and environmental defenders, the EU should provide direct and urgent support where required, including through political representations.

Sincerely, “

ALBA MovimientosInternational
FIAN InternationalInternational
foodwatch internationalInternational
GRAINInternational
GreenpeaceInternational
ISP InteramericasInternational
OMCT – World Organisation Against TortureInternational
Plataforma América Latina mejor sin TLCInternational
Alianza BiodiversidadInternational
PSI Public Service International Américas International
ACT Alliance EU Europe
CIDSE – International family of Catholic social justice organisationsEurope
Climate AllianceEurope
Corporate Europe Observatory Europe
EU-LAT NetworkEurope
European Coordination Via CampesinaEurope
European Environmental BureauEurope
FernEurope
Food & Water EuropeEurope
Friends of the Earth EuropeEurope
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) EuropeEurope
S2B networkEurope
Slow Food EuropeEurope
Acción por la BiodiversidadArgentina
Amigos de la Tierra ArgentinaArgentina
AMUMRA – Asociación Civil de Derechos Humanos Mujeres Unidas Migrantes y Refugiadas en ArgentinaArgentina
Asamblea Argentina mejor sin TLCArgentina
ATTAC ArgentinaArgentina
COMUNA (Colectiva en Movimiento por una Universidad Nuestramericana) en el FPDS-CNArgentina
Diálogo 2000 – Jubileo Sur ArgentinaArgentina
Frente Patria GrandeArgentina
Frente Popular Dario SantillanArgentina
Fundación Grupo Efecto PositivoArgentina
INPADE / FOCOArgentina
Resumen LatinoamericanoArgentina
Vamos- Frente Patria GrandeArgentina
Anders HandelnAustria
Attac AustriaAustria
Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour/AK EuropaAustria
Climate Alliance AustriaAustria
Coordination office of the Austrian episcopal conference for international development and mission (KOO)Austria
DKA AustriaAustria
globalistaAustria
Grüne Bildungswerkstatt NÖAustria
Grupo Encuentro Austria Argentina – GEAAAustria
HORIZONT3000Austria
Informationsgruppe Lateinamerika (IGLA)Austria
International Fellowship of Reconciliation AustriaAustria
Jahoda -Bauer InstitutAustria
NeSoVe / Network Social ResponsibilityAustria
ÖBV-Via Campesina AustriaAustria
Parents For Future ViennaAustria
proge UnionAustria
Selbstbesteuerungsgruppe Bischof KräutlerAustria
transform!atAustria
vöwgAustria
ELABasque Country
Mugarik GabeBasque Country
TRADENERBasque Country
Commission Justice et PaixBelgium
11.11.11Belgium
Broederlijk DelenBelgium
CNCD-11.11.11Belgium
Commission Justice et PaixBelgium
Entraide et Fraternité Belgium
FIAN BelgiumBelgium
FIAN BelgiumBelgium
Indignez-VousBelgium
SOLIDAIR MET GUATEMALABelgium
Fundación SolónBolivia
Centar za zivotnu sredinu/ Friends of the Earth Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Justiça nos TrilhosBrazil
Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens – MABBrazil
AMAST RJBrazil
AMAU (Articulação Metropolitana de Agricultura Urbana e Periurbana) Brazil
Associação Alternativa TerrazulBrazil
Asssociação para Recuperação e Conservação do Ambiente – ARCABrazil
Campanha Antipetroleira “Nem um poço a mais!”Brazil
Caritas Arquidiocesana de BrasíliaBrazil
Central Única dos Trabalhadores – CUTBrazil
Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Seguridade Social da CUTBrazil
CONFEDERAÇÃO NACIONAL DOS TRABALHADORES NA SAÚDEBrazil
Convívio Slow Food ParahybaBrazil
FASE – Solidariedade e EducaçãoBrazil
Fasubra sindicalBrazil
Federação das Organizações Indígenas do Rio Negro – FOIRNBrazil
Federação Nacional dos Enfermeiros Brazil
Fórum da Amazônia Oriental – FAORBrazil
FÓRUM MUDANÇAS CLIMÁTICAS E JUSTIÇA SOCIALBrazil
Grupo sementeBrazil
INESC Brazil
INESC – Instituto de Estúdios SocioeconômicosBrazil
İnstituto EQUİT – Gênero, Economia e Cidadania GlobalBrazil
Instituto Floresta de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento SustentávelBrazil
INSTITUTO MADEIRA VIVO – IMVBrazil
Jubileu Sul BrasilBrazil
Justiça GlobalBrazil
Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra – MSTBrazil
Movimento Urbano de Agroecologia – MUDABrazil
OLMA – Observatório Nacional de Justiça Socioambiental Luciano Mendes de AlmeidaBrazil
Operação Amazônia NativaBrazil
REBRİP- Rede Brasileira pela İntegração dos PovosBrazil
Rede Jubileu SulBrazil
Slow Food BrasilBrazil
Tribunal PopulrBrazil
Za Zemiata – Friends of the Earth BulgariaBulgaria
Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine – CDHALCanada
Lafede.cat – Organitzacions per a la Justícia GlobalCatalunya
Plataforma Chile mejor sin TLCChile
Coordinación social y política Marcha Patriótica Colombia
Marcha PatrioticaColombia
Proceso de Comunidades NegrasColombia
Zelena akcija / Friends of the Earth CroatiaCroatia
Friends of the Earth CyprusCyprus
Ekumenicka akademieCzech Republic
Global AktionDenmark
NOAH – Friends of the EarthDenmark
Verdens SkoveDenmark
Oficina de Derechos de la NauralezaEcuador
Colectiva Feminista para el Desarrollo LocalEl Salvador
Fundación de e Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho -FESPADEl Salvador
Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho -FESPAD-El Salvador
Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern IrelandEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Estonian Forest Aid (Eesti Metsa Abiks)Estonia
Estonian Society for Nature ConservationEstonia
Friends of the Earth FinlandFinland
Friends of the LandlessFinland
TTIP Network FinlandFinland
ActionAid FranceFrance
AitecFrance
alofa tuvaluFrance
AMAR BrasilFrance
Attac FranceFrance
BloomFrance
cedetim/ipamFrance
collectif anti ogm 66France
Collectif Causse Méjean – Gaz de Schiste NON !France
Collectif Stop TAFTA / CETAFrance
Comité Pauvreté et PolitiqueFrance
Commitee in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples of the Americas (CSIA-Nitassinan)France
Confederation paysanneFrance
Confédération Paysanne TarnFrance
Emmaüs InternationalFrance
FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights)France
France Amerique LatineFrance
France Nature EnvironnementFrance
LDH pays RochefortaisFrance
Le Lien 26France
Les Amis de la Terre (Friends of the Earth France)France
Les Amis du Monde DiplomatiqueFrance
Les Amis du Mouvement des Sans Terre France
MNLEFrance
Parents For Future FranceFrance
ReActFrance
Réseau européen pour la Démocratie au Brésil (RED.br)France
réseau RooseveltFrance
SherpaFrance
SolidairesFrance
Veblen InstituteFrance
Bizi!France / Basque country
AG Recife e.V.Germany
Agrar KoordinationGermany
Agrecol e.V.Germany
Andy Gheorghiu ConsultingGermany
ARA e.V.Germany
Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL)Germany
Bischöfliches Hilfswerk MISEREORGermany
Brasiliengruppe TübingenGermany
Brasilieninitiative Freiburg e.V.Germany
Brasiliennetzwerk NiedersachsenGermany
Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) / Friends of the Earth GermanyGermany
BUND LaichingenGermany
CampactGermany
Coordination gegen BAYER-GefahrenGermany
DEAB e.V.Germany
Die AnStifterGermany
Die AnStifter StuttgartGermany
Dona Flor e.V.Germany
Eine-Welt-Verein Pachamama StuttgartGermany
Elternseminar StuttgartGermany
Erich Fromm Institute TuebingenGermany
FDCL – Center for Research and Documentation Chile-Latin America Germany
FIAN DeutschlandGermany
Forum Ökologie & PapierGermany
GegenStrömung – CounterCurrentGermany
Gentechnikfrei21.deGermany
German NGO Forum on Environment and Development Germany
Health and Environment Justice Support InternationalGermany
Informationsbüro Nicaragua e.V.Germany
Initiative kikuna e.V. – Zukunft Nachhaltig GestaltenGermany
just human e.V.Germany
Kaite-ZIM e. V.Germany
Kölner Bündnis für gerechten WelthandelGermany
Kolumbienkampagne BerlinGermany
Kooperation Brasilien e.V.Germany
Lernen im AufbruchGermany
mediation and project management agrobiodiversityGermany
mediation and project management agrobiodiversityGermany
Naturfreunde Württemberg e.V.Germany
Naturschutzbund DeutschlandGermany
Netzwerk Gerechter WelthandelGermany
Parents For Future BensheimGermany
Parents for Future FreiburgGermany
Parents for Future StuttgartGermany
POEMA – Armut und Umwelt in AmazonienGermany
PowerShift e.V.Germany
Pro REGENWALDGermany
ROBIN WOODGermany
Save Our SeedsGermany
Society for Threatened PeoplesGermany
Stiftung Solidarische Welt – Berta KühnleGermany
Verein für eine gerechte Welt e.V.Germany
WEED – World Economy, Ecology & DevelopmentGermany
Welthaus FürthGermany
Weltladen RottenburgGermany
Weltladen-Dachverband e.V.Germany
Women Engage for a Common FutureGermany
Wuppertaler Aktionsbündnis gegen TTIP und andere FreihandelsfallenGermany
EnergenoGermany
Parents for Future Dortmund Germany
Consumer association for quality of life- ekpizoGreece
Asociación Comunitaria para el Desarrollo ASERJUSGuatemala
Comité de Unidad CampesinaGuatemala
consejo de investigaciones en desarrolloGuatemala
Servicios Jurídicos y Sociales, S.C.Guatemala
Observatorio Sociolaboral y del Diálogo Social Ecuador Ecuador
Plateforme Haïtienne de Plaidoyer pour un Développement AlternatifHaití
DIAKONIAHonduras
Clean Air Action GroupHungary
Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége (Friends of the Earth Hungary)Hungary
My Right To Breathe India
An Claíomh GlasIreland
forest friends irelandIreland
Guarani-Kaiowa Solidarity IrelandIreland
IcsaIreland
Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers’ Association Ireland
Latin America Solidarity CentreIreland
Leave No Trace IrelandIreland
Peoples Movement – Gluaiseacht an PhobailIreland
Radio LatinaIreland
ZWAIIreland
Stop Ceta Alliance Ireland
Fair watchItaly
Parents For Future – Turin Italy
Stop TTIP ItaliaItaly
ASTM (Action Solidarité Tiers Monde)Luxembourg
Bio-Lëtzebuerg asblLuxembourg
Mouvement EcologiqueLuxembourg
natur&ëmwelt a.s.b.l.Luxembourg
Nature Trust – FEE MaltaMalta
UnamMexico
Red Mexicana de Acción frente al libre ComercioMexico
HeñóiParaguay
Derecho Ambiente y Recursos Naturales DARPeru
Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH)Peru
CooperAcciónPeru
La JuntaPeru
Movimiento Nacional de Mujeres Todas Somos MicaelaPeru
Red Peruana por una Globalización con Equidad – RedGEPeru
Red Peruana por una Globalización con Equidad RedGEPeru
Federación de Trabajadores del Agua Potable del Perú – FENTAP- Peru
Institute of Global Responsibility (IGO)Poland
ROZRUCH Poland
Associação de Combate à Precariedade – Precários InflexíveisPortugal
Circo de SonhoPortugal
ClimáximoPortugal
Corporations- Zero TolerancePortugal
GEOTAPortugal
Glocal FaroPortugal
Glocal FaroPortugal
Mafra sem GlifosatoPortugal
MAPA – Movimento de Acção PolíticaPortugal
Palombar – Associação de Conservação da Natureza e do Património RuralPortugal
Parents For Future PortugalPortugal
plataforma algarve livre de petroleoPortugal
plataforma algarve livre de petroleoPortugal
Porto Sem OGMPortugal
Quercus, Associação Nacional de Conservação da NaturezaPortugal
SOS Racismo PortugalPortugal
Teachers for FuturePortugal
TROCA- Plataforma por um Comércio Internacional JustoPortugal
ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth SystemPortugal
Friends of the Siberian ForestsRussia
Slow food SalvadorSalvador
ALTERNATIVA REPUBLICANASpain
Amigas de la TierraSpain
Amigos de la TierraSpain
ASiA- Associació Salut i AgroecologiaSpain
Attac SpainSpain
Campanya Catalunya No als TCISpain
COAGSpain
Col.lectiu AgudellsSpain
CONGD-IBSpain
DES DE BAIX (Asociación para el debate y la Acción Ciudadana) Spain
Ecologistas en AcciónSpain
Ecologistes en Acció CatalunyaSpain
Economistas sin FronterasSpain
Enginyeria Sense FronteresSpain
Entrepueblos/Entrepobles/Entrepobos/HerriarteSpain
Iniciativa Cambio Personal Justicia GlobalSpain
INTUMA SLSpain
ISCOD – Instituto Sindical de Cooperación al desarrollo de UGTSpain
Marxa Mundial de Dones-CatalunyaSpain
Observatorio de Multinacionales en América Latina – Paz con DignidadSpain
Podemos CentroSpain
SETEM CatalunyaSpain
SOLdePaz.PachakutiSpain
SUDSSpain
UGTSpain
FIAN SwedenSweden
FIAN Sweden Sweden
Jordens VannerSweden
Latinamerikagrupperna // Solidaridad Suecia-América Latina (SAL)Sweden
Parents For Future SwedenSweden
Bruno Manser FundSwitzerland
Centre for Developmet and Environment, University of BernSwitzerland
Pro Natura / Friends of the Earth SwitzerlandSwitzerland
SolifondsSwitzerland
ArisaThe Netherlands
Both ENDSThe Netherlands
Commons NetworkThe Netherlands
La Chispa, digitaal platform over Latijns AmerikaThe Netherlands
Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth NetherlandsThe Netherlands
Platform Aarde Boer ConsumentThe Netherlands
Platform Duurzame en Solidaire EconomieThe Netherlands
SOMOThe Netherlands
Transnational InstituteThe Netherlands
VrijschriftThe Netherlands
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom dutch sectionThe Netherlands
Banana LinkUnited Kingdom
CORE CoalitionUnited Kingdom
EcoNexusUnited Kingdom
Farms not FactoriesUnited Kingdom
Global Justice NowUnited Kingdom
Globalizations journalUnited Kingdom
Health and Trade NetworkUnited Kingdom
Health and Trade NetworkUnited Kingdom
London Mining NetworkUnited Kingdom
Parents For Future UKUnited Kingdom
Traidcraft ExchangeUnited Kingdom
War on WantUnited Kingdom
Rethinking Value Chains United Kingdom / France
Forest Peoples ProgrammeUnited Kingdom and the Netherlands
REDES-Amigos del Tierra (FoE) UruguayUruguay

Related Link: https://s2bnetwork.org/letter-brasil-bolsonaro-eu-mercosur/

Comments (3 of 3)

Jump To Comment: 1 2 3
author by EU scepticpublication date Wed Jun 19, 2019 22:03author address author phone

Now we will see what really matters to the elites in the EU

Profits or their "climate change" scam.

I'm betting profits!

The entire excess of CO2 in the atmosphere from ALL sources
amounts to 0.04% of the atmosphere (400ppm), of which a mere 3.4% is as a result of all human activity.
That includes all the major polluters in China and the US

Viewed from this pespective, FG's carbon tax is a joke on the poorest in society!
It won't change a thing. It can't possibly. it's just a gnat's fart in the scheme of things.

The EU's decision to favour more juicy corporate profits from the mercosur deal will
make it seem even more farcical

screenshot.jpg

author by Tpublication date Thu Jun 20, 2019 16:30author address author phone

That graphic makes no sense.

CO-2 is the main greenhouse gas in the atmosphere by amount although it is not the strongest greenhouse gas but the fact that the other greenhouse gases are present in much smaller quantities means collectively they contribute about 25% of the warming compared to CO-2.

The next point is also wrong to say human contributions of CO-2 to the CO-2 in the atmosphere are wrong.
If we take the CO-2 level in 1950 it was at about 310 ppm. Now it is at about 413pm which is an increase of 103 since then and that's not even pre-industrial. Putting 103/413 gives ~25%. And that's a big increase by any measure in such a short time.

And while people tend to assume something in such a small amount can't possibly have a dramatic effect, one needs to think twice as this is often the case in physical chemicals systems. For example just a few parts per million of testosterone in the body can have dramatic differences.

Nevertheless the point about the EU profitting can still be valid because the capitalist system in general is only willing to try and address this problem in terms of the 'market' which to them really means making money out of it. But it can't and won't be solved within the framework of the capitalist logic and system.

author by EU scepticpublication date Sat Jun 22, 2019 15:48author address author phone

water vapour is the dominant greenhouse gas.
The jetstream largely drives weather behaviour here.
The sun drives the perturbations in the jetstream. And climate chamge.
FG carbon taxes will do nothng to address any of that.
unless they plan to buy something to partially cover the sun
using our carbon taxes!! :-D

Taxing the poor in Ireland in order to somehow alter the world's weather is a fools errand.
Climate change will happen no matter what taxes we pay to FG
Our weather will not be altered one bit by any of this
yet they have people in the street thinking it will.
our input as a nation into the system does not even register.

The EU have yet again pulled a fast one on Ireland with carbon fines
and calls to limit our agriculture
Meanwhile they line their pockets helping to fell the rainforests
with Mercosur.

It's a scam. Those in power know they can't change the climate.
But it is still a useful thing to pretend they can and scare people
into agreeing to nonsensical government overreach
and foolish compliant behaviour.

Of course nobody at all talking about shutting down unnecessary nonsense such as all the US military bases whose combined carbon footprint is actually bigger than several countries. Just stuff like taxing poor people in Ireland
And in fact the EU now want an army that may cost us billions every year on top of our carbom taxes.
What about it's carbon footprint?? Crickets.

Your pointless google searches for cats on the toilet are are probably your biggest carbon crime.
That's not really in the discussion either!


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