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Civil society organisations and participation in trade policy processes

7 August 2008 11:30-13:30 (GMT+00) - Public event, London

  • At this ODI/Comercio y Pobreza en Latinoamérica / Trade and Poverty in Latin America (COPLA) event, COPLA researchers from Nicaragua, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, will present the findings of initial research on the roles of civil society organisations (CSOs) in trade policy processes in Latin America. The findings cover the opportunities and challenges for CSO engagement in trade policy debate, and an analysis of which groups are participating, who they represent, and what impact they have had to date.

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    Speakers:
    Francisco Perez, COPLA Nicaragua Programme Coordinator, Nitlapán
    Norma Correa, COPLA Peru Programme Coordinator, Consorcio de Investigación Económica y Social (CIES)
    Roberto Tellería, COPLA Bolivia Programme Coordinator, Grupo Nacional de Trabajo para la Participación (GNTP)
    Discussants:
    Maryse Robert, Director, Trade and Competetiveness Department, Organisation of American States (OAS)
    Julia D’Agostino, COPLA Regional, Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC)
    Chair:
    Nicola Jones, Programme Manager, COPLA, ODI

     

  • An ODI and Trade and Poverty in Latin America Programme public event in the Lessons From Latin America series.
At this ODI/Comercio y Pobreza en Latinoamérica / Trade and Poverty in Latin America (COPLA) event, COPLA researchers from Nicaragua, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, will present the findings of initial research on the roles of civil society organisations (CSOs) in trade policy processes in Latin America. The findings cover the opportunities and challenges for CSO engagement in trade policy debate, and an analysis of which groups are participating, who they represent, and what impact they have had to date.
This is an opportunity to find out what other actors - governments, multi-laterals, donors and researchers - can do to strengthen their participation and the democratic nature of policy decision making processes, and to learn from the experience of the COPLA programme in working with these key policy actors.
The research looks at the next steps for CSOs working in this area, given the signing of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) by so many countries and what other actors, such as the mass media, are doing in relation to FTAs and overall trade policy. It also examines the role of CSOs in countries that have not signed FTAs.