Fairer Trade For The Third World

EDM number 1877 in 1992-93, proposed by Peter Bottomley on 27/04/1993.

That this House recognises that fair trade is as important as aid in tackling Third World poverty; notes that the Multi-Fibre Arrangement, which directly discriminates against poor countries' clothing and textile exports, denies poor people vital jobs; further notes that the EC has already agreed to start lifting quotas on clothing and textiles from East and Central Europe despite the failure to conclude a GATT agreement, while restrictions against the world's poorest countries have been extended once again; believes that the British Government, through its participation in the EC, the GATT negotiations and the G7 Summit in Tokyo this July, is well placed to take a lead in lifting trade barriers which discriminate against poor countries; and therefore urges Her Majesty's Government to press the EC to start the 10 year phase out of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement, bringing out the poorest countries first and fastest.

This motion has been signed by a total of 96 MPs.