05.10.2013 Views

Download - FDCL

Download - FDCL

Download - FDCL

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

16<br />

amaraty, where the FTAA-negotiations are led by ambassador Samuel Pinheiro Guimarães.<br />

Guimarães is considered a general skeptic of the FTAA, while the Secretary<br />

of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues 17 , and the Secretary of Development, Industry and<br />

Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan, are seen as strong supporters who have openly<br />

criticized the negotiation strategy of Samuel Pinheiro Guimarães and have demanded<br />

more ways in which to influence the negotiation process for their ministries. The<br />

background to this is that “especially the Agricultural and the Development Ministries<br />

are considered strongholds of FTAA-apologists, because here the industrial lobbyists<br />

(from the agricultural, steel and textile sectors), which expect advantages from<br />

a free trade area, are very influential.” 18 Therefore, Lula’s coalition government was<br />

obligated to cut the power of the Itamaraty in the area of free trade negotiations, by<br />

ordering the participation of the Agricultural and the Development Ministries, as well<br />

as the Finance Ministry of Secretary Antonio Palocci in the negotiations. 19<br />

The lobbyists of the agricultural exporters 20 are in favor of a broad free trade<br />

agreement with the EU, under the condition that all market-distorting agricultural<br />

subsidies are cut on the part of the EU: in 2003 Brazil was the world’s largest exporter<br />

of poultry in terms of net sales, exporting a value of 1.85 billion US-dollars<br />

compared to the U.S. with net sales of 1.5 billion US-dollars. However, in terms of<br />

quantity, the U.S. exported 2.3 million tons at an average price of 600 US-dollars per<br />

ton, as compared to Brazil that exported 2 million tons at a price of 900 US-dollars. 21<br />

The current Secretary of Development and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan, was<br />

“Presidente do Conselho de Administração” (“Chairman of the Board”) at Sadia S.A.<br />

before being appointed to office: “This Brazilian company is the largest producer of<br />

poultry, pork and processed meat in Brazil and is composed of 12 industrial plants,<br />

present in seven states.” 22 This circumstance, according to a report by Anotícia (AN)<br />

from January 3, 2003, led an anonymous representative of the EU to come to the<br />

17 “Überdies hat die einflussreiche Grundbesitzerlobby mit Agrarminister Roberto Rodrigues einen wichtigen Mann<br />

in der Regierung. Der ehemalige Präsident des brasilianischen Agribusiness-Verbands besitzt im nordöstlichen<br />

Bundesstaat Maranhão selbst eine 4 000 Hektar große Sojaplantage.” Le Monde Diplomatique: Die gewollte<br />

Ausbreitung von Round Ready. Brasiliens Exportschlager Soja und der Gentechkonzern Monsanto, 12.12.2003.<br />

Own translation: “Furthermore, the influential big landowners’ lobby has an important man in the government: The<br />

Secretary of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues. The former president of the Brazilian agrobusiness-association himself<br />

owns a large soya-plantation of 4000 hectares in the northeastern state of Maranhão.”<br />

18 Own translation of the following original text: “[i]nsbesondere das Landwirtschafts- und Entwicklungsministerium<br />

gelten als Hochburgen der ALCA-Apologeten, weil hier die Lobbyisten der Industrie (Agribusiness, Stahl, Textilien),<br />

die sich von einer Freihandelszone Vorteile versprechen, über großen Einfluß verfügen.” Taken from: Fátima V.Mello<br />

(FASE / Rebrip)/ Thomas Fatheuer (Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Rio de Janeiro): Zwischen WTO und ALCA – Brasilien auf<br />

der Suche nach neuen Wegen, 2003.<br />

19 “Itamaraty perde um pouco de autonomia na Alca”, Valor Econômico 17.10.2003.<br />

20 See, e.g., the following institution financed by the Brazilian agricultural exporters: “Instituto de Estudos do Comércio<br />

e Negociações Internacionais” (ICONE), http://www.iconebrasil.org.br/index_01.asp.<br />

21 Estado de São Paulo, December 11, 2003.<br />

22 http://www.weforum.org/site/knowledgenavigator.nsf/Content/Furlan%20Luiz%20Fernando?open.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!