Consumer coalition boycotts EU-US talks

A GLOBALISATI0N protest with a difference took place yesterday a coalition of European and US consumer groups boycotted a pre-summit meeting with senior officials at Adare Manor in Co Limerick.

The action of the TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) was in protest at the exclusion of consumers from a meeting between summit leaders and the transatlantic business community at Dromoland Castle today.

TACD had planned to discuss with senior US and EU trade officials its recommendations to reduce childhood obesity, protect air travellers' privacy and regulate tens of thousands of potentially dangerous industrial chemicals.

Stressing that it would not accept second-class status for consumers, it said it had decided to boycott the summit on learning that business representatives were invited to present their recommendations directly to the US and EU leaders while it was denied a similar meeting.

Rhoda Karpatkin, president emeritus of the US Consumers' Union, criticised the decision to give chief executives direct access to the presidents, but to bar consumer groups.

Tánaiste Mary Harney said the position is that the presentation of the recommendations by the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) in the context of the summit is a distinct exercise which warrants the direct attention of the leaders albeit within a very limited time frame given the substantial agenda.