THE Trade Justice coalition is calling on the British Government to work for policy changes on trade in the European Union.

The present "free trade" system is being managed in the interest of the rich. Poor countries need cash, so they borrow from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which set conditions forcing them to open their markets.

These countries need the freedom to use temporary protectionist measures (as Britain and other industrialised countries did) to protect their vulnerable producers, enterprises, and the environment.

Subsidies for agricultural products such as sugar, cotton, milk, beef, rice and wheat awarded by EU and US governments to their farmers (and paid for by their taxpayers) cause "dumping" on world markets. Prices are forced down and farmers from developing countries cannot compete.

Many of these producers earn only $1 a day and are competing with farmers in the rich North, many of whom receive subsidies of $20,000 a year. Something is clearly wrong and the Trade Justice campaign is working to change this.

We can all get involved by voting for Trade Justice. This "straw vote" will ask the Government to put trade justice high on the political agenda in the election and before discussions on poverty at the G8 summit in Edinburgh in July.

York is taking part in a global week of action on Trade Justice, with a rally and march today. There will also be a Trade Justice exhibition at York Minster until April 16.

Margy Vernon,

Kendal Close,

Dunnington, York.

Updated: 11:13 Saturday, April 09, 2005