Efforts by the World Development Movement... have got GATS
exactly where the WTO does not want it to be: in the public
domain Nick Cohen, The Observer. WDM worked on The General
Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) between 2000 and 2005.
Have you heard about the sale of the century? The world's
services are up for grabs and the governments and corporations
of rich countries are busy snapping up the best bargains from
around the world. Following WDM's campaign, GATS moved from an
obscure issue that no-one had heard of, to the political centre-
stage. From the moment we wake to the moment we sleep, we depend
on services. We wouldn't get far without our water, health and
education services, or our banks, telephone and transport
systems. The service industry is huge - international trade in
services is worth a staggering £1.5 million a minute. A key role
of governments should be both to ensure that people can get
access to affordable basic services and to support the local
economy. They do this through rules and