Friends of the Earth Cardiff Cyfeillion y Ddaear Caerdydd

The WTO auctions off services outside the National Assembly for Wales. Photo: Lyndsay Maiden, Cardiff Friends of the Earth

This action is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took part.

What is GATS?

The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is an international agreement on trade, developed first and foremost for the benefit of business. It is designed to open up markets in the services sector to foreign providers, with few restrictions.

GATS rules apply to 160 service sectors, many of which, directly and indirectly, are the responsibility of local authorities. The UK Government is signed up to this through the European Commission. Final details of the agreement are being secretly negotiated.

The WTO now wants to extend its power even further. Current proposals would remove Governments' rights to make laws that:

• Encourage recycling
• Require energy efficiency labelling of goods or
• Control imports of chemicals and viruses

Friends of the Earth believe that this is wrong.