Box 12: Find common interests

Civil society in developed countries, in particular associations dealing with development-related issues or defending environmental views, share common positions with a number of DCs. This has often resulted in an alliance against Northern countriesХ governments. The issues of cotton and the flexibilities related to the access to medicines proved it.

In addition to civil society, however, other actors from developed countries (parliamentarians, trade unions or private sector) can, on specific issues, share the same ideas with developing countries and exert therefore a pressure on their own governments. For example, sectors in developed countries relying heavily on low-qualified workforce (construction, restaurants) but also specialized workforce (such as IT specialists) might both have an interest in seeing softer entry procedures for foreign workers in the framework of mode 4 in trade in services.

Source: Author

All the above examples show that technical arguments are not enough when there is a successful public opinion campaign against your positions. Transforming technical trade issues in moral debates is part of a global strategy that includes the reframing of the debate in your favour.

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