David Ruffley MP has added his name to Early Day Motion 989, which seeks to maintain high environmental standards in international trade.

David said:

'I have consistently campaigned for fairer global trade and believe that is the best way to help developed countries and alleviate the shocking level of poverty in the Third World. However, it is also vital that we maintain certain levels of environmental standards.

'We must work harder to achieve sustainable development which takes account of the damage done to the environment of excessive, unrestrained growth. This House of Commons Motion does not seek to restrict trade but simply calls on the Government to fulfil their promise to maintain reasonable environmental standards in global trade.'

The full text of the EDM is printed below:

EDM 989

NAMA NEGOTIATIONS ON NON-TARIFF BARRIERS (7th NOVEMBER 2005)

That this House notes that important environmental standards and labelling have been put at risk by the current World Trade Organisation's negotiations on non-agricultural market access; further notes that important energy saving initiatives to help combat climate change are similarly at risk; and urges the Government, which promised to deliver a sustainable approach to trade in the UK Sustainable Development Strategy, to fulfil this promise by preventing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from weakening environmental standards in the name of removing barriers to trade, and to ensure that the UK continues to uphold such standards if the WTO perseveres.