Issues proposed by the US and the European Union that are yet to be settled include good governance, labour rights and the social responsibilities of business. A Canadian proposal for a study of the advantages and disadvantages of a small, national currency transaction tax to reduce financial volatility and raise revenue has been receiving increasing support. The EU has moved from opposition to support, and the developing countries from having no declared position to support. So far the US and Japan have been opposed. Still, it would be naive to expect any easy political agreement about issues that involve important national interests.
Decisions are more likely to stick when they follow intensive consideration.
The Geneva session is well on the way to producing firm commitments for further action, translating words into action towards wellbeing for all, in the years to come. John Langmore was the Federal Labor MP for Fraser from 1984 to 1996. He is director of the UN division for social policy and development in New York. Privacy Policy Copyright 2000.