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<br />RESOLUTION NO. 4630 <br /> <br />A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LOCAL AUTHORITY AND <br />OPPOSING PROVISIONS IN DRAFT MULTINATIONAL <br />TRADE AGREEMENTS TO THE CONTRARY. <br /> <br />The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that: <br /> <br />A. State and local governments have utilized their powers in the marketplace in order <br />to promote living wages, anti-discrimination in employment, local economic development, and basic <br />human rights at home and abroad. <br /> <br />B. Many citizens have expressed the fear that provisions discussed in international trade <br />negotiations could restrict the ability of state, county and city governments to prohibit contracts with <br />entities that violate international human rights, labor and environmental laws. <br /> <br />C. Governmental entities like the City of Eugene are currently allowed to regulate within <br />their jurisdiction in order to protect the environment and encourage well planned development. <br /> <br />D. Under some interpretations, provisions that surfaced for proposed World Trade <br />Organization ("WTO") agreements could, if inserted into new trade agreements, undermine the <br />ability of local, state, and national governments to ensure protection of environmental resources and <br />to implement sensible land use planning. <br /> <br />E. Draft provisions for WTO agreements have been interpreted by some to create a <br />dispute resolution mechanism for investors against governments that would be both external to the <br />United States federal court system and unrestricted by existing judicial interpretations of United <br />States Constitutional principles. <br /> <br />F. International trade agreement discussions have taken place with a noticeable absence <br />of comment and advice from potentially affected citizens, state and local governments. <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, <br /> <br />BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EUGENE, a <br />Municipal Corporation of the State of Oregon, as follows: <br /> <br />Section 1. The City Council supports increased global cooperation and communication as <br />a means of improving both the prospects for peace and the standard of living at home and abroad. <br /> <br />Resolution - I <br />