A New Zealand anti-globalisation group has warned Samoa that it risks losing control over its natural resources as it pushes for membership in the World Trade Organisation.
Professor Jane Kelsey, from the Action, Research and Education Network of Aotearoa, or ARENA, says Samoa must consider the negative social and cultural impact of joining the WTO.
Her comments come after the leaking of documents showing demands by the European Commission for binding trade and services agreements with WTO developing nations.
Opponents of the General Agreement on Trade and Services, or GATS, accuse the EC of bullying the WTO Pacific countries into opening up essential services and resources to European transnational companies.
Professor Kelsey says Samoa could find itself bullied in the same way.
"Countries have a right to veto the accession of Samoa to the WTO, .. that means the Europeans for example are in a very strong position to make demands that Samoa may feel that it can't resist, in terms of intellectual property rights, patents, trade and goods, and so on"
Professor Kelsey says WTO developing countries have until March 31 respond to EC demands.
