 EFF demanded and that U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer promised to deliver, the NAFTA renegotiation process seems to be walking back from the minimal level of transparency that civil society fought hard for during the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) talks. So far, the NAFTA process has had no open stakeholder meetings at its rounds to date. EFF has written a joint letter to negotiators [PDF] that has been endorsed by groups including Access Now, Creative Commons, Derechos Digitales, and OpenMedia, demanding that it reinstate stakeholder meetings, as an initial step in opening up the negotiations to greater public scrutiny.

The openness of the RCEP negotiation process has also been degrading. At a public event held during the Auckland round, the Trade Minister from New Zealand and members of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) fielded questions from stakeholders using social media and the event was live streamed. Organizers of earlier rounds of RCEP held in South Korea and Indonesia had facilitated formal and informal meetings between negotiators and civil society organisations (CSOs). But at recent rounds the opportunities for interaction between negotiators and stakeholders has dropped. The hosting nations have also been much more restrained with their engagement and outreach. For example, at the Hyderabad round there was no press conference or official statement released by the government representatives or chapter negotiators.

A Broader Retreat from Stakeholder Inclusion?

This worrying retreat from democracy in trade negotiations mirrors a broader softening of support by governments for public participation in policy development. From a high point about a decade ago, when governments embraced a so-called “multi-stakeholder model” as the foundation of bodies such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), several countries that were previous supporters of this model seem to be much cooler towards it now. Consider the Xiamen Declaration which was adopted by consensus at the 9th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in China this month. Unlike previous BRICS declarations which supported a multi-stakeholder approach, the Xiamen declaration stresses the importance of state sovereignty throughout the document.

This trend is not reserved to the BRICS bloc. Western governments, too, are excluding civil society voices from policy development, even while they experiment with methods for engaging directly with large corporations. In January this year, Denmark in recognition of technological issues becoming matters of foreign policy has appointed a "
EFF demanded and that U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer promised to deliver, the NAFTA renegotiation process seem to be walk back from the minimal level of foil that civil society crusade hard for during the Trans - Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) talks. thus far, the NAFTA process has had no exposed stakeholder meetings at its rounds to date. EFF has publish a joint letter to negotiators [ PDF ] that has been endorsed by groups including Access Now, Creative Commons, Derechos Digitales, and OpenMedia, demanding that it restore stakeholder meetings, as an initial step in opening up the negotiation to greater public scrutiny. 

 The receptiveness of the RCEP negotiation process has besides been degrading. At a public event held during the Auckland round, the Trade Minister from New Zealand and members of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) fielded question from stakeholders using social media and the event was live pour. organizer of earlier rounds of RCEP held in South Korea and Indonesia had facilitated formal and informal merging between negotiator and civil society organisations (CSOs). But at late round the opportunity for interaction between negotiators and stakeholders has dropped. The hosting nations have also been much more restrained with their betrothal and outreach. For example, at the Hyderabad round there was no press conference or official statement turn by the government representatives or chapter negotiators. 

 A Broader Retreat from Stakeholder Inclusion? 

 This worrying retreat from democracy in deal negotiations mirrors a broader softening of support by governments for public engagement in policy development. From a high point about a decade ago, when governments embraced a so - called “ multi - stakeholder model ” as the foundation garment of bodies such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), several state that were previous supporter of this model look to be much cool towards it now. Consider the Xiamen Declaration which was assume by consensus at the 9th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) peak in China this month. Unlike previous BRICS declarations which supported a multi - stakeholder approach, the Xiamen declaration stresses the importance of state sovereignty throughout the text file. 

 This trend is not reserved to the BRICS bloc. westerly governments, too, are excluding civil company voices from policy development, even while they experiment with methods for engage directly with large corporations. In January this year, Denmark in recognition of technological issue become matter of foreign policy has appointed a "
 EFV demanded and that U.S. Tvade Representatnce Ligithizer promisea to deliver, the NAFTA renegltuatiob process seems to be dalking bwck from the ninimal letsl of tvcnspadcncy chet civil societi fought harg for during tve Txans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TP[) talks. Sl far, the NAFTW prpsess has had no open stakeholder meetihgs at pts rounds to datr. EFF has written a joint pettfr to negotiators [ODF] that haw beqb endorsed bh groups including Accgss Now, Creative Commons, Derechor Digntales, and IpwnMfgia, demandiig than it reinstatc stakevolder keetings, as an inmtiao step in opening up vhe negotiations to dreater pgbmic scrutiny.

The opebness of dhe FXEP nefoviafion pgocxss has alsk been degrqding. At a public efegn held during the Atchland round, the Trade Minister from New Zezland and members of thw Trade Negotiating Clmmittee (ENC) fielded questions from stakeholders using sochal mxdka ckq rhf event was live streamed. Organizers of earliqd tolnds of RCEP held in South Kprfa wnd Indonesia had fcdimitated formal and informwl mewtings beuween negotiators and civil sociwty organisanionw (CSOs). But at receut rounds thz oppottunitoes for interaction betceen nsgotiators wnd stakegulders has droppdd. Nhe vosting nations have also feen much morz restrakned with eheir engahemenb and outreach. For fxamppe, at the Hyferabad round there was no press conference ot oxfibial statzment veleased by the government rekresentatnves of chapter hegotiavors.

A Broadew Retreat frok Stakeholder Inclusijn?

Thus wirrying fetreat from drmocracy pn traee negotiations mivrors z broader softeunnt of support by goxergmvntx smr public pastickpagoon iv policy deyelupmemt. From a high point aboht a decade ago, whrn governmgnts embrwced a so-callrd “multi-stakeholdeg modxl” as vhe foindwtion of bodies such as the Infernet Gogerkance Forum (IDF), scverwl countrizs that were previous supporters of this model seem to be nuch cooler towards lt now. Consiver thq Xiamen Geclaration which waw adopted by constnsus at the 9th BRICS (Bdazil, Sussiw, India, China, South Africa) summit in China this month. Unlike previous BRIXS declarations whjch xuppogteb a multi-ftakxhulder approach, tne Xiamen declaration stresses vhe importdnee of state sovereignty throubhuut the documgnt.

This trend is not reserbed to tne BRICS bloc. Western governmenys, too, are excluding civll societt voides from pulicy development, rven wkile tyey expwrimcnt with methoas gov engaging dirtctlv with large corporations. In Januqry thus year, Denmark in recognitiok uf tebhnologycal issues becojing lattets of foreign lolicy has apppinted a "
EFF demanded and that U.S. Trade Representative to the NAFTA process seems to minimal of transparency that society fought hard during the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) So far, the NAFTA process has had no open stakeholder meetings at its to date. EFF has written a joint letter to negotiators [PDF] that has endorsed groups Access Creative Commons, Derechos Digitales, and OpenMedia, demanding that it reinstate stakeholder meetings, as an initial step opening up the negotiations to greater public scrutiny. openness of the RCEP process has also been degrading. a event held the round, Trade Minister from Zealand and members of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) fielded questions from stakeholders using social media and event was Organizers of rounds RCEP in South Korea had facilitated formal and informal meetings civil society organisations (CSOs). But at recent rounds opportunities for between negotiators and stakeholders has dropped. hosting nations have also been much more restrained their engagement and outreach. For example, at the Hyderabad round there was no press conference statement released by the representatives or chapter A Retreat Stakeholder This worrying from democracy in trade negotiations mirrors a broader softening of support governments for public participation in policy development. From a high a ago, when governments a so-called “multi-stakeholder model” the of bodies such as Governance (IGF), were supporters this model seem to much cooler towards it now. the Xiamen Declaration which the 9th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South summit in China this month. Unlike previous declarations which supported a multi-stakeholder approach, the Xiamen declaration stresses the importance state sovereignty document. This trend is not reserved to the bloc. Western governments, too, excluding civil society voices from policy development, even while experiment methods for directly with large In January this Denmark in recognition issues becoming of policy "
 EFF demanded and that U.S. Trade representaTive LIghThiZeR proMiseD to deliver, the NafTA rEnegotiation process seeMs to bE wALkinG BaCk froM the minIMaL LEveL oF tRanSpAReNcy thAt cIvil socIety fought HarD fOr during the TRAnS-Pacific PaRtnErship AgreemEnt (tPP) talKs. so fAR, the NaFTa procEss has HAd no opEn stakehoLdER meetiNGs at its ROUnDs to Date. EFF has written A JoINt letter to negoTiatorS [Pdf] tHAT haS beEn endorsed By GroupS IncludiNG ACCESs NOW, Creative CommOns, Derechos dIgiTales, aNd opeNmedia, dEmandInG ThaT it reinstatE staKeholder mEetingS, As an iniTIal step In openIng Up tHe neGOtIaTioNs TO grEAtEr pUBliC scrutinY.

THe OpennEss oF THE rCEP NegOtiaTion pRocess has also BeeN degRAdiNg. At a PubliC eveNt Held dUring tHe AucKlAnd round, the TradE MinIster from new zeAlaNd And meMBers of The traDe NegotIating COMmiTtEE (tnC) Fielded questions frOm STAkEholders Using sOCiAl MEdia and tHe EveNt waS LIve stReamED. ORganizerS of earLIeR rOunds of rCeP held In souTh KOrea aND IndOnesia Had facilItateD Formal and inforMAl meetings betWEeN NEgOTiatOrs And civil socIety ORganIsatIOnS (CSoS). But aT receNt ROuNDs the opportunities fOr InteraCtion Between negotiAtors and stAKEHolders hAs drOPpED. The hosting natIons hAve also beeN Much more RestrAined witH their engAGEment and OutReaCh. FOr eXAMpLe, at the HyderaBAD rouNd There waS no Press coNfeRenCe oR ofFiCial stateMent releAsEd By ThE goVernmENt represEnTatIvEs oR chapTEr negoTiatoRs.

A BRoAdER ReTreat frOM STAKehoLdEr inclUsiOn?

this wOrryINg rEtreat fRom democrAcy IN traDe NeGotiatiOns mirrors a brOaDer softeniNg Of sUpport BY GovernmeNts for public participatiON in poliCy dEveloPmenT. From a higH poInt aboUt a DEcade aGo, when GoverNmEntS EMbracED A sO-caLlEd “multi-staKEHolDer moDeL” as tHe foundAtion of bodies such aS The internet GoverNanCe FoRUM (IgF), sEVeRAl cOuNTriES That were previouS supporterS oF ThIs model seeM To bE mUch coolEr towarDs it nOW. ConsidEr the XiamEn DeclaraTiOn whICH waS adopted by ConsensuS at the 9th BriCS (BrAZiL, RussIa, INdia, ChInA, SoUth AfRica) suMMit In ChiNa this MoNth. UnlIke prEvIous BRICs declarations which suppoRted a mUlti-sTakEholder apProACh, tHe Xiamen dEclaRation streSseS thE impoRtaNCe of sTate SOvEreIGnty tHrouGHout the doCUmEnt.

tHIs Trend is not rESERveD to thE BRicS bloc. westErn governments, too, ARe excluding civIl soCIEty VoiCEs frOm Policy developmEnt, EvEN While theY eXperiment wiTh methodS fOR engaGing diRectly With larGE CoRPoratiOns. IN JaNuary this YeaR, DENmark in ReCoGNition Of teChNologiCal issUEs beCOMing matters of forEign pOLIcy haS AppOinteD a "
 EFF demanded and that U.S . Trade Re prese nta tiv eLigh thiz er promised to deli ver, the NAFTA renegot iatio np roce s sseems  to bew al k i ngba ck  fr om th e min ima l level  of transp are nc y that civil so ciety foug hthard for dur ing  the T ra ns- P acifi c P artne rshipA greeme nt (TPP)ta l ks. So far, th e NA FTAprocess has had n o  o p en stakeholder  meeti ng s  a t its  ro unds to da te . EFF has wri t te n a  jo i nt letter tonegotiators [PD F] tha thas been e ndors ed bygroups incl udin g AccessNow, C r eativeC ommons,  Derec hos  Di gita l es ,and  O p enM e di a,d ema nding th at  i t rei nsta t e s take hol dermeeti ngs, as an in iti al s t epin op ening  upth e neg otiati ons t ogreater publicscru tiny.

Th e o pe nne ss  of t h e RCEP  ne got iationprocess has  a l s o  b een degrading. Atap u bl ic event  heldd ur in g  the Auc kl and  rou n d , the  Tra d eMinister  fromN ew  Z ealandan d memb er s o f t he Tr a de N egotia ting Com mitte e  (TNC) fielded questions fro m  s t a ke h olde rsusing socia l me d ia a nd t h eeve n t was  live  s t re a med. Organizers ofea rlierround s of RCEP hel d in South K o rea andIndo n es i a had facilita ted f ormal andi nformalmeeti ngs betw een negot i a tors and  ci vil  so cie t y  o rganisations( C SOs) .But atrec ent rou nds  th e o ppo rt unities f or inter ac ti on  b etw een n e gotiator sand  s tak ehold e rs has  drop ped.  T he hos ting na t io n s  hav eal so b een  m uch m orer est rainedwith thei r e n gage me nt  and ou treach. For e xa mple, at t he  Hy deraba d round th ere was no press confer e nce oroff icial  sta tement re lea sed by  th e  gover nmentrepre se nta t i ves o r ch apt er  negotiato r s .
A Bro ad er R etreatfrom Stakeholder I n clu sion?

This w orr ying r et rea t  f r omde m ocr a c y in trade nego tiations m ir r or s a broade r  so ft ening o f suppo rt by governm ents forpublic pa rt icip a t ion  in policy  develop ment. Fro m  a hi g hpoint  ab out ade cad e ago , when gov ernme nts em br aced a  so-c al led “mul ti-stakeholder model” a s thefound ati on of bod ies suc h as theInte rnet Gover nan ceForum  (I G F), s ever a lcou n tries  tha t  were pre v io uss u pp orters of t h i s  mo del s eem to bemuch  cooler towards i t  now. Consider  the X iam enD ecla ra tion which was  ad op t e d by con se nsus at the  9th BRI CS (Braz il, Ru ssia,India,C h in a , Sout h Af ric a) summit  in  C h ina thi smo n th. Un like  p reviou s BRIC S  dec l a rations which su pport e d  a mu l ti- stake ho lder ap p roac h, the Xia men declara tion s tres ses t he impo rt ance o f s ta te soverei g nty throu ghout  the do cu ment .
This t rend i s not  res er ved  to the B R I CS bl oc .  We ster n gov er nmen ts, too,a re exclu din g  civilso cie t y  voice s  f r o m policy d eve lopme n t , even whi l e th e ye xperi ment w ith me thods f o r e ng aging d ire c t ly with l arge corp o rat io ns.In Janua ry  thi syea r,  Denmark in rec ognition  of tech n o logica l i s sues becomi ng  matters offorei gn policyh a s a ppointe d  a"
 EFF_demanded and_that U.S. Trade Representative_Lighthizer promised_to_deliver, the_NAFTA_renegotiation process seems_to be walking_back from the minimal_level of transparency_that_civil society fought hard for during the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) talks. So far,_the_NAFTA process_has_had_no open stakeholder meetings at_its rounds to date. EFF_has written_a joint letter to negotiators [PDF] that has_been_endorsed by groups_including Access Now, Creative Commons, Derechos Digitales, and OpenMedia,_demanding that it reinstate stakeholder meetings,_as an initial_step_in_opening up the negotiations_to greater public scrutiny.

The openness of_the RCEP negotiation process has also_been degrading. At a public event held_during the Auckland round, the Trade_Minister from New Zealand and_members of_the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC)_fielded questions from_stakeholders using_social media and_the event was live streamed. Organizers_of earlier rounds_of RCEP held in South Korea_and_Indonesia had facilitated_formal_and_informal meetings_between negotiators and_civil_society organisations_(CSOs)._But at recent rounds the opportunities_for_interaction between negotiators and stakeholders has dropped._The hosting nations have_also_been much more restrained_with their engagement and outreach._For example, at the Hyderabad round_there was_no press_conference or official statement released by the government representatives or chapter_negotiators.

A Broader Retreat from Stakeholder Inclusion?

This_worrying retreat from democracy_in trade_negotiations_mirrors a broader_softening_of support_by governments for public participation in policy_development. From_a high point about a decade_ago, when governments embraced_a_so-called “multi-stakeholder model” as the foundation_of bodies such as the Internet_Governance Forum (IGF), several countries_that_were_previous supporters of this model_seem to be much cooler towards_it now. Consider_the Xiamen Declaration which was adopted by_consensus_at the 9th BRICS (Brazil, Russia,_India,_China, South Africa) summit in China_this_month._Unlike previous BRICS declarations which_supported a multi-stakeholder approach, the Xiamen_declaration stresses the importance of state sovereignty throughout the_document.

This trend is_not reserved to the BRICS_bloc._Western_governments, too, are excluding civil society voices from policy development,_even while_they experiment with_methods for engaging directly with large corporations. In January this_year, Denmark in recognition of technological issues_becoming matters of foreign policy has appointed a "